Salt Lake City Future-Proofs Large Diameter Water Mains

By Jason Jones & Todd Grafenauer

Salt Lake City Department of Public Utilities (SLCDPU) owns and maintains a three-mile section of 48-in. water main. Referred to as the Upper Conduit pipeline, the main traverses from the Terminal Reservoir to the Baskin Reservoir and transmits potable water to the east side of Salt Lake City, Utah.

The majority of the pipeline functions in a gravity-flow condition, however, the portion that travels through the Parley’s Creek area acts as a low-elevation siphon and operates under pressurized flow. This pipeline was constructed circa 1955 and is made up of multiple types of concrete cylinder pressure pipe. Over the last several years, there have been concerns raised about potential leaks including other potential issues with the pipe and SLCDPU was concerned about this line reaching its functional life. In addition, access to this line is difficult and, in many cases, requires challenging and costly repairs due to the steep side slopes, proximity to homes, and difficult access in some locations.