Overview
The existing pipeline was installed in 1983 and is being upgraded to improve seismic reliability. The project will help maintain reliable water service to Alameda, which receives its water from storage reservoirs in Oakland.
The San Leandro Channel Crossing (SLCC) Pipeline Project will install approximately 2,100 feet of 30-inch-diameter pipe about 100 feet beneath the channel using Horizontal Directional Drilling (HDD), a trenchless construction method. New steel pipe will also be installed using open-trench construction to connect the new crossing to Alameda's water transmission system.
Important Construction Information: This project involves multiple phases of construction with varying impacts to nearby residents, businesses, commuters, pedestrians, and bicyclists. Please review the information below for details about construction activities, work hours, periods of higher noise, nighttime work, traffic and access impacts, and the temporary Park & Ride closure.
You can watch the September 23, 2026 community webinar below or on the EBMUD YouTube Channel at https://youtu.be/NdTtI-y2qPM.
Project Timeline
Pre-construction activities will take place at various locations on Alameda Main Island and Bay Farm Island, including potholing, field investigations and utility locating.
October–December 2026
Crews will prepare the main HDD staging areas at the Peach Street cul-de-sac near Otis Drive and at the Bay Farm Park & Ride lot. These locations will serve as the entry and exit points for drilling beneath the San Leandro Channel. Activities will include sound wall construction and excavation of pits needed for HDD operations.
January–June 2027
Horizontal Directional Drilling (HDD) beneath the San Leandro Channel will take place. Work will include drilling the pilot hole, enlarging the bore, assembling the new HDPE pipeline above ground along Island Drive, and pulling the pipeline through the completed bore.
As part of the HDD work, crews will hammer large steel casing into the ground through loose, unstable soils at the HDD staging areas. This activity is expected to generate some of the highest noise levels during construction.
January–December 2027
Open-trench pipeline construction will occur at several locations to connect the new pipeline to Alameda’s existing water transmission system, including:
- San Jose Avenue between Pearl Street and Peach Street
- Peach Street between San Jose Avenue and Otis Drive
- Island Drive between Doolittle Drive and Veterans Court
- Veterans Court
Open-trench construction will occur in phases and may overlap with HDD activities.
October 2027–January 2028
Crews will conduct pipeline testing and complete connections to the existing water transmission system.
January–April 2028
Restoration and final paving will take place in areas affected by construction.
May 2028
Project completion is anticipated.
Construction dates are approximate and subject to change.
What to Expect During Construction
Construction will occur in phases through spring 2028. The HDD process beneath the San Leandro Channel is expected to take approximately 10 weeks, with noise levels varying depending on the type of work underway.
Typical work hours will be Monday through Friday, 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Noise levels will be monitored during construction. The approximately 2-day continuous HDD pipeline pullback will be an exception to typical work hours and will require weekend and overnight work.
Residents, businesses, commuters, pedestrians, and bicyclists near active work areas may experience temporary construction-related impacts, including:
- Noise from drilling equipment, construction vehicles, excavation, and pipeline installation.
- Higher noise levels during steel casing installation. Crews will use hammering equipment to install the steel casing. This is expected to be the loudest phase of HDD construction and will occur for approximately two weeks at each staging area.
- Approximately two days of continuous, 24-hour work during HDD pipeline pullback, including weekend and nighttime work.
- Above-ground pipeline assembly and temporary storage of the assembled HDPE pipeline along the eastern sidewalk of Island Drive.
- Temporary lane closures, parking restrictions, and traffic delays near active work zones.
- Increased construction vehicle traffic in the project area.
- Temporary changes to pedestrian and bicycle access near construction activities.
Sound walls will be installed at the HDD staging areas, and noise and vibration levels will be monitored during construction. EBMUD will provide advance notice of major construction activities, nighttime work, and significant traffic changes whenever possible.
