Water Service Interruption

Q: How long will my water be off?

A: Your water service will only be interrupted when the water service is transferred from the old system to the new system. Water service transfer work could require interruption of your water supply for a maximum of 6 hours for any given construction work day in your area.

Q: Why is the water main and service being replaced?

A: As the City's existing water distribution system ages, it becomes necessary to replace water mains and their appurtenances on a cyclic basis. Replacement becomes necessary when the existing mains and services show extensive signs of corrosion, are subject to recurring breaks which cause extensive maintenance expenditures, or when the materials of construction prove to be inadequate. In very old water systems, some mains are inadequate and unable to supply the required flows and pressures for fire protection such as those identified in your area by the City of Palo Alto Utilities Engineering Division. This Capital Improvement Project (CIP) will bring your fire flow protection to today's standards and eliminate corroded pipe from our water distribution system.

Gas Service Interruption

Q: How long will my gas be off?

A: Gas Service will only be interrupted when your gas meter is transferred from the old system to the new system. During this meter transfer, a test is conducted to insure that your house plumbing is not leaking. Upon a successful test of your plumbing (verification that your internal house plumbing is not leaking), the gas meter technician will attempt to notify (knock on your door) you that they are ready to relight your appliances. If you are not at home a tag will be left on your door indicating that the gas has been turned off. This notification will instruct you on how to contact Utilities Customer Service personnel who will come to your home to relight appliances. Customer service representatives are available 7 days a week, 24 hours per day (650) 329-2579.

In normal operations, your gas service should not be interrupted for over one hour.

Q: How do I have my pilot lights relit?

A: Contact Utilities Customer Service at (650) 329-2579, 7 days a week, 24 hours per day and they will respond to relight your appliances.

Q: Why does my gas service require replacement?

A: Materials used for natural gas piping age over time and are replaced as they reach the end of their design lives. Your gas service is constructed of materials that have been targeted for replacement. The material being installed for gas services is a medium density polyethylene (PE) pipe. This material has a service life exceeding 50 years.

Q: Why is the gas main being replaced?

A: In 1991 the City of Palo Alto City Council approved the current Capital Improvement Program to replace a significant portion of the aging gas distribution system. This approval was based on the need to replace piping materials that were reaching the end of their design lives. Mains requiring high levels of maintenance were replaced first with the remainder of the targeted materials being entirely replaced by 2010.

Q: Why is my gas meter being moved from the curb meter box at the sidewalk to the side of my house?

A: Curb meters are no longer commercially manufactured. Due to this lack of available meters the City of Palo Alto Utilities Department changed the policy to require all household gas meters to be placed next to residences. This relocation of the meter is beneficial for the homeowner as they are no longer responsible for the piping from curb meter box to the home.

Q: Will my home plumbing be affected during this main replacement project?

A: Your home plumbing will not be affected unless your existing meter location does not meet current City standards. In the event that your gas meter must be relocated, the City or its Contractor will perform all associated work. You will receive notification stating that your meter requires relocation before the work is performed and your assistance will be required. The City will need access to your residence to perform all plumbing modifications required by the meter relocation. City Engineering and Inspection staff will coordinate the gas plumbing work with you to minimize any inconveniences.

Wastewater Service Interruption

Q: Will my sewer service be interrupted during construction?

A: Continuous sewer service will be maintained at all times during the construction. We ask that you minimize your water usage during construction, if possible. Although some inconvenience may be unavoidable, every effort will made to minimize the disruption caused by the construction activities.

Q: Why isn't the lateral in my yard being replaced?

A: In the City of Palo Alto, the City is responsible for the portion of the lateral within the City Right-of-Way. This is usually from the property line or the cleanout to the sewer main in the street. The homeowner's responsibility is from the property line, usually just behind the sidewalk or cleanout, to the house.

Q: Why are they working in my yard?

A: To access and tie into the existing lateral often requires some excavation behind the sidewalk. Typically the work is done within 5 feet of the property line. The Contractor will restore landscaping and surface materials as reasonably possible.

