The Pittsburgh Water and Sewer Authority (PWSA) announced that, in August, the authority completed an extensive infrastructure upgrade on Centre Avenue in the Shadyside neighborhood.
The four-month-long project replace an aging sewer main and water main, as well as any lead service lines found during the work. The project overall cost $2 million to ensure reliable sewer and drinking water service.
After crews televised the sewer main and determined there were structural deficiencies, they devised a plan for its replacement. Upgrading the sewer pipe would mean moving the water main, which was installed above the existing sewer, making construction access difficult. The final plan involved replacing approximately 600-feet of water main and three lead service lines, installing the new water main in a location that would not interfere with the sewer or other underground infrastructure.
Then, an approximately 225-foot portion of sewer was replaced along with 5 storm drains. The entire length of the sewer on the block was also lined using a trenchless lining process to further reinforce it from the inside.
The project was part of PWSA’s Sewer Under Structures Program, which addresses aging sewers that are obstructed by structures like other utilities or buildings. Sewer mains are the deepest of all utilities. Over time, as more utilities, buildings, and other structures were constructed, they were placed above existing sewer lines, making them difficult to access.
Now that many of these sewers are more than 100 years old, the city needs identify and relocate these essential assets to extend their useful life, reduce maintenance costs, and simplify routine maintenance. PWSA invested approximately $2 million on this project, with nearly $219,000, or 10.6 percent of the project cost, allocated to disadvantaged business enterprises.
