Silicon Valley Clean Water (SVCW) announced the selection of a name for their large tunneling machine that will support the agency’s $495 million infrastructure program. The tunneling machine, called “Salus”, after the Roman goddess of safety and well-being, will bore 2.4 miles under the Redwood Shores Parkway right-of-way in Redwood City, to make way for a new wastewater conveyance pipeline.

Rick Einsiedl, a 20-year resident of the Redwood Shores neighborhood in Redwood City, proposed the winning name following a naming contest launched by SVCW, which provides wastewater service to more than 220,000 residents and businesses serving Belmont, San Carlos, Redwood City and the West Bay Sanitary District.

For more, go here.

We take safety seriously at SVCW as the health and safety of our employees and community is an integral part of all operations. SVCW values the safety of our employees, the treatment plant, our environment and the San Francisco Bay.

A Safety Committee comprised of volunteer staff from all divisions meet monthly to discuss safety issues, concerns, and implement ideas and solutions. “Safety Walks” are performed throughout the facility the week prior to the meetings. Check out a recent video of photos from our recent Safety Walk.

For the video, go here.

Silicon Valley Clean Water (SVCW) is collaborating with the Don Edwards National Wildlife Refuge regarding plans for maintaining access to Inner Bair Island during construction, and facilitating ongoing restoration efforts following construction completion. Work will commence in late June on Inner Bair Island, including construction of a temporary 1-mile long access road from the Whipple Avenue interchange to the north end of the island. The road is necessary to provide access to a tunnel boring machine (TBM) retrieval shaft that will be built during the summer and fall of 2019.

At the Whipple Avenue entrance to Bair Island, the public connector trail will temporarily narrow due to space constraints and be kept to a minimum five-foot width. During periods of heavy construction traffic, the Bay Trail crossing at Whipple Avenue will be managed with flaggers to maintain public safety. Construction will not affect the 1.7-mile Bair Island Trail. Access will be limited on the short section of the bicycle and pedestrian path from Whipple Avenue to the main trail. This work will not impact the official entry to the trail on Bair Island Road.

For more details about the Inner Bair Island construction update and other construction updates, go here. To download the construction notice, go here.