Parking during a Major Capital Improvement Project

Q: Where can I park?

A: When construction is occurring on the block of your residence you will not be allowed to park in the street along this section or block of the project during working hours from 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM. Due to the movement of construction equipment, the need to excavate in the street and overall job safety, parking is not allowed during these activities. Entering and leaving your driveway is acceptable except during construction that is directly in front of your driveway. The construction duration for any given block is usually limited to two weeks. Parking on a side street may be more convenient while construction is occurring in front of your home.

Q: Will I be able to get in and out of my driveway during construction?

A: Yes, you will be able to access your driveway during the project except when excavation work blocks access to your driveway. In the event that an open excavation blocks access to your driveway and you need to get out, the Contractor will try to place a steel plate over the excavation to provide temporary access.

Q: Why are they putting "No Parking" signs on both sides of the street?

A: Both sides of the street are required to provide safe open access for construction equipment movement and to inspect the installation of the new sewer main and services.

Q: When will you fix my driveway?

A: The City routinely videotapes the pre-project physical condition of the public right of way and the adjacent private property improvements. If your driveway was damaged as a result of the sewer main replacement project work, it should be repaired within two weeks after completion of the construction of the sewer system in your area. If your driveway has not been repaired to pre-project condition within this timeframe please contact the Project Engineer.

Construction of a Major Capital Improvement Project

Q: Will you be able to match (color/type) my driveway if you remove a piece of it?

A: The City or its Contractor will make every effort to match the existing driveway. This isn't always possible due to the age of the existing driveway materials.

Q: Are they going to dig in my yard?

A: We will excavate to a point just upstream of the sanitary sewer cleanout. The City will restore your yard to pre-project conditions.

Q: Are the workmen allowed to store materials (soil, pipe, rock, equipment, etc.) in City streets?

A: Yes, the Municipal Code allows the public right of way (street) to be used for Contractor storage while work is occurring in the immediate vicinity of the stored materials.

Q: Are they going to remove the spray paint marks from the street, sidewalk, and my driveway? If so, when?

A: Yes, the Contractor is responsible for removing all spray paint marks as part of the project work. The City insures performance of this aspect of the project by retaining funds payable to the Contractor until completion of the project work.

Q: What can I do if my sprinkler system is damaged?

A: Please contact the Project Engineer. The Project Engineer will verify that sprinkler system was damaged by the project work. The Contractor is responsible for damage caused by the project work and is required to repair damage caused by their work.

Q: Will you replace damaged landscaping?

A: The City routinely videotapes the pre-project physical condition of the public right of way and the adjacent private property improvements. All landscaping damaged by the Contractor will be repaired/replaced. The Contractor will attempt to match the type and size of damaged plants. It isn't always possible to replace mature plants as they are not available but the Contractor and City will attempt to satisfy the customer.

Q: What are the daily work hours for construction?

A: The contract for this work designates work hours to be 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM unless the work involves major arterials. The Contractor may arrive at the site earlier than this time but equipment should not be started until 8:00 AM or after. Occasionally unanticipated work must be performed which requires the Contractor to work beyond 5:00 PM but this should be very infrequent.

Q: Why is a portable toilet in front of my house?

A: The Contractor must provide sanitary facilities for their workers. The portable toilet will be moved as the project work progresses through your neighborhood. If this facility is not maintained or you wish it to be moved to another location, please contact the Project Engineer.

Q: How often does the Contractor clean the work site?

A: The Contractor cleans the work site at the end of each workday. If you notice that the job site is not being cleaned on a daily basis, please contact the Project Engineer.

Q: The steel plate in front of my house is rocking creating noise. What can I do about it?

A: Please contact the Project Engineer. The Project Engineer will have the Contractor shim the plate edges to keep the plate from rocking. Temporary asphalt will also be placed around the edges.

Q: Workers left trash in my yard, how do I get them to clean it up?

A: Please contact the Project Engineer to have this matter corrected. Work site conditions should be kept clean. The Project Engineer will contact the Contractor to address this issue.

