PWSA crews uncover a water main in the Strip District.

The Pittsburgh Water and Sewer Authority has invested over $90 million in our Capital Improvement Program this year and continues to invest in our water distribution and wastewater systems by proactively identifying areas for improvement. 

The 2020 Small Diameter Water Main Replacement continues to be our highest-funded water program this year, with over $30 million spent through the end of November. PWSA strategically determines these small diameter pipe replacement projects by reviewing data on the age and leak history of a pipe. Ongoing initiatives within our water program focus on lead service line replacements, large diameter water main improvements, and the water relay program, among many others. The Fifth and Forbes Water Main Replacement Project is an ongoing project that, once completed, will completely rehabilitate the water mains in the Central Business District and Uptown. This project aims to replace over two miles of water mains, improve the condition and reliability of the water infrastructure, and replace lead lines for customers. 

We are also making needed improvements to our sewer system. Several projects, including the Small Diameter Pipes, Large Diameter Pipes, and Sewers Under Structures, aim to replace or rehabilitate miles of sewer lines with previous issues or that have the possibility of future failure. Continually updating and improving our sewer infrastructure, ensures that we can improve the reliability of our sewer system for years to come. 

The Capital Spending graphic below shows a financial breakdown through 2021.