South Portland-Burlingame Sewer Project

Sewer and Stormwater

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Environmental Services has designed a project in the South Portland and South Burlingame neighborhoods that will replace or repair approximately 7,108 linear feet of aging public sewer pipes that are on average 90 years old. This will help protect public health and the Willamette River Watershed.

Construction is scheduled to begin late May 2023 and take a year and a half to complete.

On this Page

Project Area

Map of sewer installation and piping repairs taking place in the South Portland and Burlingame neighborhoods.

General Schedule

Construction on the South Portland - Burlingame Sewer Project will begin in late May 2023. Sign up for updates to see where construction crews will be working, what they will be doing, and for how long at each location.

S Bancroft St Sewer Project Update

Construction is complete on S Bancroft St between S Macadam and S Moody avenues. Final road paving will be completed by Portland Water Bureau after they complete the South Macadam Avenue Water Main Replacement Project in early 2024.

S Texas St Sewer Project Update

Construction is anticipated to begin mid-Summer 2023 on S Texas St between S Virginia and S Corbett avenues.

What to Expect During Construction

You may see crews working in your neighborhood to prepare for and perform sewer construction. Common activities include inspecting and cleaning sewers, marking the location of utilities, moving equipment and materials to the area, tree trimming, vegetation removal, setting up traffic control, and pipe repair or replacement. Expect traffic delays and parking restrictions near active construction zones. Visit the construction impacts webpage to learn more about what to expect during construction.

Private Belongings in the Right-of-Way

To construct the sewer extensions, crews will need to access and work in the public right-of-way — specifically between the curb and the edge of the sidewalk up to your property line. Anything belonging to you that is located in the right-of-way may be disturbed by construction, including irrigation systems, hard landscaping (stone, brick, pavers, garden boxes, retaining walls, or other construction materials), soft landscaping (trees, plants, shrubs, flowers, grass, bark, etc.), and other amenities. Please remove any items you wish to keep before crews get there. If the contractor finds items in the right-of-way that conflict with construction, crews will remove and dispose of the items.

If construction disturbs these kinds of items, the city cannot restore or replace them. However, once construction is complete, they will repair or replace sidewalks, driveway aprons, and curbs as needed. The city will also replace topsoil and grass seed in the planting strip, and any street trees that were removed.

We Want to Hear from You

We would like to hear from you about special events, school activities, and community services in the neighborhood that you think may be impacted by this project. Also, we want to know if you have any concerns related to business operations, disability or mobility issues, medical or business deliveries, and proposed night work. Your input will help us minimize construction impacts to your neighborhood. 

Sewer Emergency: In the event of a sewer backup or basement flooding, call the Maintenance hotline immediately at 503-823-1700. It is staffed all hours and all days, 24/7.

Construction Methods

Environmental Services will use both trenchless and open trench excavation methods for South Portland-Burlingame Sewer Project. Construction methods are noted on the project map. Some will require digging trenches. Others will replace pipes through manholes or access pits to reduce disruption to the neighborhood.

Open Trench: The contractor excavates a trench, installs a new pipe, fills in the trench, and restores the disturbed pavement.
Cured-in-Place-Pipe (CIPP) Lining: Through a manhole, the contractor inserts a flexible liner into the old pipe. The liner hardens, creating a new interior lining.
Pipe Bursting: The contractor pushes a bursting head into the sewer line to break apart the existing pipe while pulling a new pipe into place behind it.
Jack and Bore: The contractor will drill a hole horizontally underground to install a new pipe where one was not one before.

Project Background

The project scheduled for your neighborhood is part of the city’s program to maintain and upgrade the public sewer system. In the early 1900s, when Portland was growing rapidly, the city-built hundreds of miles of sewers. Since most sewer pipes have a lifespan of about 100 years, Portland is now facing an urgent need to modernize its aging system.

Environmental Services has launched a large-scale effort to repair or replace the highest priority pipes throughout the city. Your neighborhood will experience a temporary disruption but will benefit from the improved infrastructure.

The City is replacing aging and deteriorating sewer pipes with modern materials. These materials are more resistant to blockages than the materials used 80 to 100 years ago. The updates will provide a safe, efficient, and reliable sewer system for your neighborhood and the city.

We thank you in advance for your patience and cooperation while we complete this important infrastructure work.