Tag Archive for: Pipelines

Meet the “Robots” Protecting San Diego’s Water Pipelines

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Much like your body, public infrastructure needs constant care and attention. Check-ups, tests, and consistent monitoring help you stay on top of your health. It’s similar with the regional water infrastructure, with 1,400 structures, 308 miles of large pipelines, a dam, a water treatment plant, as well as pump stations and hydroelectric facilities. All pieces working together as one integrated system, much like your body, yet all of it aging, day by day.  

Monitoring and assessing the condition of the regional water infrastructure is the responsibility of the “doctor” of asset management, Martin Coghill, Operations and Maintenance Manager at the Water Authority, and his staff.   

During the last week of May, members of the Water Authority’s Board of Directors were treated to a showcase of technologies, as well as incredible stories from Coghill and his staff about their use – and how they help the organization save time and money. 

A history of innovation

The Water Authority has long been on the cutting edge of testing and utilizing the latest technology to help assess the condition of its system. This is important because Water Authority pipelines no longer traverse formerly agricultural and rural settings. San Diego County has urbanized quite a bit over the last half-century, and a ruptured pipeline in a now urban setting is likely to threaten property and the livelihoods of those living nearby.

In 2006, a large-diameter pipeline ruptured in the western portion of Mission Trails Regional Park. Thankfully, damage wasn’t worse, not only because of the remote location, but also thanks to the rapid response of Water Authority staff that closed valves to stop the flow of water.

Though the break was unfortunate, it provided critical data to the Water Authority, who had recently installed a new technology inside the pipe – an acoustic fiber optic cable. That AFO cable heard pings as the pipeline started to fail and recorded that data. As a result, that type of cable has been installed in other pipelines throughout San Diego County to help monitor their health.

Now, Coghill and his team know what it sounds like when a section of pipe is in distress. That technology works alongside other technologies to provide critical data about the condition of the pipe, which then helps Coghill and his staff develop a recommendation for repair before the pipe fails.

In the 1980’s, Water Authority staff thought up an ingenious solution to reline a certain kind of pipe called Prestressed Concrete Cylinder Pipe with new steel liners. That repair solution continues to be the preferred solution by the Water Authority and other water agencies around the world to repair those sorts of pipes. The bonus is that this method of repair saves the agency millions of dollars each year and is less intrusive than digging up and replacing those sections of pipelines. 

An eye to the future

This innovative culture continues to breed new, cost-effective solutions.  

One historical challenge has been assessing the condition of the pipe while it’s in service. In the past, pipelines had to be dewatered before crews could enter them to deploy tools and assess their condition. One fairly new technology that allows the pipelines to stay in service – saving water and money – are acoustic leak detection devices. These tools are inserted into a live pipe and travel with the flow of water. They can detect sounds of active leaks.   

Another challenge has been “getting eyes” on the inside of the approximately 1,400 structures along the pipelines. In order to inspect them on a routine basis, staff have had to climb down into the structures and take photos. The confined space makes this task hazardous and difficult. Recently, one of Coghill’s staff developed a tool using a 360-degree action camera mounted on a telescopic pole. Staff was able to save the organization money by purchasing the components separately and assembling them. This innovative solution saved the Water Authority nearly $9,000, which does not include the staff time saved from having to climb in and out of each structure to take the same photos. 

These new technologies and tools produce large amounts of very important data. It takes Coghill and his team many hours to comb through it, crunch the numbers, and analyze it to develop recommendations for repairs or replacement. His team is considering other data storage and reporting options, including use of artificial intelligence and/or other software that could streamline efforts to analyze the data.

While the technology showcase was just a one-day event, the use of the featured technologies, along with monitoring and condition assessment efforts, continue, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. At the heart of it all lies a team and their tools embedded in a culture of innovation – an investment for the future that helps safeguard our region’s long-term sustainability.

San Diego County Water Authority Planning for Pipeline Work in Rancho Bernardo, Poway

/in , , /by /Poway News Chieftainby Elizabeth Marie Himchak Quoted: San Diego County Water Authority

The San Diego County Water Authority will begin aqueduct maintenance next spring, with the $66 million project expected to be complete in summer 2026. The project area will include pipelines that run through Rancho Bernardo and Poway.

The Southern First Aqueduct Facilities Improvement Project will focus on 99 aqueduct support structures in streets, along access roads and within utility easements. There are two 48-inch- and 54-inch-diameter critical regional pipelines involved, officials said.

The plan is for one pipeline to be taken offline at a time, according to engineering manager Brent Fountain, who spoke at the Rancho Bernardo Planning Board’s Oct. 19 meeting. The project is “very proactive” because it will be replacing some of the concrete vault structures and doing other infrastructure work to components, such as air vents and pump wells, before it becomes absolutely necessary, Fountain said.