Q: Is the Contractor allowed to use water from my house?

A: No. The Contractor is not allowed to use your water unless he gains your consent. If you notice that the Contractor is using your water, without your consent, please contact the Project Engineer.

Q: When will the Underground Service Alert (USA) marks be removed?

A: At project completion, a punch list of outstanding items is generated before the project completion notice is filed with the County. If the Contractor has not removed all spray paint markings, the work will be included in the project punch list. The final payment for the contract will not be made until the spray paint marks are removed.

Pavement Restoration on Major Capital Improvement Projects

Q: When will the street pavement be restored as part of the project work?

A: Typically, all pavement repairs will occur within two weeks after construction activity related to the sewer main and services are complete, weather permitting.

Q: When will street/traffic markings (stop bars, cross walk striping, bike lane striping, etc.) be replaced?

A: Painting of the street markings is one of the last activities of a sewer main replacement project. To insure that there will not be any further excavation in the area this portion of the work is delayed until approximately four weeks after all sewer main replacement construction activities have been completed.

Q: When will they repave my street?

A: Contact the Public Works Department Engineering Section to get a schedule for repaving of City streets. The contact number is (650) 329-2151.

Q: Why doesn't the repaving look finished?

A: Project paving occurs in two steps, First, temporary cold asphalt mix is placed on the backfilled area to temporarily restore the roadway service. The temporary asphalt is removed and final asphalt paving is installed over the trench. The Contractor attempts to match the existing pavement but this isn't always possible. Older pavement tends to become "gray" and new asphalt is darker in color. If your street is concrete, steel plates will be placed on top of the trench in order for the concrete base to cure, prior to final restoration. All pavement repairs are installed to city standards, inspected and approved by the Public Works Department prior to completion of the contract and before final payment is made to the Contractor.

Electric Underground Conversion Projects

Q: When will my neighborhood be undergrounded?

A: The City prepares a 5-year budget each year. The Proposed Electric Underground Program Plan shows the next several planned underground districts. Planning is not done beyond the 5-year planning horizon. This is because the decision to underground is based, in part, on the condition of the electric system which constantly changes due to renovations and new construction.

Q: Are there different types of underground districts?

A: Yes. There are 3 types of underground districts: 1) General Public Interest and Benefit district where CPAU pays for all construction in the Public Right-of-way; 2) Primarily for Local Public Benefit district where the construction costs in the Public Right-of-way are shared equally between the utility and the residents; and 3) Insufficient Public Benefit, where the requester pays at least 75% of the cost of the undergrounding in the Public Right-of-way.

Q: How much does it cost to underground the electric facilities in front of my home?

A: The portion of the work performed by CPAU costs between $10,000 and $15,000 per home. In addition to this cost, the homeowner can spend from $3,000 to $8,000, or more in some cases, to make their home ready for underground service. The actual cost a homeowner incurs is due to a variety of factors such as the distance from the City's electrical service box in the sidewalk or street to the homeowner's meter panel, whether the trenching work is under a paved walkway or driveway versus in the lawn, the variations in price provided in written bids from licensed electricians or contractors, and which installer is selected by the homeowner.

Q: How do I select a contractor to do the undergrounding of my home service?

A: To be certain that your money is well spent, we recommend spending some time before you start your project by asking friends for personal recommendations of contractors they have liked, getting written bids from contractors, checking their references, obtaining a written contract for the terms and work agreed to, and monitoring the project and contractor as the work progresses. A great source of thorough information and free publications about selecting a contractor in our area is the Contractors' State License Board, Northern Region. Visit their website at http://www.cslb.ca.gov or their office at (916) 255-4027 in Sacramento. Complaints can also be registered through this oversight board.

Q: How much of the undergrounding costs do I pay?

A: If it is a General Public Interest and Benefit district, the homeowner pays the $3,000 and $8,000 to make the home ready for underground service. In other types of districts, the homeowners pay a greater share of the costs.