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Board approves 2025–26 sanitary sewer lining contract; staff emphasizes minimal disruption
Summary
The board approved a two-year sanitary sewer cured-in-place lining project, awarding the contract to Insituform. Staff said the trenchless lining adds roughly 50–60 years of service life with limited homeowner disruption (typically 6–8 hours per affected property) and the winning bids came in lower than conservative estimates.
The Utility Advisory Board approved the 2025–26 sanitary sewer cured-in-place lining project on Feb. 17, awarding the work to Insituform, the low bidder among four respondents. Staff described the work as trenchless lining (CURED-IN-PLACE PIPE, CIPP), a ‘pipe within a pipe’ technique that reduces the need for open excavation and extends the life of existing mains.
Tamara Jaworski, the city’s engineering technician who manages the lining program, told the board that crews televise and clean mains before lining and then return to cut the lined pipe open at laterals. She said the operation typically causes a temporary loss of sewer service at individual homes for about 6–8 hours during the cut-and-reopen process; crews place door hangers in advance and, in rare cases where residents have medical needs, contractors must provide alternative sanitary facilities at the contractor’s expense.
Jaworski said the last time the city ran a major lining program was 2020 and that the plan seeks to reduce the number of mains rated “5” (highest urgency) from 43 to about 21. She described the value proposition simply: a one-day disruption for a given lateral generally adds about 50–60 years of useful life to that pipe.
Bids were lower than staff’s conservative estimates; Insituform was the apparent low bidder and staff recommended award from the sewer utility funds. The board approved the resolution by voice vote. Staff said they will require the contractor to finish work each construction season by an early-October deadline to allow staff time to review video deliverables and require remediation if excessive ripples or defects appear in the liner.
The board also discussed practical details of homeowner notification and temporary bypass operations. Staff said they will send a pre-construction letter to affected customers and require door hangers several days before work. If a household requires special accommodations, the bid requires the contractor to supply a porta-potty at the contractor’s cost; staff noted the city had provided such accommodations in one prior case.
Why this matters
Cured-in-place lining is a lower-cost, lower-impact method to repair buried sanitary mains compared with full excavation and replacement. The board’s two-year program is intended to lower routine maintenance burdens, reduce infiltration to the wastewater plant and extend asset life.
What’s next
Staff will finalize the contract with Insituform and hold a preconstruction meeting with the contractor, then circulate notices and door hangers to affected customers before the work begins. The contractor’s video deliverables will be reviewed and must meet acceptance criteria before final payment.
