Westside Pumping Plant Replacement Project

Project details

The Westside Pumping Plant Replacement Project includes replacement of existing EBMUD facilities and construction of new and replacement pipeline, as described below. The project will replace critical aging water distribution facilities that have reached the end of their useful lives to increase system reliability and operating efficiency, and to improve water quality operations.

Pipeline Replacement

Approximately 6,600 feet of new and replacement 12-inch discharge pipeline will be installed as part of this project in El Toyonal and La Encinal. Approximately 300 feet of new two-inch pipeline will be installed in Madera Lane from Vallecito Lane to 6 Madera Lane. 

Facilities Replacement

EBMUD plans to replace the existing 0.5-million-gallon-per-day (MGD) Encinal Pumping Plant (PP) and 0.3-MGD Westside PP with a new 0.6-MGD Westside PP. The new Westside PP will be constructed at 4 Madera Lane, the site of the existing Encinal PP. The Encinal PP will be demolished. At 20 El Rincon, both the existing Westside PP and the existing 0.2-million-gallon (MG) redwood Encinal Reservoir will be demolished. The Encinal Reservoir will be replaced with a new Encinal Regulator, to be housed within the new Westside PP.

Construction and demolition of the facilities is anticipated to start in summer 2021 and last approximately two years. 

Project schedule and work hours (Updated 6/28/21)

• EBMUD and our contractor, Teichert, have completed pipeline installation on both La Encinal and El Toyonal.

• This Tuesday 6/29 and Wednesday 6/30, EBMUD and our contractor Teichert will be working on connecting the new water main to the existing distribution system at 118 El Toyonal.  Traffic will need to detour down the hill using Loma Vista. Thursday, July 1st, EBMUD will be connecting the new water main at 37 La Encinal. The road will be open to traffic.

• There will be no work on Friday, July 2nd

• Tuesday July 6th- Friday, July 9th, EBMUD and Teichert will be connecting the new water main at El Toyonal and Loma Vista.  Loma Vista will be blocked at El Toyonal and traffic will need to use El Toyonal towards La Encinal.

• On Tuesday, July 13th and Wednesday, July 14th, EBMUD will finish transferring services to the new water main on La Encinal. Residents on La Encinal can expect delays of 15 minutes between 9am-12pm and 1pm- 5:30pm.

• Thursday, July 15th - Friday July 16th and Tuesday, July 21st – Wednesday, July 22nd, EBMUD and Teichert will be completing service transfers on Phase 2 of El Toyonal between La Encinal and Loma Vista. Traffic at El Toyonal will be detoured towards Loma Vista or La Encinal to El Toyonal.

• Final street restoration and paving is expected to begin late-July/early-August.

• Crews may arrive at the site at 7 a.m. and begin preparing to set up the work areas. Work and road closures will begin at 8:00 a.m.

• There will be no road work on Mondays to allow for garbage pick-ups.

Road Closures

Partial and/or street closures will be required during portions of the construction. Traffic control plans have been submitted and approved by the City of Orinda. Standard construction environmental and safety practices applicable to all EBMUD construction projects have been incorporated into the project. These standard practices minimize impacts to the public resulting from EBMUD construction projects.

Access will be maintained for residents living along the construction work zone and impacted side streets. When work is being performed directly in front of a section of homes, residents will park in a designated area.  Residents will then be walked safely through the work zone by a crew member (maintaining a minimum of six feet of distance). Staff will be coordinating directly with residents regarding their needs as the work zone approaches their home and will provide advance notice of the work. We do not anticipate being directly in front of any section of homes for longer than two weeks. Traffic controls will allow residents access to their homes during the remaining construction.

Residents that live outside of the work zone will be required to detour around Grizzly Peak/Highway 24 or Camino Pablo/Highway 24 during Project working hours on El Toyonal between Alta Vista and Loma Vista. 

Water Service Interruption 

Construction of replacement pipelines will take place with the existing pipelines still in service. Short shutdowns and minimal interruptions in water service will occur when new pipelines are connected to existing pipelines and when service laterals are transferred from the existing to the new pipelines. Crews will notify you, in person or with a door hanger, regarding any planned water service interruption to your property. After a service interruption, there may be air in the pipes that may loosen particles in your home plumbing. Close your toilet water supply valves, and then run water from your front hose bib, bathtub and/or cold water faucets for 1-3 minutes which will dispel any air or loosened particles from your household pipes. If any water quality issues remain after flushing, please call us.

Paving

The asphalt paving applied daily is temporary and is designed to provide a safe road surface during construction. Final paving occurs after pipeline work is completed. It may take up to 30 days or longer before final paving is completed.   Watch a video on how EBMUD paves streets following pipe replacements.   

Contact 

Kathryn Horn
Community Affairs 

Email: construction-east@ebmud.com 
Phone: 510-287-2053

Emergencies or after hours, call EBMUD at 1-866-403-2683

Contractors: For bid opportunities please see the Business Center.