Lake Forest Woods Sewer Improvement Project
To guard against sewer damage during floods, Irvine Ranch Water District will be relocating vulnerable infrastructure outside of creek areas in the Lake Forest I and Lake Forest II communities using trenchless and open cut trenching.
Watershed improvements will be made within the creek, including the installation of 12 riprap check dams.
Access routes will also be improved to allow for easier maintenance of existing and new sewer facilities. Some will be paved and others, particularly along the creeks, will be improved with compacted gravel to maintain the natural aesthetics of the area.
Tree removal will be minimized as a part of the project design.
- What: Sewer improvement project
- When: July 2025 to summer 2026
- Info: Call 949-453-5500 or email info@IRWD.com
2026:
April: Crews will move to the wooded area south of Parkwood Street early in the month to encase sewer infrastructure in concrete for protection. A new manhole will be constructed and open cuts will be made to sewer line in the Glenwood area. A sewer bypass will keep residents in service during this phase of the work.
March: Crews will begin backfilling manholes at the east end of the project.
February: Pipeline installation will be completed at the east end of the project..
January: Sewer pipeline installation will continue.
2025:
December: Installation of steel casing as part of the boring work will be completed early this month. Following that, work will begin to push sewer pipeline into that casing.
November: Boring work will continue through this month, following the extended construction hours to 8 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Monday through Friday, with occasional Saturday work.
October: Extremely hard soil encountered during the boring work requires the temporary extension of construction hours to 8 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Monday through Friday, with occasional Saturday work.The revised schedule will remain in place for several months until the trenchless pipeline installation is completed.
September: Crews will be preparing pits for guided auger boring and pipeline installation, which will begin on Wednesday, Sept. 18, in in the area currently under construction along the creek off Glenwood Drive. That work is expected to take two weeks per sewer segment with a total of three segments over the next several months. The equipment used for this process will create some new construction noises as the bore revolves to cut through the earth underground. A clamshell will be used periodically to lift loads of dirt out of the trenches so the work can continue. These sounds will be more noticeable in the areas surrounding the creek, where work is being done.
August: Crews will be doing rough grading for access pits, and constructing rip-rap check dams as indicated in the map above. Guided auger boring for pipeline installation is expected to begin next month.
July: Construction work will begin July 7. That work will include setting up equipment and pedestrial traffic control for safety. Tree and brush removal will take place early in the month, and trees will be removed only when necessary for the installation of sewer pipeline or access routes, depending on root conditions encountered during construction work. Crews will begin construction of rip-rap dams toward the end of the month and that work will continue into late August. Other work scheduled this week includes verification of existing sewer connection points and rough grading for access pits in preparation for pipeline installation in August.
