The Sacramento County Water Agency (SCWA) has completed its biggest construction project ever. In August, SCWA wrapped up a $160 million project to upgrade the water system in the Arden area. The Arden Service Area Pipe and Meter Installation Project spanned 10 years, and SCWA installed approximately 38 miles of new water distribution pipelines and more than 3,000 new water meters.
Project Manager Helen Rocha guided the project since its inception, holding community meetings and speaking with residents individually to educate homeowners and businesses about the project. This section of the Arden area was the last section in California to not have water meters. The switch to a metered system began after the state passed Assembly Bill 2572, requiring the installation of water meters in 2004. The Water Agency started installing the meters in 2016.
The project also replaced waterlines that have been in service for decades. Some of the oldest pipes were nearly 85 years old, installed during World War II. Due to the aging system, the infrastructure around the Arden Service Area was in danger of pipe material failure and leaks. The new pipes provide better water flow to homes and businesses while reducing maintenance costs for SCWA. The upgraded system also improves fire flow standards to meet state guidelines offering firefighters better water pressure from hydrants in case they’re needed.
Over the years, this project, conducted in six separate phases, won various construction awards from the American Society of Civil Engineers, including the Outstanding Community Improvement Project Award in the state of California in 2022.
Beyond the improvements to the water infrastructure, the project also included partnering with the Department of Transportation to provide street repaving in each phase once the pipes were installed.