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Biden’s $8 Billion Quest to Solve America’s Groundwater Crisis

/in , , /by /Gristby Jake Bittle

Water is hard to come by on the Rocky Boy’s Reservation, and it has been for a long time. The Chippewa Cree tribe members who live on this reservation in north-central Montana get most of their water from a thin underground aquifer that is insufficiently replenished by occasional rainfall, and they’ve been under some form of water restriction for several decades.

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First Aqueduct Maintenance Shutdown Runs Feb. 27-March 8

/in , , /by /Water News Network Quoted: San Diego County Water Authority

The final shutdown for scheduled maintenance of the San Diego County Water Authority’s First Aqueduct is scheduled to begin February 27. The shutdown will run through March 8, allowing crews to reline portions of the historic aqueduct and perform regular maintenance work that ensures a safe and reliable water supply for the region. Portions of the First Aqueduct were shut down earlier this year for similar work, as part of a proactive approach to saving on future maintenance or replacement costs.

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First Aqueduct Maintenance Shutdown Runs Feb. 27-March 8

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(Editor’s Update: Work started Monday, February 27, as scheduled)

The final shutdown for scheduled maintenance of the San Diego County Water Authority’s First Aqueduct is scheduled to begin February 27. The shutdown will run through March 8, allowing crews to reline portions of the historic aqueduct and perform regular maintenance work that ensures a safe and reliable water supply for the region. Portions of the First Aqueduct were shut down earlier this year for similar work, as part of a proactive approach to saving on future maintenance or replacement costs.

The Water Authority and its member agencies are coordinating to minimize impacts to residents and businesses, while servicing pipelines that are more than 65 years old.

Customers of these affected retail agencies during the final planned shutdown should check with their local water utility if they have questions about localized impacts: Fallbrook Public Utility District, Rainbow Municipal Water District, Rincon del Diablo Municipal Water District, Vallecitos Water District, Valley Center Municipal Water District, Vista Irrigation District, Helix Water District, Yuima Municipal Water District, and the cities of San Diego, Poway and Ramona.

“Taking care of this critical infrastructure during the shutdown season extends the life of the First Aqueduct and helps to avoid both water emergencies and the high costs of emergency work,” said Eva Plajzer, the Water Authority’s director of operations and maintenance. “Maintaining our water delivery system in coordination with our member agencies ensures the continued safe and reliable supply that serves the region’s 3.3 million residents and our $268 billion economy.”

Maintenance work on pipelines is scheduled during low-demand periods to minimize impacts on water service.

The historic First Aqueduct was constructed in the 1940s (Pipeline 1) and in the 1950s (Pipeline 2). On November 28, 1947, the first Colorado River water flowed south from Riverside County for 71 miles into the City of San Diego’s San Vicente Reservoir via the First Aqueduct.

The Water Authority’s Asset Management Program is a key element of providing safe and reliable water supplies to the region. The agency continually assesses and inspects its 310 miles of large-diameter pipelines, which provide treated and untreated water to 24 member agencies in San Diego County. The program is widely recognized for pioneering work, including a patented inspection device.

As assets age, the Water Authority proactively replaces and repairs them to minimize impacts to member agencies and the public. Investments in the latest inspection technologies – including electromagnetic scanning, robotic inspections and 3D tunnel inspections – help the Water Authority’s asset management team detect defects in pipelines and related facilities.

(Editor’s Note: The Fallbrook Public Utility District, Rainbow Municipal Water District, Rincon del Diablo Municipal Water District, Vallecitos Water District, Valley Center Municipal Water District, Vista Irrigation District, Yuima Municipal Water District, Helix Water District, Ramona Municipal Water District, and the cities of San Diego and Poway, are 11 of the San Diego County Water Authority’s 24 member agencies that deliver water across the metropolitan San Diego region.)

Karla Sanchez-field work-Engineers Week

Celebrating 79 Years of Engineering at the San Diego County Water Authority

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The San Diego County Water Authority is celebrating National Engineers Week by highlighting how the agency’s engineers are instrumental in keeping the water flowing to San Diegans.

Since the Water Authority’s formation in 1944, engineers have played a pivotal role in the establishment and growth of the agency and its commitment to delivering safe, reliable water supplies to San Diego.

The Water Authority’s first general manager, J. L. Burkholder, who oversaw the completion of Pipeline 1, which gave San Diego access to the Colorado River in 1947, also held the title of chief engineer. At the Water Authority, National Engineers Week is a time to remember its roots while also appreciating the team leading it into the future.

