Much Needed Repairs to Palmetto Avenue Sewer Underway

The Pacifica Wastewater Division of Public Works is underway with one of its largest jobs of 2010:  The Palmetto Slipline Project, a month long process to repair damaged sewage pipeline under Palmetto Avenue from Paloma Avenue in the Sharp Park neighborhood to Beverly Place in Pacific Manor District.

The project, which began on Sept. 27, is scheduled to take a month. Joshua Cosgrove, assistant superintendant of the Wastewater Division, said about $1 million has been budgeted by the city for the project. A city council agenda from Aug. 9, 2010 put the cost of materials at just under $312,000 and the amount to be paid to the lowest bidder on the project, Dexal Construction Inc., at $431, 550. City employees are working alongside Dexal staff during construction. 

The sewage pipeline under Palmetto Avenue is made of concrete with an inner lining of Asbestos.  Over time, as raw sewage running through the pipe slowed and pooled along flat stretches, highly toxic and corrosive hydrogen sulfide, a biproduct of the decomposing sewage, has eaten away at the pipe's structure.

"This is a very important job for Pacifica," said Cosgrove. "If the pipe were to fail it would cause an incredibly large amount of pollution. This pipeline is responsible for much of the towns waste removal."

Construction is happening mainly at night, and traffic is virtually unaffected by the slight detours imposed by traffic cones and city workers with signs and light sticks. 

The Wastewater Division and Dexal are fitting ultra violet light-treated fiberglass tubing inside cement and Asbestos pipes, meaning nothing is being replaced or removed from the existing sewage system. They're avoiding spillage or disruption of the pipelines use by bypassing the pipe one block up from where they plan to replace the piping.