Improving Santa Ana’s Award Winning Water System

 

The Public Works Agency continually makes improvements to Santa Ana’s infrastructure. One priority is reinforcing the City’s award winning water system, which has been recognized for its innovative features, exceptional engineering performance, and reliability. Here’s a brief look at several projects completed and planned.

Broadway Water Main Replacement

More than 9,000 feet (1.7 miles) of aged water pipe—some as old as 100 years—was replaced along Broadway between Civic Center Drive and Santa Clara Street last year. The $2.5 million project included the installation of new water valves, fire hydrants, meters and meter boxes. Santa Ana’s Water Resources Division scheduled this project in conjunction with a major street reconstruction project planned for Broadway. This coordinated effort leveraged city resources, improved efficiencies, reduced overall construction costs and time, and minimized disruption to traffic and pedestrians. The new water services and pipeline will ensure the City can better handle emergencies such as fires, reduce the probability of water main breaks and improve the reliability of service to residents and businesses.

Santa Ana’s First “Green” Water Pump Station

Santa Ana is all about green…reducing our environmental footprint by improving efficiencies and reducing our energy and water consumption.

There’s no better example of this commitment than the renovation of our Walnut Pump Station. This older pump station located at Flower and 1st streets was built in 1953 to pump water into the City’s pipe system from an underground storage reservoir. It had become outdated and inefficient, operating with old electrical components that were difficult to upgrade and service.
Beginning this fall, the City will start construction on a new facility that will operate with the latest technology and efficiency standards. The facility will capture rain water, recycle run-off water, and use more efficient controls such as variable-frequency drives (VFDs) to reduce the amount of energy needed to pump the same about of water. These features will establish the new Walnut Pump Station—slated for completion by the end of 2016—as Santa Ana’s first “green” pump station, certified for its water and energy efficiency.