Adams Hill slated for “long overdue” water pressure improvements

The Adams Hill neighborhood in South Glendale is set to get “long overdue” improvements to its water lines in order to improve water pressure and service.

The roughly $2.4 million Glendale Water & Power project is expected to begin in January and be completed by September. This week, the City Council approved hiring J. De Sigio Construction of Baldwin Park to finish the work.

“It’s long overdue,” said Glendale Water & Power General Manager Steve Zurn.

Residents of Adams Hill have long complained about the water pressure in the area. The existing water main lines are 33 to 89 years old and heavily deteriorated. Ramon Abueg, chief assistant general manager of electric and water services at the utility, showed a picture at the council meeting of a pipe so clogged that it prompted Mayor Dave Weaver to question how much water could even get through the corrosion.

In addition to the aging pipes, certain streets in the neighborhood do not have water main lines, meaning some homes have to connect to water mains on adjacent streets through service lines that run across other properties, according to a city report. The project will add new lines to the streets that do not have them, eliminating this situation that can impair water circulation, the report stated.

“Water flow will improve, water pressure will improve,” Abueg said.

However, Abueg said that traffic in the construction area will be severely impacted.

New main lines are set to be installed on portions of Princeton Drive, Yale Drive, Wellesley Drive, Dartmouth Drive, Green Street, Garfield Avenue, Berkeley Drive and Loma Crest.

The project funds come from $35 million in bonds issued by the utility for water projects in December 2012.

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