This week, the Pittsburgh Water and Sewer Authority took Rising Main 3, a large-diameter water main in Highland Park, out of service for rehabilitation. This project, part of the city’s Water Reliability Plan, is the first of several once-in-a-generation projects that will take place over the next several years.
The rehabilitation of Rising Main 3 will improve hydraulic performance to distribute water from one part of the system to another. Rising Main 3 carries water from the Bruecken Pump Station to the Highland II Reservoir. While under construction, Rising Main 4, a redundant, parallel water main, will continue to supply water to the reservoir. Rehabilitation of Rising Main 3 will continue through 2022 and Rising Main 4 will also undergo rehabilitation in 2023. The city plans to invest nearly $12 million over the next two years on both projects.
This work comes after lengthy inspection and design work that began in 2019. PWSA's engineering team assessed the condition of Rising Main 3 and nearby Rising Main 4 using excavations and robotic exploratory tools to photograph the entire length of both pipes. Extensive inspection of the pipe in the planning phase ensures that the rehabilitation is done efficiently.
Much of Pittsburgh’s water infrastructure was constructed a century ago and now needs rehabilitation. Over the next five years, the city will work to strengthen its water system through a series of projects identified in the Water Reliability Plan. These projects will happen sequentially to improve water system resiliency and reliability for decades to come. The plan is a $300 million investment in Pittsburgh’s water future.
"After years of planning and design, I am thrilled that our Water Reliability Plan projects are entering construction," said PWSA CEO Will Pickering. “Like much of our water system, Rising Main 3 is buried, and out of sight and out of mind for our customers, but is critical to providing safe and reliable water for future generations of Pittsburghers.”
Work is anticipated to be complete in fall of 2022.
