EBMUD Completes $120 Million in Capital Projects

Quarterly Update on Completed Projects from November 2019 – January 2020

Between November 2019 and January 2020, the East Bay Municipal Utility District (EBMUD) completed more than $120 million in capital projects, ranging from construction of new neighborhood water storage tanks in Castro Valley to installation of state-of-the-art earthquake-resistant water distribution pipelines in Berkeley.

These projects will improve water quality and system reliability, and extend the life of vital infrastructure that provides drinking water to 1.4 million customers and wastewater service to 685,000 customers in Alameda and Contra Costa counties.

“As a publicly owned non-profit, EBMUD invests significant resources in renewing and replacing the pipes, pumps, tanks and plants that deliver round-the-clock water and wastewater services to the East Bay community,” said EBMUD Board President Marguerite Young. “These projects help us deliver on our promise to protect public health and the environment while preserving our infrastructure for future generations.”

Key projects completed between November 2019 and January 2020 include:

  • Water treatment plant improvements in Oakland and El Sobrante (photo)
    EBMUD installed and upgraded ozone equipment at the Upper San Leandro and Sobrante water treatment plants to improve water quality. Total cost: $40.1 million.
  • Pipeline replacement in Albany, Berkeley, Castro Valley, El Cerrito, Lafayette, Oakland, Orinda, Richmond, and San Leandro
    EBMUD installed 23,417 feet (4.4 miles) of pipeline toward our goal of replacing 17.5 miles of pipeline this fiscal year and 20 miles next fiscal year. Total cost: $11.7 million.
  • Faria Pumping Plant and Reservoirs in San Ramon (photo)
    EBMUD built two new 0.5 million-gallon steel reservoirs and a new 1.6 million-gallon pumping plant in the Faria development, and rehabilitated the San Ramon water storage tanks to bring this recent property development into the EBMUD system. Total cost: $10.1 million.
  • Summit Reservoir, Shasta and Woods Pumping Plants in Berkeley (video)
    EBMUD completed the replacement of Summit Reservoir, which was originally constructed in 1891, with a new 3.5-million-gallon concrete water storage tank. Two pumping plants were also replaced as part of the project to increase system reliability and improve water quality. Total cost: $17 million.
  • South Reservoir in Castro Valley (photo)
    EBMUD completed the replacement of the South Reservoir, which was originally constructed in 1956, with a new concrete 9-million-gallon water storage tank to improve water quality and increase system reliability. Total cost: $15.5 million.
  • Bacon, Mendocino and Pearl water storage tanks in Lafayette, Hercules, Richmond respectively
    EBMUD rehabilitated three water storage tanks with a combined capacity of 3 million gallons with new roofs, linings and safety and electrical enhancements. Total cost: $7.3 million.
  • Copper Lateral Cathodic Protection in Alameda
    EBMUD placed anodes on 10,000 copper service lines to control corrosion and extend the life of those service lines. The anodes draw the corrosive properties of soil so preserve the pipes. Total cost: $2.7 million.
  • South Interceptor 3rd Street in Oakland
    EBMUD relined 4,700 linear feet of a 105-inch diameter concrete pipe to address corrosion in this interceptor which collects wastewater for customers west of the Oakland/Berkeley hills. Total cost: $12 million.
  • Wastewater digester recoat and repair in Oakland
    EBMUD upgraded two digesters at the Main Wastewater Treatment Plant with new roofs, mixing equipment and lining. Total cost: $3.8 million.

These projects are ready for service. At some sites, EBMUD and/or contractors may be conducting final tests or completing landscape work.

In addition to the projects completed between November 2019 and January 2020, EBMUD is working on more than 60 capital improvement projects, and planning another 40 projects in the next fiscal year, beginning July 1, 2020.

All told, EBMUD’s water system encompasses more than 4,200 miles of water pipelines, two reservoirs in the Sierra Foothills and five reservoirs in the East Bay, six water treatment plants, 164 neighborhood water storage tanks, and 135 pumping plants. EBMUD’s wastewater system encompasses 29 miles of sewer interceptors, 15 pumping plants, three wet weather facilities and the Main Wastewater Treatment Plant at the foot of the Bay Bridge.

For more information about ongoing EBMUD projects, visit ebmud.com/construction.

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