Challenge
A Fortune 100 company’s existing freshwater main serving its North Chicago campus is aging and experiencing reliability concerns. To support future replacement and internal lining of the pipeline, the client required accurate documentation of the main’s alignment, depth, and connections. Existing records were incomplete, conflicting, and the precise location of the buried infrastructure was unknown.
Solution
Valdes Architecture & Engineering (Valdes) was engaged to locate, document, and assess the freshwater main and provide clear, reliable information to support planning and execution of future rehabilitation work.
Our team provided comprehensive preliminary engineering and utility investigation services, beginning with locating the freshwater main in accordance with ASCE Subsurface Utility Engineering (SUE) Level B standards. Using electromagnetic locating and ground-penetrating radar, the buried main was identified, surveyed, and documented across the site.
Valdes coordinated and integrated multiple field efforts, including topographic surveying and CCTV camera inspection performed by a specialty contractor. Survey data and CCTV findings were compiled into clear plan and profile drawings, transforming previously uncertain information into actionable documentation.
Following review of CCTV footage and investigation reports, Valdes provided professional recommendations regarding pipe lining feasibility, abandonment areas, and replacement sections to support planning of future rehabilitation activities. Valdes will continue to support the client during construction by providing construction administration and management services.
Impact
By converting incomplete and conflicting utility records into accurate, field-verified documentation, the project reduced risk, minimized the potential for unforeseen field conditions, and enabled informed decision-making. The resulting plan and profile drawings, coupled with practical rehabilitation recommendations, positioned the client to sequence future lining and replacement work efficiently, control capital and construction costs, and maintain reliable freshwater service to a critical campus infrastructure.
Services
Civil
Laser Scanning & Surveying
Project Management
Project Controls