Dale Ave. Pump Station Improvements
Project Type:
Collection System
Generator Installation Approximate Construction Start & End Dates:
The construction of the foundation for the new emergency standby generator was completed in January 2025 and the installation of the generator is expected to be complete in March of 2025.
Project Location:
Located at 1025 Patricia Avenue, near the intersection of Dale Avenue and Norfolk Street and nearby streets (see map)
Project Status
The City has completed constructing sewer infrastructure improvements at the Dale Avenue Pump Station, and the work related to installation of a new emergency standby generator is underway. The pump station is vital for the operation of the City’s sewer system and must remain operational 24/7. The purpose of the new emergency standby generator is to provide a power supply to the pump station in the event of a power outage. The existing generator requires replacement to be compliant with air quality requirements. It will be installed east of the pump station building, as shown in the image to the right.
The site plan and equipment elevations can be seen here
The emergency standby generator installation involves site preparation, excavation, cable trenching, foundation piles, concrete pours, generator placement, cabling, and start up testing. The City’s contractor, Anvil Builders, Inc., is scheduled to perform and complete start-up and testing in Spring 2025. Once the new generator is start up tested, the temporary generator will be moved away.
Construction Notices
The construction notices below highlight recent construction updates related to the DAPS project.
Project Description
Heavy rains overwhelm the San Mateo wastewater collection system. The extra rainwater causes sewer overflows at some manholes and at the wastewater treatment plant. These sewer overflows pose a danger to human health and the environment by contaminating our streets, creeks, lagoons, and beaches, and the San Francisco Bay.
The Dale Avenue Pump Station Upgrade will alleviate this problem by improving the wastewater collection system’s ability to manage heavy rainfall, reducing overflows, and helping the City meet important regulatory requirements. By increasing Dale Avenue Pump Station’s amount of wastewater the pump station can handle, we can reduce the risk of sewer overflows, which is better for all of us and our environment.
The Dale Avenue Pump Station Upgrade will improve the wastewater collection system’s ability to manage heavy rainfall, reducing overflows, and helping the City meet important regulatory requirements. By increasing the amount of wastewater the Dale Avenue Pump Station can handle, we can reduce the risk of sewer overflows, which is better for all of us and our environment.
Pump stations are a critical component of the wastewater treatment process. They help move wastewater from homes, businesses, and other facilities to the wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) by “lifting” wastewater from lower elevations to higher elevations so gravity can take over, sending the City’s wastewater to the treatment plant.
Upgrading work at the Dale Avenue Pump Station that has been completed to date include:
- Replacing pumps, piping, valves, and other associated elements in the well
- Lining the existing force mains that convey wastewater from the pump station to the wastewater treatment plant
- Process improvements to the well
- Improving the electrical and instrumentation systems and heating, ventilation, and air conditioning system
- Making some safety and accessibility improvements
- Replacing a portion of the pipe in the pump station yard
Prior Upgrade Work
Construction began in 2020 and was completed in Fall 2024. Work along Dale Avenue repaired the existing force mains that carry wastewater from the Dale Avenue Pump Station to the City’s treatment plant. Two pipelines that run the length of Dale Avenue between both facilities were repaired. Instead of excavating trenches along Dale Ave to repair the full length of the pipeline, the City chose a less impactful method to repair the pipes: plastic liner material was inserted into the pipe and filled with water to push it along the pipeline. Water expanded the liner to take the shape of the inside of the existing pipe; then the water was heated and the resins in the liner hardened into place. The rehabilitation of the first pipeline was completed in 2020; the second pipeline was rehabilitated in 2021.
For 2021 work, the City adjusted the rehabilitation method to reduce community inconveniences experienced in 2020.
On September 20, 2022 the City held a virtual neighborhood meeting to discuss the details of the work associated with the emergency standby generator for the Dale Avenue Pump Station project. The virtual meeting provided details of the work related to the emergency standby generator and included construction schedules and what the community can expect. You can view a recording of the meeting here, or view the presentation by clicking here.
What Does this Mean for You?
The City and those working on the upgrade have been committed to reducing impacts and inconveniences, such as noise, dust, and extra traffic, to our community while completing this project. All work has been self-contained at the pump station.
Contractor Name:
Anvil Builders
Contact:
For more information about the Dale Avenue Pump Station, please call contact CWP Project Manager Makarand Pendse at 1-925-392-3726 or Makarand.pendse@jacobs.com or (650) 727-6870, or email info@CleanWaterProgramSanMateo.org.