Park & Ride Temporary Closure
Island Drive Park & Ride next to Grandview Pavilion at 300 Island Drive will be temporarily closed for approximately six months during construction of the SLCC Project.
During the closure, temporary commuter parking spaces will be available at 885A Island Drive, Harbor Bay Landing Parking Lot at the former CVS location. Temporary parking will be available as soon as the Park & Ride lot is closed.
Signs will be posted at the Park & Ride lot to notify commuters of the closure and direct them to the temporary parking location.
Horizontal Directional Drilling (HDD) Explained
To install the new pipeline beneath the San Leandro Channel, EBMUD will use Horizontal Directional Drilling (HDD), a trenchless construction method that allows the pipeline to be installed deep below the channel without excavating through or disturbing the waterway above.
The Peach Street cul-de-sac near Otis Drive and the Bay Farm Park & Ride area will serve as the entry and exit staging areas for drilling beneath the channel.
The HDD process involves several major steps:
1. Prepare the entry and exit areas
Crews will excavate pits and prepare equipment at the HDD staging areas on both sides of the San Leandro Channel.
2. Install steel casing
Large steel casing must be installed through the soils near the surface before drilling can continue deeper beneath the channel. Crews will use hammering equipment to drive the casing into the ground.
This is expected to be the loudest phase of HDD construction. Steel casing installation is anticipated to take approximately two weeks at each staging area. Higher-noise activities will take place Monday through Friday between 8 a.m. and 7 p.m. Noise levels will be monitored during construction.
3. Drill beneath the San Leandro Channel
Once the casing is installed, specialized drilling equipment will create a borehole approximately 100 feet beneath the channel. The overall HDD process is expected to last approximately 10 weeks.
4. Assemble the new pipeline
While drilling is underway, crews will assemble the approximately 2,100-foot HDPE pipeline above ground along Island Drive. The assembled pipeline will be temporarily stored along the eastern sidewalk of Island Drive until it is ready to be installed.
5. Pull the pipeline beneath the channel
Once the borehole and pipeline are ready, crews will pull the completed HDPE pipeline through the borehole beneath the San Leandro Channel. Once pipeline pullback begins, the operation must continue without interruption until the pipeline is fully installed.
Pullback is expected to take approximately two days and will require continuous, 24-hour operations, including weekend and nighttime work. EBMUD will provide advance notice to nearby residents before this work begins.
Community Benefits
The SLCC Project will provide a second seismically resilient water transmission pipeline serving Alameda. The first was completed in 2023 beneath the Oakland Inner Harbor, connecting Oakland and northern Alameda.
Together, the two crossings will provide greater redundancy in Alameda's water transmission system, helping maintain reliable water service during emergencies, maintenance activities, and following a major earthquake. This added resilience will benefit homes, businesses, schools, and emergency services throughout Alameda and Bay Farm Island.
Frequently Asked Questions
The Peach Street area near Otis Drive will serve as one of the HDD staging areas and an entry/exit point for drilling beneath the San Leandro Channel. Crews will excavate an HDD pit, install drilling equipment and steel casing, and conduct drilling activities needed to install the new pipeline.
Sound walls will be installed around the staging area to help reduce construction noise.
The overall HDD process is expected to take approximately 10 weeks. Different construction activities will occur during this period, and noise levels will vary depending on the work underway.
Drilling activities are expected to start in February 2027 and will take place from both staging areas.
Typical construction work hours will be Monday through Friday from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Higher-noise activities will generally occur between 8 a.m. and 7 p.m.
One major exception is pipeline pullback. Once this operation begins, work must continue without interruption and is expected to require approximately two days of continuous, 24-hour work.
Construction schedules and activities are subject to change based on construction progress and field conditions.
The highest noise levels are expected during installation of the large steel casing at the HDD staging areas. Crews will use hammering equipment to drive the casing through the soil. This activity is anticipated to last approximately two weeks at each staging area. Noise levels will be monitored during construction.
