Important Water System Reliability Project Completed in Under Five Months
LOS ANGELES (September 24, 2018) -The Los Angeles Department of Water and Power (LADWP) has completed a major water infrastructure project located in Benedict Canyon well ahead of schedule. The project had been scheduled to finish on November 30, but was completed two months earlier because of a well-coordinated effort involving LADWP Water System staff working in partnership with the office of Hon. Councilmember Paul Koretz (5th Council District) and other city agencies. The cost savings is estimated at $1.8 million.
The Benedict Canyon Water Pipeline Replacement began on May 1. The project replaced 5,200 feet of pipeline that had been originally installed in the 1960s with new 12-inch steel pipeline along Benedict Canyon Drive, south of Mulholland Drive to Hutton Drive, as well as a new 8-inch steel pipeline along Liebe Drive. Four new fire hydrants were also installed. This project will increase water system reliability in the area and improve the existing fire protection capabilities.
“I am very proud of the critical infrastructure project completed by LADWP personnel, in coordination and collaboration with my office, LADOT and multiple city agencies. What was originally meant to be a nine month project, got completed in five months. Due to the mitigations implemented and strong pre-planning over the course of several months, the project has been one of the smoothest, fastest, ahead of schedule, under budget projects the City of Los Angeles has seen in years. Sincere thanks to our DWP crew members and Traffic Control Officers, who worked tirelessly to get these roads back open,” said Councilmember Koretz.
“We are very pleased that this challenging project went smoothly and was completed sooner than anticipated,” LADWP General Manager David H. Wright said. “It is a tribute to the dedication and professionalism of everyone involved, but it is also due to the patience and understanding demonstrated by local residents, commuters and community leaders during the construction period. This is yet another major step in improving the water system throughout the LADWP service area by replacing aging infrastructure.”
This project began in early 2018 with outreach to the local community to solicit feedback on issues involving traffic and local access. The project was then tailored to address that feedback and to accommodate the needs of the local community and motorists which included the placement of LADWP Security Services Officers and traffic control officers at several locations in Benedict Canyon and neighboring Deep Canyon to manage traffic in and around the project area.
In planning the project, LADWP worked closely with the office of Councilmember Koretz who facilitated and coordinated meetings and collaboration with the Benedict Canyon Association, the Los Angeles Fire Department, the Los Angeles Police Department, the Los Angeles Department of Transportation, the Bureau of Street Services and the Emergency Management Department as well as the Beverly Hills Police Department and the Beverly Hills Department of Public Works, to ensure that all local interests were represented and all concerns addressed.
The Benedict Canyon project is part of LADWP Water System’s efforts to upgrade the infrastructure throughout its service area. LADWP operates and maintains over 7,300 miles of water transmission and distribution pipes. LADWP’s goal is to replace all the pipe as its life expectancy expires. As part of the Water System’s strategic plan, almost 250 miles of pipe have been replaced since 2006. Distribution pipe replacement will increase for the next five years to 300,000 feet in 2023.
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