$100-million Utah water pipeline relocation project strengthens earthquake resilience

Crews are constructing a tunnel and installing a new section of resilient pipeline in Provo Canyon as part of a major infrastructure project designed to protect drinking water deliveries to more than 1.6 million residents along Utah’s Wasatch Front. 

The roughly $100-million project will reroute a key aqueduct that transports water from the Colorado River Basin through eastern Utah and into Utah and Salt Lake counties, Fox13 News reported. The new alignment includes a 1,000-ft tunnel drilled through the side of a mountain to bypass an area vulnerable to landslides and seismic activity.

Project officials said the existing pipeline crosses an active landslide zone and two segments of the Wasatch Fault, creating a high risk of service disruption in the event of a major earthquake. The reroute is intended to improve long-term system resilience and ensure continued water delivery during seismic events or ground movement.

Construction crews are installing earthquake-resistant pipe designed to flex and absorb ground movement rather than fracture. According to Fox13, the system uses specialized segmented pipe with flexible gasketed joints that allow sections to bend and stretch during seismic activity, reducing the risk of catastrophic failure.

The tunnel and pipeline upgrades are expected to be completed next year. Once finished, the rerouted aqueduct will provide a more secure supply route for one of the region’s primary drinking water systems, helping maintain service continuity for millions of residents in the event of natural disasters or major ground instability.

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