LAKEPORT, Calif. – Next week a month-long US Department of Agriculture-funded project to replace a section of aged sewer and storm drainage infrastructure will begin in Lakeport.
The Lakeport Public Works Department reported that the project will get started on Monday, Aug. 24.
Crews will replace sewer and storm drainage lines on Main Street in the area between Sixth Street and Clearlake Avenue, the city said.
Public Works Superintendent Doug Grider said the funds for the project came from US Department of Agriculture Rural Development.
He said the project will put in better pipes and increase capacity, which will result in less backup potential.
The new lines also will address inflow and infiltration issues that result when large amounts of stormwater flow into the city drainage lines, Grider said.
The city said the work will be carried out in numerous phases – ranging between two to four working days each – so that the impacts are limited to smaller areas.
Public Works said the work will necessitate the closure of Main Street's northbound lane beginning at Fifth Street through the Bank of America north entrance, located at 500 Main St.
Bank traffic will be allowed to enter at the southern entrance and exit onto Fifth Street, officials said.
The work in this area is expected to take one to two days, with drivers asked to use alternate routes through the city. Businesses in the area will remain open.
The schedule estimates that the project will reach the area between 10th and 11th streets in the middle of September.
On Sept. 14 work will start on the water main in that area, followed by storm drain pipe work on Sept. 21 and box culvert replacement starting on Sept. 28.
Grider said a new 6-foot by 6-foot box culvert will replace one that was probably installed back in the 1950s, noting that it has very old square rebar in it.
“It's been there for a very, very long time,” he said.
That part of the project is paid for through funding directly from the city, not the USDA, he said.
Public Works Director Mark Brannigan told the Lakeport City Council on Tuesday night that city staff was working to notify impacted businesses and community members about the project.
He said an inspector and staff will be on site throughout the work.
Altogether, Brannigan estimated the work of replacing storm drains and sewer mains, and connecting in new lateral lines, should take about a month to complete.
“But we're going to have infrastructure that will last us 100 years,” he said. “It's a good investment.”
A map of the work area is shown below.
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City of Lakeport set to begin improvements to sewer and storm drainage lines
- Elizabeth Larson
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