Leanna Drive Creek Crossing Water Line Replacement

The Leanna Drive waterline is critical to the City of Arroyo Grande’s (City) water system. The 8-inch waterline crosses the Arroyo Grande Creek and connects the City’s east side water storage and distribution system with its west side wells and residential users. Installed in the 1960s, the waterline had reached the end of its reliable service life and needed replacement. Additionally, the concrete encasement encompassing the waterline had started forming a barrier to water flow. Potential hazards included the alteration of the creek’s course and prevention of fish passage.

The City selected Cannon to prepare environmental documents, obtain permits, prepare design and construction documents, and provide construction support for the replacement of the water line. The project ultimately replaced aging infrastructure and restored system reliability across the creek. Part of our strategy included removing obstructions to allow the creek to regain its natural drainage course. To reduce disturbance to the creek, we employed horizontal directional drilling to replace the pipeline. To reduce the risk of frac-out, we opted for conductor casing following existing utility lines. Cannon also developed a contingency plan to prepare the City in the event of frac-out.

Critical elements included implementation of the project within the City’s desired construction time frame and reducing impacts to the sensitive creek environment, private property owners, and residents.