Second Lower Feeder PCCP Rehabilitation

Owner:

Metropolitan Water District of Southern California

Location:

Los Angeles County (various locations)

Value:

$80 million (combined)

Completion:

2025

Contractor:

J.F. Shea Construction, Inc.

Butier provided construction management and inspection services for the rehabilitation of Reaches 3A and 3B of the Second Lower Feeder, a vital pipeline built in 1967 that delivers treated water from the Robert B. Diemer Water Treatment Plant in Yorba Linda to the Palos Verdes Reservoir in Rolling Hills Estates. The project spanned multiple cities and required coordination with various agencies, including Caltrans, DSOD, and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.

Butier’s team managed construction across three tightly scheduled shutdown phases, each requiring precise planning and execution within limited timeframes. Despite the challenges, all shutdowns were completed on time and within budget. In total, the projects rehabilitated approximately 25,500 linear feet of prestressed concrete cylinder pipe (PCCP) along the Second Lower Feeder.

The scope of work included:

• Excavating access portals and removing portions of existing PCCP for pipeline access.
• Transporting and installing steel liner pipe.
• Expanding and welding the steel liner pipe, grouting the annular space, applying cement mortar lining, and modifying pipeline appurtenant structures.
• Installing bulkhead and gooseneck piping.
• Disinfecting pipeline, restoring site, controlling traffic, abating of hazardous materials, and other appurtenant work.
• Reach 3B included rehabilitating three isolation valve structures and two service connections, and installing and removing the Palos Verdes Reservoir temporary bypass line.