Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Infrastructure Force Main topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Ross Valley board authorizes $91,120 design contract for Lower FM‑14 force‑main replacement
Summary
The Ross Valley Sanitary District board authorized the general manager to sign a $91,120 consultant agreement with West Valley Construction for design and construction‑phase engineering of a ~400‑foot replacement of an 18‑inch force main that failed in February 2025, causing a nearly 90,000‑gallon overflow.
The Ross Valley Sanitary District on Feb. 18 authorized its general manager to execute a consultant services agreement with West Valley Construction Company for design and construction‑phase engineering of the Lower FM‑14 bypass force‑main replacement project (Project 961) in the amount of $91,120.
Staff described the work as including the replacement of roughly 400 linear feet of 18‑inch sanitary force main near the Bon Air shopping center and investigation of the wet well that receives that pipe. Engineer Phil (project manager) told the board the failure occurred in February 2025 and about 70 feet of pipe failed, “resulting in a sewer overflow of about almost 90,000 gallons overflowed into a drainage channel that discharges into the Corte Madera Creek.” The presentation said the failure was likely caused by localized sewer‑gas corrosion forming sulfuric acid that degraded a reinforced‑concrete cylinder pipe.
Board discussion emphasized resiliency and using HDPE for the replacement; staff said HDPE would be impervious to sulfuric acid and that trenchless horizontal‑directional drilling would allow deeper alignment away from surface loads. General Manager summarized schedule expectations: design now, construction starting in July with work through September and a construction budget of about $400,000. The board voted unanimously to approve the authorization.
The article is based on the board presentation and the motion to authorize the general manager to execute the agreement (topic intro SEG 510; topic finish SEG 738).
