Owner: Albuquerque Bernalillo County Water Utility Authority
Engineer: Wilson & Company
Project Location: Albuquerque, NM
Contract Amount: $7,029,510.19
The Effluent Reuse Pipeline Improvements project included the installation of 27,500 LF of large (30” to 16”) and 28,200 LF of small (12” to 4”) diameter pipeline with appurtenances in southeast Albuquerque from University Boulevard by the Albuquerque Sunport Aviation Facility north towards the University of New Mexico sports facilities on University Boulevard and also east up to Louisiana Boulevard. The pipeline threaded its way through arterial and residential roadways towards public parks, golf courses and other sports facilities to provide stub outs which will eventually be connected to the existing irrigation systems in order to replace the potable water supply currently being utilized. Roadway surfaces and structures were removed and replaced in-kind.
Working through the middle of congested arterial corridors and established residential neighborhoods, AUI was met with a complicated maze of underground public utility lines. Exhaustive efforts were made to pre-locate and expose the numerous gas lines, sanitary sewer and storm drain lines, water mains and services, communication lines, street lighting and traffic signal lines the length of the project. AUI’s vacuum excavators were used to pothole and explore without damaging the facility.
In an effort to minimize the duration of disturbance through residential areas, AUI worked extended hours, seven days a week. Extensive planning and coordination was required to keep the fast paced project moving smoothly without obstructing or restricting access of the public.