Maintenance team works to clear out congested pipes to prevent flooding

Photo by Florence Hu

Highlighted on a 1960s site map is a section of pipes along the library, which has been an area of focus of the drainage system.

This winter, strong El Niño conditions have brought heavy atmospheric river storms, sometimes causing areas on campus to experience minor flooding from puddles around congested drains. While maintenance staff members and contractors have worked to clear the pipes, officials have determined excavation may be necessary this summer to replace some sections of pipes to prevent future flooding.

In addition to its full-time maintenance staff, the district usually keeps in touch with workers from Ciari Plumbing and Heating, a local public works company that also services other hospitals, libraries and campuses across the Bay Area.

General maintenance worker Joseph Nufer, who works for the district, said the main issue with the drainage system comes from tree roots.

“Roots, which feed on the water flow, have grown into our drainage systems and getting them out is difficult,” Nufer said.

Two towering redwood trees in the southwest corner of the quad near the circular lawn are very close to the plumbing system that runs underground in front of the library. 

Nufer said workers discovered the location and causes of the blockage by using augers, a coiled metal corkscrew device with a spring on the end. The augers were fed down into the pipes to unclog them, which alleviated some of the blockage but was hindered by larger roots. 

Workers have also sent down cameras to investigate the causes of the blockage — beyond the dirt and debris, they were able to see the roots in the water. The cameras were equipped with location-tracking systems indicating where the pipes are located to workers above the ground, areas often marked by spray paint.

After chasing pipes, Ciari’s workers recommended plans to excavate the area in front of the library to remove roots, which will likely happen during the summer. Nufer said the project is still in early development, as projects of this scale usually face obstacles in the process of receiving approval and funding. 

The school is in the process of receiving bids for the excavation project, which will have to pass through the board. For projects of this size, Nufer said, the approval process can be convoluted since it requires a lot of money.

If the project is implemented, old pipes made of cast iron or terracotta would be replaced with heavy duty plastic, which Nufer said will last “at least a lifetime.” According to plant supervisor Paul Weir, the cost could range from $25,000 to $50,000 and will depend on factors such as whether or not the planned excavation will require concrete to be torn up, in which case there will be additional expenses in having to replace a sidewalk. 

Weir said the project isn’t guaranteed to be approved, especially since temporarily clearing out congested pathways has already helped alleviate the situation, Nufer said.

In addition to interfering with the main drainage system, the root problem affects other places that tend to flood slowly, which include the area in front of the 300s wing, the hallway leading to the engineering room and a section in the back parking lot. When there is excessive rain, plumbers typically send down augers to chase the pipes or push aside some of the debris.

“Plumbers have been out here probably 10 times in [January],” Nufer said. “I think that the work they’ve done has really improved our drainage because we haven’t flooded [following recent rainfall].” 

Assistant Principal Matt Torrens also said the recent plumbing work has cleared up a lot of the pipes, and minor blockage is always going to be an effect of the seasonal rainfall.

“There are always concerns as we are dealing with biological, living variables such as tree roots clogging pipes, branches and leaves clogging rain gutters, and people who may kick over something,” Torrens said. “It’s a constant battle.”