An Arlington Water Utilities project starting in May will rehabilitate about 560 feet of 24-inch diameter sewer main that runs beneath Interstate 20 near Rush Creek.

The work will be done using a cured-in-place pipe (CIPP) lining system, a process that allows the sanitary sewer main to be improved while remaining in place. The I-20 Sanitary Sewer Main Rehabilitation Project will also include relocating approximately 215 feet of 12-inch sanitary sewer main away from the Kee Branch, a tributary of Rush Creek. Eliminating the creek crossing is expected to extend the life of the relocated main.

The total cost of construction is set at $1,044,308.50 and will handled by Insituform Technologies, LLC. and seven subcontractors. The Arlington City Council approved the construction contract in March. The project is expected to take about four months to complete. Impact of construction traffic on the surrounding neighborhoods will be minimal, with most access to the construction site occurring in the highway right-of-way.

 “This project improves sanitary sewer structures that are, in some cases, over 40 years old. These improvements will mitigate pipe failures in an area that is difficult to access for repair,” said Arlington Water Utilities Civil Engineer Luke Goralski. “Multiple neighborhoods south of Interstate Highway 20, from Green Oaks to Kelly Elliot, are connected and will benefit from these repairs and improvements to alignment and capacity.”

 The Rush Creek sanitary sewer main was evaluated as part of the Arlington Water Utilities’ Large Diameters Sanitary Sewer Assessment Program, a partnership with The University of Texas at Arlington College of Engineering, in 2016. During that project, a “floating robot” guided engineers through 48 miles of sanitary piping throughout Arlington to check sanitary sewer mains. The water department and City Council made plans to repair corroded pipes to prevent potential sanitary sewer main failures.