Oro Loma continues to improve the health of its pipes—5.4 miles of pipe replaced in the last 12 months

Telling a Different Story

It’s a common story throughout the United States—sewage pipes are wearing out and there isn’t enough money to fix them. The Oro Loma Board wanted to tell a different story. So when the Board met to establish a strategic 10-year plan, they set a goal of improving the overall health of the 270 miles of pipe that collects sewage and brings it to the treatment plant. Imagine the challenge of improving your own health as you are getting older.

Goals Set

Once the goal was established, the Engineering Department developed a method to measure the health of the system. The next steps were to prioritize the pipe system needs, estimate budget needs, and then prepare plans to replace the pipes that were in the worst condition.

Pipe Bursting

In most cases, the engineers specified a method of replacement called pipe bursting. Pipe bursting involves pulling a new high density polyethylene (HDPE) pipe through a vitrified clay pipe. In the process, the old pipe breaks around the new pipe. The end product is a new, watertight, and seamless pipe with a life of 2-3 times that of the original clay pipe.

In the last 12 months, the District has replaced 5.4 miles of pipe using this method. This level of pipe replacement will give our customers peace of mind knowing that their system will continue to provide the same high level of service that Oro Loma customers deserve.