FPUD awards Green Canyon, Olive Hill conveyance system replacement contracts

Joe Naiman

Village News Reporter

The Fallbrook Public Utility District prioritizes conveyance system replacements and improvements, and two of those were addressed during the Oct. 25 FPUD board meeting.

One 5-0 vote awarded Blue Pacific Engineering and Construction a contract to replace the Green Canyon sewer force main. Another 5-0 vote gave Chi Construction the contract to replace the air and vacuum valves and mainline drains for the Olive Hill Road recycled water line.

Multiple recent breaks of the Green Canyon force main have resulted in sewer spills into Ostrich Creek. "It's a priority for us to get it replaced," said FPUD senior engineer Aaron Cook.

The Green Canyon force main replacement will replace approximately 1,400 linear feet of four-inch polyvinyl chloride pipe in South Mission Road. Eight bids were received by the Sept. 8 deadline. Blue Pacific, which is based in San Diego, submitted the low bid of $248,000. The second-lowest bid of $260,727.55 was provided by Ortiz Corporation, which is headquartered in National City. Although Blue Pacific has not previously performed work for FPUD, the company has been in business for 17 years and has successfully completed similar projects.

FPUD will coordinate the Green Canyon force main replacement with the County of San Diego's installation of a traffic signal at Green Canyon Road and South Mission Road. "Our contractor's very eager to get started and get going," Cook said.

The air and vacuum valves and mainline drains on Olive Hill Road were selected for replacement due to their age which exceeds the expected service life for that equipment. "They're old valves that are in disrepair," Cook said.

The valve and drain assemblies are also in buried vaults, which makes access difficult. The vaults will be removed and the new valves and drains will be installed to current standards which will make access and maintenance easier.

FPUD received six bids by the Oct. 6 deadline. Chi Construction, whose headquarters office is in Anaheim, had the low bid of $112,000. G.J. Gentry General Engineering of Upland provided the second-lowest bid at $188,776. Chi Construction has not previously performed work for FPUD but has been in business for 18 years and has successfully completed similar projects.