California American Water Begins System Upgrades in Seaside

California American Water began work this week on the installation of 3,345 feet of new water mains in the area of Judson Street in Seaside, between La Salle Avenue and Waring Place and on Kenneth Street between San Pablo Avenue and Broadway Avenue. With approval by the California Public Utilities Commission, the water mains are being replaced due to leak history, as well as to improve water quality and fire flows in the area. Weather permitting, the project is expected to be complete in mid June.

“The condition of our water infrastructure is something we are continuously looking at,” said General Manager Eric Sabolsice. “Based on the number of leaks in the area and the material and age of this water main, we have identified this replacement as a necessary and cost-effective investment in our water system.”

The project focuses on underground water pipes which were installed in the 1940s and 1950s, are 4-inch diameter, made from thin steel. They will be replaced with 8-inch PVC pipes. The improvements will increase fire flow, service reliability and reduce water loss. The new pipes have an expected lifetime of 100 years.

During construction hours – 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. – Judson Street and Kenneth Street will be closed to through traffic with only residents permitted to pass through. Residents will be given 48 hours advance notice before work is conducted by their home. New pipes will be placed parallel to existing pipes so that water service may be maintained during construction. Residents will experience a thirty minute to one hour interruption in water service when individual home lines are connected to the new main and will be notified before such interruptions take place.

Residents may also experience discoloration or sediment in their water as a result of the main replacement work. This could be related to mineral build-up in the existing pipes and does not pose a health hazard; however, customers are encouraged to report sedimentation or discoloration to California American Water at 1-888-237-1333.

California American Water, a wholly owned subsidiary of American Water (NYSE: AWK), provides high-quality and reliable water and/or wastewater services to approximately 600,000 people.

Founded in 1886, American Water is the largest publicly traded U.S. water and wastewater utility company. With headquarters in Voorhees, N.J., the company employs more than 7,000 dedicated professionals who provide drinking water, wastewater and other related services to approximately 15 million people in more than 30 states, as well as parts of Canada. More information can be found by visiting www.amwater.com.