PWSA issues RFP for Redundant Lanpher Rising Main Project

Pittsburgh — The Pittsburgh Water and Sewer Authority (PWSA) issued a request for proposals from qualified private-sector engineering firms to design the Redundant Lanpher Rising Main. When constructed, the project will provide backup water supply and resiliency for approximately one third of PWSA’s drinking water customers. Once the redundant main is installed, PWSA can rehabilitate the existing 100-year-old main to renew its useful life for an additional 100 years. At over four miles, the new redundant main will be PWSA’s longest pipeline project since the water system was built in the early 1900s.

The existing 60-inch Lanpher rising main delivers water from PWSA’s Aspinwall Drinking Water Treatment Plant to the Lanpher Reservoir located in Shaler Township. The Lanpher Reservoir stores and supplies drinking water to thousands of customers in northern neighborhoods of the City of Pittsburgh and Millvale. The existing Lanpher Rising Main is over 100 years old and made of riveted steel.

A break in 2015 and the 8-foot break in the Lanpher Rising Main in February 2017 highlighted the need to create resiliency in this portion of the drinking water distribution system. The breaks were extremely disruptive as they each cost over $2 million and took over six months to repair. Constructing an additional large-diameter main serving the Lanpher Reservoir will allow PWSA to renew the existing Lanpher Rising Main and avoid emergency repairs.

“The new Redundant Lanpher Main will improve water quality, reliability, and reduce costly emergency repairs,” said PWSA Executive Director Robert A. Weimar. “Historical documents show this project has been considered, but deferred, since the 1950s. We now have the resources and in-house expertise to partner with the private sector to deliver these challenging infrastructure projects,” he continued.

The Redundant Lanpher Rising Main will be one of the largest and most complex capital improvement projects in PWSA’s history. The large-diameter main will run through multiple jurisdictions, including the Borough of Aspinwall, Borough of Etna, Borough of Sharpsburg, Shaler Township, and City of Pittsburgh. PWSA is seeking to partner with private-sector firms that provide innovative solutions to the challenges of constructing pipeline through heavily congested neighborhoods. The Authority is also interested in firms who can expedite the delivery of this critical project.

Information on PWSA’s request for proposal can be found at https://pgh2o.com/doing-business.  All bidders interested in submitting a proposal must attend a mandatory pre-bid meeting to be held in the Authority’s Conference Room, 1200 Penn Ave. Pittsburgh, PA 15222 on Tuesday, August 21, 2018 at 10:00 a.m. The purpose of this meeting is to give an overview of the contract requirements and to allow bidders to ask questions. Final proposals are due on September 4, 2018 at 4:00 P.M. EST.