The City of Los Angeles, Department of Public Works, Bureau of Sanitation (BOS) has diligently been conducting a sewer renewal program (SRP) with the specific intent of minimizing, reducing, or effectively eliminating spills from its sanitary sewer collection system. A significant number and mileage of the City’s sewer pipelines have been inspected for structural defects and other conditions that contribute to adverse operations and maintenance issues. By taking an aggressive repair or replacement approach to remedying found issues the BOS has been notably successful at upgrading its aging sewer system. The majority of the sewers inspected and addressed to date through repair or replacement have been located in streets and other public rights of way. Sewers that are located outside of street or other public right of ways are generally significantly more challenging, and more costly, to address than sewers with relatively straight forward access. Sewers outside of streets and other public right of ways can pose significant issues for inspection, maintenance, and repair/replacement. These sewers have been designated as Difficult Access Reaches (DARs). Straight forward access to these sewers simply may not exist. These DAR pipelines have been commonly found to be located in private property. Utility access easements for DARs may or may not exist. Easements have been found to have structures built within the easements and above the sewers. Such structures may consist of private buildings and include houses, garages, or car ports; paved drive ways; saunas, hot tubs, and swimming pools; stairs; fences and retaining walls; paved areas and yards; landscaping; and other constructed features. DARs are known to exist in vegetated, rugged, and/or hilly terrain. The location of the DARs in these areas generally does not allow access for street legal vehicles commonly used for sewer inspection, maintenance, and construction purposes. In fact, DARs can pose walk up access difficulty. In addition to the difficulty in accessing these sewers, DARs may be present in environmentally sensitive areas. These areas require the special consideration, attention, expertise, and care they deserve.
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