“Preparing the next generation”

Water Authority Assistant General Manager Tish Berge, who is a registered professional chemical engineer, explained the importance of having a strong presence of engineers in organizations like the Water Authority.

“Engineering at its core is problem solving,” Berge said. “That type of thinking is applicable at all levels within an organization.  At this stage in my career, the most rewarding aspect of my job is leading talented individuals and preparing the next generation.”

The Water Authority has 23 staff members that hold professional engineering or engineering-in-training licenses.

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(L) San Diego County Water Authority Assistant General Manager Tish Berge, a registered professional chemical engineer, and (R) Emma Ward-McNally, engineer and construction manager at the Water Authority. Photo: San Diego County Water Authority

Love of science

Emma Ward-McNally, engineer and construction manager at the Water Authority, said her love for science and curiosity of the world around her drew her into the field of engineering. She said her passion for problem solving keeps her going.

“I love my job because no two projects are ever the same and they all offer unique challenges and opportunities,” Ward-McNally said.

Asset Management – Underground

At the Water Authority, problem solving can look a little different than other retail water agencies, said Principal Asset Management Specialist Eric Rubalcava, who is a professional engineer.

Large diameter pipelines and structures allow for Rubalcava and his team to physically go inside the infrastructure for inspections. A typical inspection over the course of 10 days will cover 12 miles of pipeline. Rubalcava and his crew look for visible cracking of the pipeline liner, exposed or corroded metal, coating failures, spalled concrete, pulled joints; anything that provides evidence that our infrastructure is in a degraded state.

For Rubalcava, the job is rewarding because of his direct involvement in keeping the water system reliable by determining infrastructure needs.

“This work is physically demanding but I get to do something that most people don’t get to experience, including many of my Water Authority colleagues,” Rubalcava said.

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Water Authority Principal Asset Management Specialist Eric Rubalcava performing an internal inspection of Pipeline 4EII in South San Diego County. Photo: San Diego County Water Authority

Field work – Above ground

Senior Engineering Technician Karla Sanchez spends her time out in the field above ground. One of her main roles is maintaining a presence at construction sites where she ensures that projects are meeting contract specifications.

“One of the favorite parts of my job is being out in the field monitoring construction and working with various talented individuals in the water industry,” Sanchez said.

Karla Sanchez-Engineers Week-Senior Engineering Technician

Water Authority Senior Engineering Technician Karla Sanchez. Photo: San Diego County Water Authority

Data analysis, problem solving = solutions

When engineers aren’t out in the field, Senior Water Resources Specialist Anjuli Corcovelos said a typical day on the job includes data analysis, communication, and solving problems.

All this comes together when presented with projects like the Moosa Canyon Pipeline Repair and Replacement Planning Study. Corcovelos and her team had to determine which of the eight possible solutions would be best. The project involved coordination with several other departments as part of a massive team effort. It’s the type of project Corcovelos finds the most satisfying.

“Those challenges, those stressful days or nights trying to really figure out that solution, come together sometimes with other teammates to make that happen,” said Corcovelos. “But ultimately when you achieve that goal, and you identify what that solution is and be able to see those effects come to light, it really truly is very rewarding.”

Master Plan – The Future

Leading up to National Engineers Week, engineers across multiple departments at the Water Authority have been looking ahead together at what the future holds for engineering projects which will positively impact San Diego’s water supply.

Sami Sweis, professional engineer (PE) in Water Resources, is working with Corcovelos along with other departments and water agencies on his current favorite project: The 2023 Water Facilities Master Plan Study. The master plan goes all the way out to 2045 by evaluating existing and planning for new regional water facilities. The overall goal is to keep the water supply reliable and diverse while also maintaining or increasing operational resiliency and reliability.

“It’s really enjoyable because of the collaboration we have with our other departments and member agencies, and knowing that in the future we’re going to have some projects that are going to be beneficial to San Diego as a region,” Sweis said.

(Editor’s Note: Founded by the National Society of Professional Engineers, National Engineers Week (February 19–25, 2023) is dedicated to ensuring a diverse and well-educated future engineering workforce by increasing understanding of and interest in engineering and technology careers.)

First Aqueduct Maintenance Shutdown Runs Jan. 23-Feb. 1

/in , , /by /Water News Network Quoted: San Diego County Water Authority

The San Diego County Water Authority’s First Aqueduct will be shut down periodically over the next three months for maintenance projects to ensure a safe and reliable water supply for the region. Two shutdowns on the First Aqueduct are scheduled from January through March, when portions of the aqueduct will be relined, along with other maintenance.

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Pipe Dreams: Why Far-Fetched Western Water Projects Won’t Go Away

/in , , /by /Gristby Jake Bittle

The California water wars of the early twentieth century are summed up in a famous line from the 1974 film Chinatown: “Either you bring the water to L.A., or you bring L.A. to the water.” Nearly a hundred years have elapsed since the events the film dramatizes, but much of the West still approaches water the same way. If you don’t have enough of it, go find more.

