Main Replacement along Esplanade Avenue

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Utility to Host Community Meeting About Upgrade and Construction Cal Water will soon begin a water infrastructure upgrade on Esplanade Avenue in Chico (map) that will strengthen water system reliability and infrastructure resiliency for customers' everyday needs and firefighters' emergency needs. The largest part of the project includes crews installing 8,000 feet of new 12-inch water main along Esplanade, from Amber Grove Road to 11th Avenue. Cal Water will begin initial construction preparations the week of Jan. 21, and the entire project is expected to be completed in six to eight months. Crews will also install 17 new fire hydrants and more than 100 new, individual service connections as part of the project. The project is being done ahead of, and in coordination with, the City of Chico's upcoming road paving project to be cost-effective and minimize temporary impacts to residents, businesses, and motorists. Because of the scale of the project along a main thoroughfare, Cal Water will host a community meeting on Wednesday, Jan. 29, in advance of actual construction beginning, to provide more information on what nearby residents and businesses can expect during construction and how the project will improve the water system for local customers. The meeting will be held from 7 to 8 p.m. in the Fairview High School Multi-Purpose Room at 290 East Ave. in Chico. Residents are encouraged to attend the meeting to learn more and ask questions. "This important infrastructure upgrade will enable us to continue delivering a reliable supply of safe, high-quality drinking water to our customers while also helping first responders protect the community in the event of an emergency," said District Manager George Barber. "Additionally, by working with the city of Chico to install the new water main before the road is paved, we can reduce paving costs and minimize any temporary inconvenience to those in and traveling through the area." "Proactive water system improvements such as this are an important part of our promise to deliver quality, service, and value to Chico residents and businesses, and we thank them for their patience as we work to make improvements that will benefit them both now and for decades to come," Barber added. Crews will make every effort to minimize traffic delays during construction, which will be performed Monday through Friday between 7 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. Following installation, crews will conduct water quality testing and connect individual service lines to the new water main. Water service will be temporarily interrupted for one to two hours as crews connect customers' service lines to the main; however, Cal Water will notify residents in advance of any planned shutdowns, which are normally scheduled between 8 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. Crews will also restore all streets, sod, and landscaping impacted by the construction.

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