5 Things To Know About St. Marys Road Pipeline Replacement Project

LAFAYETTE, CA — An East Bay Municipal Utility District project to install a new water pipeline that will enhance water service in neighborhoods along the St. Mary's Road corridor in Lafayette should be underway as it was scheduled to start June 3.

1. Temporary Impacts: The work will impact St. Marys Road. Side streets intersecting with St. Marys Road will also experience temporary impacts as work progresses.

The project is expected to continue until October, and the duration of construction on each street may vary. Final paving will follow the completion of construction.

The detour map below shows details on the affected work area.

Work hours are 7 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday. EBMUD will provide traffic control but residents may experience delays up to 10 minutes when entering and leaving the work area. Those with special needs are encouraged to call the district for accommodations.

Equipment and materials will be temporarily located in the neighborhood during construction. After the new water pipeline is installed, crews will transfer water services, install fire hydrants and make final connections.

Once all construction is completed, material and equipment will be removed within 1 to 2 weeks.

2. Water Service Interruptions: Crews will notify residents with a door hanger regarding planned water service interruption to a property. After a service interruption, there may be air in the pipes that may loosen particles in a home's plumbing. Residents should close the toilet water supply valves, and then run water from the front hose bib, bathtub and/or cold water faucets for 1-3 minutes.

"This will dispel any air or loosened particles from your household pipes. If any water quality issues remain after flushing, please call us," EBMUD said.

3. Repaving St. Marys Road: The daily asphalt that is applied during construction is temporary and serves to ensure a safe road surface. Final paving will take place after the pipeline work is finished. It may take up to 90 days or longer before the final paving is completed.

This pipeline replacement is being undertaken at the request of the city of Lafayette to precede the city's planned repaving of the entire St. Marys Road.

• Watch: How EBMUD paves streets following pipe replacements.

4. Flushing Water Lines: After pipe installations or repairs, EBMUD crews may flush water lines with large volumes of water to ensure water is clean and safe.

During flushing, customers may see water discharged into tanks or storm drains. Customers should note that the removal of sediment and discolored water after a repair or new pipe installation is a critical step to keeping the water safe.

"EBMUD values conservation and water reuse, especially during drought, and works to reuse flushed water whenever possible."

5. Watch Community Meeting: A video recording is available of a virtual community meeting held May 15 about the project. The video is just over 40 minutes long and may hold answers to some of your questions.