Redundant Force Main Construction Project – Pump Station 16 to Cross Bayou Water Reclamation Facility

The Pinellas County Redundant Force Main project is a new 3.4-mile pipeline that will replace an existing 20-inch wastewater force main that serves the Seminole/Pinellas Park area. The new 36-inch diameter force main will transport wastewater from Pump Station 16, located near the corner of Park and Seminole boulevards, to the county’s South Cross Bayou Water Reclamation Facility on 54th Avenue North. It will be installed along Park Boulevard from Pump Station 16 to 84th Lane, where it turns south to Park Street. It continues along Park Street to 62nd Avenue North, heading east until the South Cross Bayou Water Reclamation Facility.

Pinellas County’s existing 20-inch force main in the Seminole area is more than 50 years old and has failed twice in the last nine years. Replacing the force main will not only protect public health and environment, but make the system more reliable and flexible operationally.

The new force main will include valves and connections to another force main in the area. This way, all flows can be routed to either pipeline if one is out of service.

Most of the pipeline will be installed in open, excavated trenches. In some areas, the contractor will use trenchless construction to tunnel under major intersections and waterways.  For example, the contractor will tunnel under Lake Seminole/Long Bayou, the intersection of Park Boulevard and Starkey/Park Street, and under Joe’s Creek Bayou using horizontal directional drilling. Horizontal directional drilling enables pipeline construction without disrupting above-ground features.

Yes. Traffic flow and signals will be an important part of the maintenance-of-traffic plan.

No. Major intersections and water bodies will be crossed with by a trenchless construction technique that tunnels underneath these features.

We will coordinate closely with Pinellas County School Board, Pinellas County Transit Authority, first responders and other emergency services before construction begins to ensure these services are not interrupted.

Some work along Park Boulevard will likely be done at night or on weekends to minimize traffic impacts. Weekend work may be requested by the contractor and will be considered on a case-by-case basis. 

Safety is a priority for the county and the contractor. The construction zone will be clearly marked and barricaded during the day. At night, open trenches will either be covered with metal plates or surrounded with barriers.

Many areas along the pipeline route must be dewatered before construction begins and continue during construction. Dewatering involves installing small, shallow wells at regular intervals along the route and connecting the wells to a pump. That generator that must run 24 hours a day, seven days a week to remove water from the ground.

In residential areas, the contractor will use sound-attenuated pumps and will try to place equipment away from homes to minimize noise. You may hear noise from heavy equipment during active construction hours, and there may be lane closures or detours in the construction zone.

The water will be discharged into nearby stormwater sewers. It will likely be filtered to remove debris before it is disposed. The contractor must obtain a permit to dispose of water removed from the construction area.

Construction duration will vary by location, depending on weather conditions, soil conditions and whether the force main is being installed in open cut trench or by horizontal directional drilling. Open cut installation usually moves at a rate of approximately 80 feet per day, plus three days per intersection. The duration of a directional drill varies with the length of the drill. A directional drill under a typical waterway or major intersection usually takes approximately four to five weeks to complete.

The project does not require the use of vibratory hammers or pile drivers, so any vibration is expected to be minor. Some vibration from the machinery may be felt in nearby homes and businesses. The contractor will take pre- and post-construction photos and videos to document private property should any claims be made.

Pinellas County began the Redundant Force Main Project in 2016 with a route analysis of four potential routes. They were evaluated using factors like safety, environment, permitting, location of other utilities, constructability, cost, traffic impacts, community input and more.

Each route option was evaluated using weighted selection criteria, including community input. The selected route has the least impact to Park Boulevard, has fewer special crossings, takes advantage of wide rights-of-way along the southern portions of the route and is the least costly.

The life expectancy of the new force main is 50 years or more.

The county finished installing a new odor control system at Pump Station 16 in early 2020. No further improvements will be made as part of the Redundant Force Main Project.

The county finished installing a new odor control system at Pump Station 16 in early 2020. No improvements will be made to the pump station as part of the Redundant Force Main Project.

The old 20-inch force main cannot be used. It will be filled with a grout material and left in place.

No. The county’s reclaimed system is at capacity and cannot serve additional customers at this time.

No. Funds for this project are available in the county’s sewer enterprise fund, which is an account financed through sewer rates paid by county customers. The enterprise fund recovers the cost of sewage collection and treatment through each customer’s sewer bill. Your monthly bill includes charges for treatment, capital costs to cover any existing bonds issued to build facilities, as well as renewal, replacement and rehabilitation costs to keep the system reliable and efficient.

Pinellas County selected Southern Underground Industries through a competitive bidding process.