The Coast News Group
Pipeline replacement work is now complete along Manchester Avenue, Rancho Santa Fe Road and Encinitas Boulevard.
CommunityCommunityEncinitas

OMWD completes new Encinitas pipeline

ENCINITAS — No more orange cones and traffic backup, for now.

The Olivenhain Municipal Water District’s board of directors unanimously approved the filing of a notice of completion for the Manchester Avenue Potable Water Pipeline Project on April 20.

Pipeline replacement work is now complete along Manchester Avenue, Rancho Santa Fe Road and Encinitas Boulevard in Encinitas. In total, 3,700 linear feet of aged potable water pipes were replaced.

The pipelines previously serving water in this area were installed in 1961 and were approaching the end of their lifespan. According to OMWD, the water district takes a proactive approach to repairing and replacing aging water infrastructure to avoid leaks and ensure the continuation of uninterrupted water service to its customers.

As the impact of California’s drought continues to escalate, projects to help save potable water are even more urgent, said Bob Topolovac, OMWD board director.

“Emergency leaks are very costly, can waste millions of gallons of water, and can be disruptive to surrounding communities,” said Topolovac. “The investments we made to prevent these emergencies will benefit our ratepayers well into the future.”

This pipeline replacement project was completed on time and with no major disruptions or water outages to the impacted community. OMWD coordinated with the city of Encinitas on a traffic management plan to mitigate construction traffic, and there were no significant traffic impacts.