Crossing the Finish Line with the Cross Valley and Calero Pipeline Inspection and Rehabilitation Project

Valley Water is committed to investing in our water infrastructure and makes it a top priority. Our goal is to ensure a safe, reliable water supply for residents and businesses in Santa Clara County.

Valley Water’s 10-Year Pipeline and Rehabilitation Program looks at approximately 140 miles of large pipelines that deliver water to our treatment facilities and determine what improvements need to be made. The Cross Valley and Calero Pipelines are one of three projects to be identified in this program. This infrastructure improvement is necessary to ensure the pipelines continue to be safe and reliable for our future water supply needs.

The Cross Valley and Calero pipelines stretch 10.6 miles, starting from the Coyote Pump Plant in Morgan Hill, extending through parts of unincorporated Santa Clara County, and ending at the Calero Reservoir in South San Jose.

Staff assessed the Cross Valley and Calero pipelines at the beginning of 2018 and determined several parts of this 30-year old pipeline needed to be repaired or replaced.

The pipeline was shutdown from mid-November 2019 to February 2020 as crews went into the pipeline section by section. Defective parts, such as valves and flow meters were replaced, while electrical and control systems were upgraded. A new high-tech monitoring system was installed that will allow Valley Water to monitor the pipeline in real-time without sending workers inside. The monitoring system will help detect problems much faster and without service interruptions, saving time and money.

By February 28, crews completed the work and water was flowing back into the pipeline. Water will continue to be delivered to our treatment plant to produce safe, clean drinking water to our 2 million residents in Santa Clara County.

“The best moment was confirmation that the pipeline was filled once again with water and operating at full capacity,” said Senior engineer Calvin Nguyen. “It was our opportunity to see the design put to the test.”

Fortunately, the majority of the work was finished before the county’s shelter-in-place order. There is still work to be done, like painting and electrical, but an end is in sight. Crews expect this big project to be finished by July.

For more information, contact Calvin Nguyen at (408) 630-2602 or by email at CNguyen@valleywater.org.