Project Background

Relining Project Rehabilitates Pipelines 3 and 4 in Central and East San Diego County

The San Diego County Water Authority’s pipeline relining program rehabilitates and extends the life of its aging water delivery pipelines. The relining process involves inserting steel lining into the existing pipeline to reinforce it and help prevent water leaks and breaks. This helps ensure a safe and reliable water supply for our region’s future.

In October 2008, Pipeline 4 failed in a fairly remote section of Mission Trails Regional Park, near the San Diego River. After the failure, the Water Authority performed forensic analysis on the pipe and determined that a short section of the pipe needed to be urgently relined with steel. Subsequently, from mid-February through mid-March 2009, the Water Authority relined approximately 1,200 feet of Pipeline 4 north and south of the San Diego River.

The Mission Trails to Lake Murray relining project relined the sections of Pipeline 4 that were not in critical condition but also required repairs. Generally, relining construction rehabilitates segments of pipelines based on their age and the need for improvements. The Mission Trails to Lake Murray Relining Project involved rehabilitating approximately 3 miles of Pipeline 4 beginning immediately south of State Route 52 in Mission Trails Regional Park east of the community of Tierrasanta and south to Lake Murray in the community of San Carlos. It also rehabilitated approximately a half-mile portion of Pipeline 3 in the community of San Carlos and city of La Mesa.