Bay Bridge FAQ Page

Here you will find answers to general questions about the future Bay Bridge Pump Station and Force Mains Replacement Project (Project) in the City of Newport Beach.

What are pump stations?

Pump stations are an integral part of the sewer system. Sewer pipelines carry wastewater flow from residences, businesses, manufacturers, etc. The sewer collection system is a gravity fed system, much like the gutters in front of our homes. Since not all of Orange County slopes toward OC San facilities for treatment, we need pump stations. Pump stations are constructed when there are no alternatives to getting flows from low points to high points. After pipes get to a low elevation, pump stations are needed to “lift” or pump the wastewater to a higher elevation to continue to flow by gravity or pressure to the local treatment plan, in this case, to OC San’s Plant No. 2 facility in Huntington Beach.

OC San has a total of 15 off-site pump stations. Did you know that eight of them are in Newport Beach? A Street, 15th Street, Lido, Bay Bridge, Rocky Point, Bitter Point, Crystal Cove, and MacArthur Pump Stations. With the exception of the MacArthur Pump Station, all are located along the coast.

What are force mains?

Force mains are pressurized sewer pipelines. Pump stations pump the wastewater that is pressurized, or forced, through pipes because gravity alone is not enough to move it.

This project will replace the dual force mains which are two side-by-side sewer pipelines underneath and across the lower Newport Bay Channel.

How long is the construction of the Project?

Construction is anticipated to take approximately 4.5 years.

Construction of the force mains will be the first event. Once the force mains are installed, work will commence on the new pump station. Once the new pump station is commissioned, the old pump station will be taken out of service and demolished.

Why can’t the original pump station be demolished first and the next one built in its place?

The Bay Bridge Pump Station is critical to ensure wastewater continuously flows to its final destination for treatment. Wastewater treatment is required 24/7. Demolishing the original pump station first would leave this area without the ability to transport the wastewater to the treatment plant in Huntington Beach. This would mean the millions of gallons of wastewater that flow through the pump station daily could not be pumped out of the area. The new pump station will need to be constructed while the original pump station is in service. After construction of the new pump station is completed and operational, the original pump station can be taken out of service and demolished.

How will the new force mains be constructed?

Construction will consist of microtunneling: 1) excavating, shoring, and setup of the microtunnelling launch shaft at the pump station site; 2) excavating, shoring, and setup of microtunneling receiving shaft at the connection point on the west side of the channel; 3) microtunneling the casing pipe for the new force mains from the launch shaft at the pump station beneath Pacific Coast Highway and beneath the channel to the receiving shaft at the connection point on the west side of the channel; 4) installing the new force mains inside the casing pipe; 5) demobilizing microtunneling equipment, remove shoring and backfill at the launch shaft and receiving shaft.

Microtunneling is a trenchless construction method that minimizes surface disruption by excavating underground.

What are the public impacts?

As part of the CEQA process, mitigation measures were identified during the analysis of potential environmental impacts of the project. The Environmental Impact Report (EIR) includes a mitigation monitoring and reporting plan that addresses public impacts and measures on how to minimize those impacts. The project’s mitigation measures include, but are not limited to, traffic, noise, odors, lights and glare, and activities that may disturb the silt in the channel.

Traffic impacts will be carefully coordinated to minimize impacts to the public. Engineering traffic control plans will be developed to ensure the safety of construction crews and the general public.

The project team will work with the City of Newport Beach and other regulatory agencies to define construction methods that will reduce or eliminate impacts to local businesses and residents.

What are the work hours?

The majority of work is anticipated to take place during the daytime working hours on weekdays, unless otherwise directed by permit requirements. If night work is required, measures will be put into place to meet city noise ordinance requirements and reduce impacts of construction lighting on surrounding residences.

Is there something happening at Lower Castaways?

A staging area will be used to carry out the construction activities for the Project. A staging area by Lower Castaways Park will be used for the siting of office trailers, temporary staging and storage of construction equipment and materials, and the parking of vehicles to support the Project. OC San’s Plant No. 2 in Huntington Beach will be used for soil storage.

What happens if the Project does not happen?

Treating wastewater is necessary for the overall care of the environment. If wastewater is not safely collected and transported, there could be negative impacts to public health and the environment. Both the pump station and force mains are nearing the end of useful life. There is an increased risk of sewage spills directly into the channel that would be harmful to the surrounding environment.

What are some benefits to this Project?

The project is necessary to protect public health and the environment. With that, there are many benefits that come with the project. Since we live, work, and play so close to the water, it’s important to protect it. The scenic and recreational values of living along the bay are reasons why people choose to live where they do. Properly collecting and treating wastewater keeps our waters clean, so we can continue to safely live, work, and play in the Newport Bay.

There is no debate odors are often associated with wastewater. This project adds an odor control scrubber system to help reduce odorous compounds from incoming wastewater into the pump station to prevent odors to the surrounding community.

Building a new pump station will not only enhance the aesthetics with the building architecture but also enhance the reliability and efficiency of wastewater management.

Safety.  The new pump station building will have a larger footprint. With the current pump station layout, large maintenance vehicles cannot easily turn around and need to leave the pump station in the same direction in reverse, by backing onto the street. The much-needed space will provide a safer work area. It will also allow routine maintenance to take place without having to remove wastewater equipment from the building, block the sidewalk, or take up lanes on Coast Highway.

How much wastewater flows through the Bay Bridge Pump Station?

The average daily flow through the pump station is 4 million gallons a day (mgd), with a normal peak flow of 8 mgd. During wet weather events, the Bay Bridge Pump Station receives upwards of approximately 18 mgd! This means the pumps need to be sized appropriately in order to handle and prevent overflows during normal flows and wet weather events.

4 mgd is equivalent to 6 Olympic-sized swimming pools of water passing through the pump station every given day.

What will the new pump station look like?

Most of the pump station will be underground including the pumps, motors, other mechanical equipment, and wastewater piping. The above ground building will house electrical equipment, instrumentation, and control equipment in order to meet current code requirements.

There will also be a second structure to house a back-up power generator and odor control facility. The generator will allow the pump station to run at full capacity should power go down (planned or unexpected) to ensure there are no interruptions to service. An odor control scrubber system will remove odorous compounds from the incoming wastewater flows to prevent odors.

The architecture of the building will comply with design guidelines from the City of Newport Beach and will be coordinated to match and blend in with the future property development surroundings.

The image shown above is a design architectural rendering. The layout and facility design are subject to change.

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