Most HDD activities will occur during daytime work hours. However, pipeline pullback requires continuous operation once it begins and is expected to take approximately two days. During this period, work will continue 24 hours a day, including overnight. EBMUD will provide advance notice to nearby residents before this work begins.
Once the pipeline begins moving through the completed borehole, the operation must continue until the pipeline is fully installed. Stopping during the process could create technical and construction risks and jeopardize successful installation of the pipeline.
The new approximately 2,100-foot HDPE pipeline will be assembled above ground along Island Drive and temporarily stored along the eastern sidewalk before it is pulled beneath the San Leandro Channel. Construction activities may temporarily affect pedestrian, bicycle, parking, or traffic access in the area.
Temporary lane closures, parking restrictions, and traffic delays are expected near some active work areas.
On Island Drive, lane closures are anticipated Monday through Friday between 9 a.m. and 3 p.m. to avoid the morning school drop-off period and minimize impacts during afternoon pick-up as much as possible. We are also aware of the Wednesday early school dismissal and will work to minimize traffic impacts during that period. EBMUD will post signs and provide advance notice of significant traffic and parking changes.
Temporary changes to pedestrian and bicycle routes may be necessary near active construction areas. Signs and traffic controls will be used to help people safely navigate around the work.
EBMUD will provide project updates and advance notifications for major construction activities, nighttime work, and significant traffic changes. Updates will also be posted on this project webpage.
The contractor will use dust-control measures throughout construction, including watering down work areas and soil as needed. Sound walls and other site controls will also help contain dust within the work area. Crews will monitor site conditions and adjust dust-control measures as needed.
Yes. Temporary parking restrictions will be necessary near active work areas to provide space for construction and maintain safe access. “No Parking” signs will be posted in advance. Please follow all posted restrictions and move vehicles by the time shown on the signs. Vehicles remaining in restricted areas may be subject to enforcement by the City of Alameda/Alameda Police Department.
Yes, lighting may be needed during the winter months when daylight hours are shorter. Lights will be used to provide a safe work area when it becomes dark and will be positioned, where feasible, to minimize impacts on nearby homes and properties.
We understand that construction dust can be a concern, particularly for people with asthma or other respiratory sensitivities. The contractor will use dust-control measures throughout construction, including watering down soil and work areas as needed, managing dusty materials, and cleaning work areas. Crews will monitor conditions and adjust dust-control measures as needed.
Residents who are particularly sensitive to dust may choose to keep nearby windows and doors closed as an additional precaution.
We understand that vibration is a particular concern for residents living closest to the construction area.
EBMUD will conduct vibration and settlement monitoring near construction activities. Monitoring equipment will be placed near the work, where construction-related vibration would be expected to be greater than at properties farther away.
If monitoring indicates that construction is approaching established thresholds, the project team will evaluate conditions and determine whether adjustments to construction activities are needed.
EBMUD's Risk Management Division is responsible for investigating and resolving liability claims against the District. If you wish to file a claim for alleged property damage, please visit EBMUD Risk Management for information about the claim process and applicable time limits for filing a claim.
Claims are reviewed on a case-by-case basis. To discuss a loss, contact Risk Management at 510-287-0175, Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
EBMUD will provide advance notice if construction activities are expected to affect water service.
Protecting birds and shoreline habitat is part of the project’s environmental permitting and construction planning. EBMUD completed a Biological Assessment as part of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers permitting process, which included coordination with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
During nesting season (February 1–August 31), a qualified biologist will survey the area before ground-disturbing work begins. If active nests are found, protective buffers and monitoring will be put in place. The project team will also follow applicable safeguards for
Contact Information
Community Affairs
Email: construction-south@ebmud.com
Phone: 510-287-0544
For after-hours assistance, please call 1-866-403-2683.
Related Resources
To review all planning and design stage details for this project please see Alameda-North Bay Farm Island Pipeline Crossings.
What impacts are expected when pipelines are installed?