Orion Construction Corporation recently completed work on a major project at the University of California San Diego campus. The $2.7 million dollar project entailed the installation of a 20” diameter hot water line and a 16” diameter chilled water line for the new Rady Management building located on the campus. The job consisted of trenching and laying 7,000 feet of mainline [3,500 ft. of hot water line and 3,500 ft. of chilled water]. The mainline trenches were 8 ft. deep. Nearly all of the material removed to install the lines was then reused to cover the new lines once the pipe installation was completed. The project also included the construction and installation of two new utility vaults. The two vaults incorporate all of the shut-off and various valves for the newly installed water lines.

In order to meet the strict schedule they were working under, Orion Construction used two crews. Each crew worked at opposite ends of the project. The water lines ran across a soccer field and softball field. Due to the logistics of the job Orion Construction faced a number of challenges on this project. Their work was restricted to a 50ft. width on the trenches running across the two athletic fields. This requirement had to be strictly maintained in order to allow for the continued use of the fields. All work on this portion of the project also had to be completed within a 60 day period. “The company faced a number of challenges with this project working on a campus where students were coming and going to class everyday,” said Construction Manager, Ron Susi.

 
(Below Left) Welding butt joint. (Below Right) Insulation and Exterior coating applied.

“In addition to the time restrictions we had on some portions of the project, we also had to deal with the realities of completing the work in an environment of some 35,000 students. This was not your typical water line installation project where you could just roll in the equipment and start digging. The safety of the students was a primary consideration on this project. Dealing with those types of factors made this project rather unique compared to many that we normally work on.” In addition to the mainlines and the vault construction the UCSD project also entailed surface improvements that included curb and gutter work, new sidewalks and the installation of 13 new street lights.  The entire project took six months to complete.

Orion Construction is a general engineering construction company and is based in Vista, CA. The company was started in 1986 and specializes in the installation of underground utilities, water treatment facilities and mechanical sewage facilities. Orion Construction has some 110 employees. With the wide number of projects the company is involved in they generally run 10 crews of eight men on any given day. Ron Susi has been with the company for 13 years. 

Orion Construction handles a variety of projects that cover the Southern California region from the Mexican border north to Los Angeles and as far east as Borrego Springs and Brawley. The company has an extensive equipment inventory that includes CAT backhoes, excavators and Peterbuilt trucks. Orion Construction also has its own maintenance division. This group of highly trained technicians is responsible for servicing and upkeep of the equipment on a regular basis in order to ensure that all pieces are running at peak performance levels.

Among the many projects Orion Construction is currently involved with is an on going contract with the world famous San Diego Zoo. “We have an on going project with the zoo to replace the 8 inch sewer lines running from the various enclosures,” Ron explained. “Much of the sewer line is old and as it wears out we replace it on a regular basis. We are generally working on some project at the zoo every few months.”

(Top, L to R) Joe Carr, Andy Guteriz, Scott Vargas, Superintedent, and Miguel Ovedia.
(Above) Exporting excess dirt from site.

The company also is currently involved with a major design/build project at the Camp Pendleton Marine Base in Oceanside, CA. Orion Construction is installing a new reclaiming water line along with three pump stations. This $20 million dollar project began in September of this year and is slated to be completed in the early part of 2008.

Orion Construction is also working on a project for the City of Carlsbad. The project consists of installing a new pump station to service new housing developments that have gone up in the area.
(Above) Pipe zone placement of crushed rock. (Below) Anchor excavation ready for concrete. Building bulk head at vault.
“With the new developments that have been built there over the last couple of years the city needed a new pump station to increase the water pressure going to those homes,” said Ron. The project also includes the replacement of a new liner on an existing reservoir. Orion Construction is excavating the mud from the reservoir, hauling off the old materials and then importing new crushed rock for the liner. The project also calls for the replacement of the reservoir’s 18 inch pipeline.

In addition to the aforementioned projects, Orion is also busy completing a job for the San Diego County Water Authority. The project is located in San Marcos and involves the replacing of a 40 foot section of 96 inch water line.

In addition to the water line replacement Orion Construction is also replacing a 96 inch valve, building a new pump station and installing 1500 feet of 36 inch steel pipeline.

Even with a full schedule Orion Construction faces the regular challenge of maintaining a qualified workforce. “Rising fuel costs of course are always a challenge we have to deal with,” said Ron. “Our biggest challenge though is finding qualified workers and operators. You don’t find as many young people entering the business like you used to years ago. As a company you must be very proactive in order to get skilled workers.” Even with such obstacles Ron enjoys the challenges his job offers.

“I really like the challenges each project offers,” said Ron. “The uncommon projects are often the most rewarding because they do offer unique challenges. Building a dam or putting in new utilities is something that serves the community. Seeing a project being completed and witnessing the fruits of your labor make this job very rewarding.” Cc

 

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