Pueblo Water replaced approximately 1,700 feet of 16-inch water main that runs under and near Fountain Creek.
Erosion caused by flows in Fountain Creek over time exposed a portion of the existing 16-inch water main. Pueblo Water used horizontal directional drilling to go approximately 20 to 25 feet under the main channel of the creek.
“Having a part of the water main exposed is not good,” Pueblo Water Transmission, Engineering & Distribution Division Manager Scot Burbidge said. “We needed to take care of that. At the same time, replacing this main will provide significantly greater service life.”
The existing 16-inch main, installed in 1987, is prestressed concrete cylinder pipe. Its replacement is 21-inch, high density polyethylene (HDPE) that will be used under the creek, along with 16-inch PVC pipe in the overbank area east of the main channel. The 16-inch PVC and 21-inch HDPE have similar diameters inside; the HDPE pipe has a significantly greater wall thickness.
Design on the project began in March and was completed in June. Pate Construction was the general contractor for the project, working in conjunction with primary subcontractors GMS Consulting Engineers and Blazen Underground/HDD Services.