Project that increased the seismic resiliency of Colorado River Aqueduct receives Envision Silver Award
The Metropolitan Water District of Southern California has earned national recognition for sustainability and resilience with a groundbreaking project that replaced a nearly century-old portion of its Colorado River Aqueduct with one of the largest earthquake-resistant pipelines in the world.
The Institute for Sustainable Infrastructure awarded Metropolitan’s Casa Loma Siphon project its prestigious Envision Silver Award after assessing the sustainability of the project and Metropolitan’s efforts toward greater environmental, social and economic responsibility.
The five-mile-long Casa Loma Siphon is a critical piece of the system delivering Colorado River water to Southern California – a major source of water for the region. Crossing the Casa Loma fault in the San Jacinto Valley, the original 148-inch concrete and steel pipe had been damaged over time by earthquakes and subsidence from groundwater pumping. One study found a major earthquake could upend the ground as much as 13 feet, putting the siphon and the reliability of this critical water supply at risk.
The $37 million project replaced 1,200 feet of the existing line with two parallel barrels of 104-inch diameter Earthquake-Resistant Ductile Iron Pipe that is designed to withstand ground movement. The pipelines were specially manufactured for Metropolitan. The project was the first to use earthquake-resistant pipe of this magnitude outside of Japan, where the technology was developed. When the new pipes were installed, they were surrounded by polystyrene geofoam to allow more flexibility and movement during earthquakes.
“Metropolitan is honored to receive this recognition for our work to make Southern California’s water supply resilient to earthquakes and climate-related risks. This investment increases our overall reliability for the many communities we serve,” said Assistant General Manager John Bednarski.
The Casa Loma Siphon project earned the Envision Silver Award based on an independent peer-review evaluation. The award spotlights several achievements, including Metropolitan’s willingness to test and embrace innovative earthquake-resistant pipe technology that could improve the resiliency of the entire water distribution system. The award also cites the project team’s decision to avoid impacts to water service by scheduling construction during the annual three-week shutdown of the siphon for winter maintenance. Metropolitan is in the process of incorporating the Envision sustainability approach into a wide range of its Capital Investment Plan projects.
The Metropolitan Water District of Southern California is a state-established cooperative that, along with its 26 cities and retail suppliers, provides water for 19 million people in six counties. The district imports water from the Colorado River and Northern California to supplement local supplies, and helps its members to develop increased water conservation, recycling, storage and other resource-management programs.
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