Lessons Learned for Replacement of a 50-year Old Sewer Lift Station

The Boyce Road Lift Station was constructed in 1959 and was the Union Sanitary District’s (Fremont, California) oldest pump station currently in operation. In 2008, the District began design for a new 26.5 ML/d (7 mgd), wet-pit/dry-pit, trench-style lift station that would bring the facility up to the District’s current standards for operation and maintenance. Startup and testing was completed in September 2013.The existing lift station was required to remain in full operation during construction within the 664 m2 (7,150 ft2) District property. Improvements to the site included a 111 m2 (1,200 ft2) operations building located on top of the wet-pit/dry pit areas, standby generator, and bypass pipeline.During design and construction, several challenging conditions were encountered that provide a basis for the project’s lessons learned, including: difficult groundwater conditions; unforeseen conditions; use of easements from adjoining land owners; and various other challenging site conditions.