A New Pipeline Planned for PCH

 Construction on a new PCH pipeline to keep polluted stormwater out of Santa Monica Bay will begin soon

The City of Los Angeles will begin construction this month on the Coastal Interceptor Relief Sewer (CIRS), a new wastewater pipe along Pacific Coast Highway in the Pacific Palisades. Southbound traffic will be impacted intermittently from February 2011 through the end of 2012.  Work will begin at the south end of the project, by the Santa Monica-Los Angeles city border near the Annenberg Community Beach House, and continue north to just south of Temescal Canyon Road.  

The new 4,500-foot pipeline will run alongside the existing Coastal Interceptor Sewer and will provide increased flow capacity from eight newly-upgraded Santa Monica Bay low flow diversions, which currently divert polluted urban runoff during the summer months from sub-watersheds, to the Hyperion Wastewater Treatment Plant.  This infrastructure upgrade will keep urbanrunoff from flowing out into the ocean during dry weather all year long, helping keep Santa Monica Bay clean and assisting Los Angeles meet federal water quality regulations.  

Construction work hours will be 7:00 a.m. through 4:00 p.m. and 9:00 p.m. through 5:00 a.m., Mondays through Fridays and on some Saturdays.  At least two southbound traffic lanes will remain open daily and at least one lane at night.   Other construction impacts include dust, noise, loss of beach parking during non-summer months, and a detour for cyclists.  PCH users are encouraged to consider alternate routes.  Project updates are available on Twitter @PCHPartners. 

The $10 million CIRS and the low flow diversions are funded by the voter-approved Proposition O Clean Water Bond.  The $500-million bond is currently financing 32 stormwater improvement projects across Los Angeles to keep our creeks, rivers, lakes and beaches clean and keep LA in compliance with federal water quality mandates.