Corrosion control construction: changing direction so traffic doesn’t need to

Construction of Improved Corrosion Control Treatment (ICCT) is coming together, and the team has been mindful not only of our customers, but of the people who live and work in the area. The project, which will make our water less corrosive to lead in home and business plumbing, is soon moving from construction to testing the new systems to ensure they are ready to be online for the April 2022 compliance deadline.

Since the start of construction in summer 2020, our team has worked to minimize disruptions for those near the site. For the project team, this has meant communicating with the neighbors and using a mix of engineering, problem-solving, and old-fashioned ingenuity to address challenges along the way.

Case in point, keeping the traffic on SE Lusted Road flowing while new pipelines were installed. Originally, the pipelines coming up and down the hill were designed to be open cut (cutting directly into the pavement to install the pipes), which could have meant a road closure and detouring traffic for a couple of months.

To solve this challenge, the team considered using a horizontal directional bore to go under the road. At first, the team wasn’t confident this method would work due to the steep site and intricacies of the drilling. “After evaluating the traffic impacts to the neighborhood, we looked at it again, and we decided it was worth a try. We were successful, and we were able to essentially leave Lusted Road open to traffic through construction,” says Johnson.

Managing construction with the existing Lusted Hill facility in full operation offered a different set of challenges for the team. The Lusted Hill facility is an extremely critical part of the water system that must continue to deliver water to our customers twenty-four seven. “That’s the most challenging part is working with the existing facility with the folks that are here doing their job every day to produce the water that the people of Portland drink and being able to work with them and around them,” says Johnson.

All of the hard work and careful coordination has paid off, and the upgraded treatment system is on track to be operational by the April 2022 compliance deadline. Once online, improved corrosion control treatment will further reduce lead at the tap to make our water safer for everyone. Reflecting back, Johnson is happy with the construction progress. “That’s my favorite thing—is to see how everything comes together to create a cohesive project.”