Improving Water Infrastructure Reliability

Project: QED991 - REI Services For Installation of New Trunk Mains and Replacement of Distribution Water Mains in 33rd Ave Area

Services: Resident Engineering Inspection (REI)

Location: Queens, NY

Owner: New York City Department of Design and Construction (NYCDDC)

Construction Cost: $71M

Boring tunneling to install 60" steel sleeve to accommodate 48" Trunk Water Main inside it, Under the Clearview Expressway

This project will improve water infrastructure reliability in the Bayside neighborhood of Queens, NY by installing more than seven miles of new water mains along 33rd, 37th, and 38th Avenues and sections of Utopia Parkway. The installation serves two main purposes: it creates redundancy within the water distribution system, making the system less vulnerable to shutdowns, and it increases the size of the water mains, improving water pressure in the area.

The primary upgrade will be the installation of the new trunk water mains. These large-diameter (48”-72”) mains dispense water to smaller distribution water mains in the area. Prior to the commencement of this project, there were no trunk water mains from 158th Street and 33rd Avenue to 216th Street and 39th Avenue. This project will connect these two end points of the existing system, creating redundancy and making the system less vulnerable to any future potential shutdown if a section of the trunk main suffers a break or is taken offline for repair. It will also increase the system’s capacity.

Installation of 48" Victaulic Couplings and its assembly inside the 48" Butterfly Valve Chamber

In addition to the installation of the trunk water mains, the project also includes the replacement of distribution water mains, the pipes that distribute water to individual buildings and residences. The current distribution water mains in the project area are undersized and beyond their useful age. They will be replaced with larger mains, which helps maintain a consistent, clean water supply. Additionally, new valves will be installed at intersections, which can be closed in the event of a service interruption, preventing the interruption from impacting more than one city block.

To avoid the disruption to the Clearview Expressway traffic, the project includes installation of jacked 48" steel water main and 10 inches ductile iron pipe (DIP) sanitary sewer under Clearview Expwy using trenchless technology.

Installation of Steel Box Sheeting which is designed to secure 8' wide by 12' deep trench to install 48" Trunk Water Main

EnTech, in a joint venture with Mirabal Engineering, is providing construction management services including Office Engineer, Senior Construction Engineer, and Construction Engineer. The team coordinates and communicates closely with client agencies NYCDDC and NYCDEP to ensure compliance with all rules and regulations pertaining to this complex contract; coordinates closely with stakeholders to maintain an open line of communication to adhere to public safety and maintenance and protection of traffic (MPT); and implements scope change tracking and project controls to ensure the project is delivered on time and within budget.