California Water Line Returned to Service Ahead of Schedule after Urgent Repairs

With the extraordinary water-saving assistance of up to 1 million consumers in eastern Los Angeles and western San Bernardino counties, a major imported water line was returned to service late Friday night, two days ahead of schedule.

As water imported from Metropolitan Water District's repaired Rialto Feeder pipeline cascaded into Live Oak Reservoir and replenished diminished supplies, MWD board Chairman Phillip J. Pace announced residents and businesses from La Verne east to Fontana could now return to normal water usage.

"We want to pass along many sincere thanks to everyone who helped conserve water during the repair work. We couldn't have done it without you," Pace said.

The 30-mile Rialto Feeder extends from the Devil Canyon Power Plant north of San Bernardino to Metropolitan's San Dimas Power Plant, delivering up to 450,000 gallons of imported water a minute for 6 million residents. The pipeline was originally scheduled to be repaired during a shutdown later this year, but Metropolitan moved up the repairs after test results from a March inspection indicated prestressed concrete pipeline sections might have been weakened by broken wires within the conduit.

Metropolitan shut down and began draining portions of the high-pressure pipeline early last Monday (June 7). After excavating the main repair site along Webb Canyon north of Claremont, MWD crews cut away a suspected weakened section of prestressed concrete pipe.

As part of the repairs, Metropolitan replaced a 44-foot concrete section with welded-steel pipe. A separate 18-foot section of nearby pipe was lined with carbon fiber.

"Our crews worked around the clock to minimize any inconvenience to area residents and businesses," said Debra Man, Metropolitan's chief operating officer. "We're pleased the repairs were completed so quickly and successfully."

Source: Metropolitan Water District of Southern California