As politicians across the West confront the consequences of the climate-fueled Millennium Drought, many of them are heeding the words of Chinatown and trying to bring in outside water through massive capital projects. There are at least half a dozen major water pipeline projects under consideration throughout the region, ranging from ambitious to outlandish. Arizona lawmakers want to build a pipeline from the Mississippi River more than a thousand miles away, a Colorado rancher wants to pipe water 300 miles across the Rockies, and Utah wants to pump even more water out of the already-depleted Lake Powell.

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Water Authority Awarded Patent for Pipeline Inspection Tool

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The San Diego County Water Authority has been granted its first ever utility patent for a device that inspects interior sections of water pipelines that are inaccessible or not safe to inspect without expensive specialized gear and training.

Water Authority Operations and Maintenance Manager Martin Coghill invented the tool to save time, reduce costs and improve safety during ongoing aqueduct inspections. The Water Authority’s industry-leading Asset Management Program includes a proactive search for pipeline weaknesses that can be addressed before they become large and costly problems.

Patent for pipeline inspection system

The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office awarded Patent #US011,293,581 on April 5, 2022, for the Water Authority’s pipeline inspection system, which comprises a body, cameras, support members and light sources to capture high-resolution images of pipeline walls.

Innovation benefits water ratepayers

“This new pipeline inspection tool is a prime example of the Water Authority’s commitment to innovation that benefits ratepayers by saving money and enhancing reliability,” said Water Authority General Manager Sandra L. Kerl. “We have a long history of advancing industry-leading solutions, from state legislation to adopt low-flow toilets in the early 1990s to the nation’s largest water conservation-and-transfer program a decade later to the largest seawater desalination plant on the continent.”

The Water Authority operates and maintains a water delivery system capable of delivering more than 900 million gallons of water per day through 310 miles of large-diameter pipeline, 1,600 aqueduct-related structures, and approximately 100 metering/flow control facilities. It also includes a state-of-the-art water treatment plant, hydroelectric facilities, pump stations, flow regulatory structures, and reservoirs that store water for emergencies and dry years.

Video of “Scanny” In Use

New pipeline inspection tool part of high-tech toolkit

The Water Authority uses a combination of technologies for monitoring pipelines, including electromagnetic scanning, which detects and locates damaged areas within pipeline walls, and real-time acoustic fiber-optic monitoring, which can detect and locate distressed pipelines while they are in service. The technology invented by Coghill is just a small part of an expansive toolkit.

The Water Authority applied for the patent on June 13, 2019, and spent nearly three years completing the complex process. The patent assigns the intellectual property rights to the Water Authority, allowing it to freely use the technology and share it with other water utilities that might also benefit from its use.

The inspection tool uses commercially available lightweight adventure cameras and lights that are arranged in a unique way on a chassis that moves through pipelines that are 4 to 9 feet in diameter, said Coghill, who has worked for the agency since 2013.

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The inspection tool uses commercially available lightweight adventure cameras and lights that are arranged in a unique way on a chassis that moves through pipelines that are 4 to 9 feet in diameter. Photo: San Diego County Water Authority

High-resolution imaging

“This technology was created in-house out of necessity to improve safety while inspecting steep portions of our aqueduct,” said Coghill. “The array of multiple cameras enables high-resolution imaging, and the unique design keeps the cameras oriented in the correct position relative to the pipe.”

Coghill, who affectionately calls the tool “Scanny,” said the camera array can also be added to any existing pipeline assessment equipment and offers much higher resolution than traditional CCTV. In addition to inspecting unsafe and inaccessible portions of pipelines, the tool’s design means the Water Authority no longer needs to use specialized third-party rope support crews to assist with pipe inspections. A bonus feature of the device is the ability to stitch the video files together for an immersive 360-degree virtual reality experience. He said it’s always fun to take people into the pipe by just putting on VR goggles.

The Water Authority will continue to use its patented technology to benefit water ratepayers and the safety of employees.

The complete patent is posted on the U.S Patent and Trademark Office website: https://bit.ly/3vGEk0I.

Manchester Avenue Potable Water Pipeline Replacement Project Completed

/in , , /by /Water News Network

The Olivenhain Municipal Water District recently completed the Manchester Avenue Potable Water Pipeline Project. In total, 3,700 linear feet of aged potable water pipeline was replaced along Manchester Avenue, Rancho Santa Fe Road and Encinitas Boulevard.

The pipelines previously serving water in this area were installed in 1961 and were approaching the end of their lifespan.

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