J.F. Shea wins bid to reline pipeline

J.F. Shea was the successful bidder for a construction contract to reline San Diego County Water Authority pipeline between Sage Road and the delivery point where the CWA obtains its Metropolitan Water District of Southern California supply.

A unanimous SDCWA board vote July 26 approved the contract for the Walnut-based company's bid of $25,304,375. The project will reline two sections of the 96-inch pipeline: a 10,000-foot segment from the delivery point to Sage Road and a 2,300-foot portion just north of the Twin Oaks Valley Treatment Plant.

"It's important to make sure these pipelines are safe for operation in our area," said Rainbow Municipal Water District general manager Tom Kennedy, who is also Rainbow's representative on the CWA board.

The CWA has an asset management program which uses both an acoustic fiberoptic monitoring system as well as internal inspections during aqueduct shutdowns to detect and monitor deterioration of CWA aqueduct facilities. The condition assessment for a portion of Pipeline 5 prioritized that segment for rehabilitation due to the pipeline's diminishing service life and the potential damage if a pipeline fails. The relining process installs steel liners inside corroded pre-stressed concrete cylinder pipe, which extends the service life of the pipeline.

The notice inviting bids was issued May 29 and a pre-bid meeting was held June 5. Two bids were received; the other bid for $31,087,000 was submitted by Kiewit Infrastructure West Company, which has an office in Poway. The project's cost estimate had been between $18 million and $24 million, and the relining is included in the 2017-18 and 2018-19 Capital Improvement Program appropriations.

CWA staff reviewed the two bids and determined that J.F. Shea had included all work items. The review of the company also included licensing, bonding, and references, and J.F. Shea was deemed to be the lowest responsive and responsible bidder.

Kennedy noted that Rainbow and the CWA would work with local residents who will be impacted by the construction. "Mostly it's going to go down Wilt Road," Kennedy said.

The construction is expected to begin this September and be complete during summer 2019. "Looking forward to getting it started, getting it done," Kennedy said.