As consulting engineers to the City of South Lyon, Hubbell, Roth & Clark, Inc. (HRC) provided design, bid phase, construction administration and observation services for the McMunn Street Water Main Replacement Program. The existing water distribution system on McMunn Street consisted of nearly 1,300 feet of deteriorated pipe that required numerous emergency repairs by the City's DPW staff.

The properties serviced by the McMunn Street water distribution system include not only residential customers, but also the City's largest industrial client. In addition, the distribution system crosses a 48” diameter drain under the jurisdiction of the Oakland County Drain Commissioner. In an effort to minimize disruption to the customers that rely on the water distribution system, the adjacent roadway for industrial trade demands, and the existing County Drain, HRC prepared an alternate bid package which allowed perspective contractors to bid and perform this work with trenchless technologies. Although open cut construction techniques were still necessary to accommodate the installation of the service leads, valves, hydrants, and entrance and exit pits, the majority of the water main installation was performed without excavation by means of Horizontal Directional Drilling (HDD) methods thereby minimizing costs and disruption associated with pavement removal, extensive drain crossing work, and restoration of both.

Based on plans and specifications developed by HRC, the City of South Lyon was able to upgrade the McMunn Street water main to a reliable distribution system utilizing HDD as the most cost-effective construction methodology affording the least disruption to the community and industrial client base.