In late July 2021, the Sacramento Chapter of the American Public Works Association (APWA) awarded the Bradshaw Equalization Structure (BES) Pipeline Project with the Project of the Year Award in the Environmental category.

The APWA Project of the Year awards recognizes public works projects that demonstrate excellent management, administration, design, sustainability, construction, and community relations, as well as the strong alliance among the managing agency and the designer, contractor, and construction management team who worked together to complete the project. The awards are given in six categories including structures, transportation, environment, historical restoration/preservation, disaster/emergency construction/repair, and parks and trails. The environmental category includes projects related to treatment and recycling facilities, landfill reclamation, sewer, flood control, pipeline, and solid waste.

Preston Pipelines was contracted by the Sacramento Regional County Sanitation District to act as the primary contractor on the project. Located in Elk Grove, California, the BES Pipeline Project is part of the greater EchoWater Project to upgrade the facilities of the Sacramento Regional Wastewater Treatment Plant to meet ammonia and filtration effluent discharge limits required by a National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit to continue operating the plant. The BES Pipeline Project was needed to convey the nitrate-rich effluent from the Nitrifying Sidestream Treatment (NST) Project to an influent flow equalization structure located in an environmentally and ecologically sensitive wetlands area adjacent to the plant called the Bufferlands. The purpose of this project was to have the nitrate-rich NST effluent pretreat the incoming raw sewage for odor control, ultimately saving Regional San millions of dollars in chemical additives.

Contrary of typical pipeline projects that allow traditional open-cut construction or trenchless pipeline methods, the wetlands near the BES Pipeline Project are protected against any excavation and are limited to minimal disturbance requiring the project team to use innovative methods to complete the project.

Preston Pipeline’s scope of work included the installation of an eight-inch sewer line and flow meter in the below-ground vault within the Sacramento Reginal Wastewater Treatment Plant (SRWTP) process area using an open cut excavation and backfill method. Additionally, an eight-inch FlexSteel sewer line was installed inside an existing stormwater pipeline using a pipe-within-pipe method. This existing stormwater line crossed underneath an environmentally sensitive area, rail line, and existing levee.

“The project team implemented a pipe-within-pipe design to avoid earthwork and excavation in the environmentally sensitive area to protect the vulnerable species and wetlands,” commented Project Manager Matt Fuhrman. “The team had to get creative with unconventional pipe materials to prevent issues with encroachment permits for rail line and regulated levee. Ultimately, because of the team’s commitment to innovation, collaboration, excellence, and safety, we were able to keep the project on schedule and within budget.”

The project was completed on January 18, 2019 with zero safety incidents.