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SFPUC moves to replace failing North Shore force main after emergency leak
Summary
The commission approved a mitigated negative declaration and awarded contract WW483RR to replace the North Shore-to-Channel 36-inch force main after recent leaks; staff described emergency repairs using divers and WECO seals and said replacement aims to avoid failures before the America's Cup events.
The San Francisco Public Utilities Commission unanimously approved CEQA findings and awarded wastewater contract WW483RR to KJ Woods Construction for $15,488,000 to replace the failing North Shore-to-Channel force main.
Karen Kubik, director of capital for the wastewater enterprise, told commissioners the asset "has failed as recently as six weeks ago" and has historic failures going back to 2006 and 2008. Brian Henderson, wastewater engineering manager, described the emergency response to a leak near Mission and The Embarcadero: crews sampled the discharge, declared an emergency, and brought in specialty divers and WECO compression bands to install internal rubber seals and stop leakage to the street while monitoring and conducting acoustic leak detection.
Henderson said the 36-inch force main transmits about 15,000,000 gallons per day from the North Shore drainage area to Southeast treatment and that interior sealing required a complex dive mobilization. Staff emphasized the repair avoided extended nighttime lane closures and that a successful replacement under contract would reduce reliance on the aging line ahead of upcoming regional events.
The item included adoption of a mitigated negative declaration and authorization for the general manager to finalize an MOU with the Port of San Francisco to secure access to port property for construction. The commission voted to award the contract and authorized the general manager to negotiate project-related agreements.
Staff noted continued monitoring and additional acoustical testing over the following week; commissioners asked that SSIP planning consider how replacement and future failures affect level-of-service goals and system resiliency.
