The Gwinnett County Department of Water Resources (GCDWR) has completed the design phase of the proposed water main replacement project for Lakeshore Drive.  During this phase activities in the area included subsurface utility location, field surveying, and subsurface geotechnical investigations (road borings).  The road borings were conducted on August 3rd and 4th, 2009.  The bores were located in the inside (lake side) lane of Lakeshore Drive.  Upon completion of the bores, the holes were filled and patched with asphalt. 

Due to the existing field conditions, the proposed water main will be located beneath the asphalt of the inside lane of traffic on Lakeshore Drive.  The main will be installed using “open cut” techniques where a trench is excavated in the road to allow the water main to be installed below grade.  The trench will be backfilled with crushed stone and then patched with asphalt paving to match the existing grade of the road.
 
During construction of the water main, a rolling road block will be used to allow installation of the piping.  This will entail a portion of the road be closed to through traffic during the day as the water main is installed.  At the end of each day, the trench will be filled and/or covered to allow traffic to proceed unobstructed.  This road block will result in the blocking of some driveways each day.  GCDWR and construction personnel will coordinate with the local residents prior to blocking of driveways to allow residents to move their vehicles out of the construction area each morning.
 
During construction there will be periodic water shut-offs while connections are made to the existing water mains.  It will also be necessary to temporarily shut-off individual water service connections while the service connection from the new water main is made with the individual water meters.  These connections typically require 1.5 to 2 hours to make.

Construction is currently anticipated to begin in January 2010.  Prior to construction beginning, GCDWR will conduct public meetings with the residents of Lakeshore Drive and other affected areas to inform them of the proposed construction schedule and provide more insight as to what to expect during construction.  Construction is expected to last approximately six (6) months.

If you have any questions or concerns, please feel free to call the GCDWR project manager, Angela Dotson, at 678-376-6752, or This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it .

Original Article from March 26, 2009:

Residents may have taken note of recent markings on the pavement along Lakeshore Drive. As part of Gwinnett County Department of Water Resources' (GCDWR) management and operations plan, they identify areas within the water distribution system where they have experienced repeated problems (leaks, failures, poor quality water) with the water mains. Those areas are evaluated and in some cases identified to be replaced with new water mains.

In 2008, GCDWR identified the water mains along Lakeshore Drive for replacement.  Currently, there are two water mains installed along the majority of Lakeshore Drive, a 4-inch diameter main and a 6-inch diameter main.  Parts of these mains are 37 years old and have had several leaks over the past few years.  Because of that, GCDWR plans to replace those water mains with a new 8-inch diameter ductile iron pipe water main.  The proposed water main replacement will be installed along Lakeshore Drive starting at North Berkeley Lake Road and ending approximately 2,700 feet from the intersection with South Berkeley Lake Road (The last 2,700 feet of Lake Shore Drive has already had 8-inch ductile iron water main installed along it).

The intent of the water replacement project is to improve overall water service to the area.  The new ductile iron water main is less likely to break and leak, which will result in improved water service.  It also means there will be fewer disturbances to the neighborhood and fewer water service shutoffs due to repair of damaged water mains.  As the water main is replaced, the service connections between the water main and the existing customer water meters will be replaced with copper tubing.  This will also help to minimize leaks and help minimize water loss in the distribution system, thereby conserving water.  In addition to the water main replacement, new fire hydrants will be installed bringing the neighborhood up to the County’s new standards for fire hydrant placement, which results in improved fire protection.

The water main replacement will involve planning, designing, and installation of the new 8-inch diameter main.  At this time, the exact location of the proposed water main is not known. That will be determined as the planning and design phase is conducted.  The planning, preliminary engineering, and design phase of this project was officially started on March 16, 2009.  Those efforts will require GCDWR’s personnel and consultants to conduct work within the Lakeshore Drive area.  Activities that may occur in the neighborhood include:

• General site investigations include videotaping of the current conditions and taking photos to document critical areas of work.
• Subsurface utility locating.
• Field surveying to locate existing features such as water meters, driveways, above grade structures, storm drains, sanitary sewers, etc.
• Fire hydrant testing to monitor water pressures in the neighborhood.

GCDWR will post updates throughout the project.  Also, a public meeting will be held in the future once the project is more firmly defined.