Corte Madera – Marin Water will begin construction to replace nearly a mile of aging water pipeline beneath streets in Fairfax by the end of May or early June. 

The Bolinas Road Pipeline Replacement Project addresses a leak-prone section of underground water pipeline along Bolinas Road. The century-old cast iron pipe will be replaced with modern, seismically resilient welded steel pipe. Once complete, the project will increase system reliability and resiliency, reduce water loss from leaks, and boost available fire flow capacity at hydrants by approximately 20%. 

“We are pleased to get this important infrastructure project underway for the community of Fairfax,” said Jed Smith, Marin Water Board of Directors President. “This project reflects Marin Water’s continued commitment to maintaining and reinvesting in critical infrastructure, so it remains safe, reliable, and resilient for the communities we serve.” 

The section of Bolinas Road targeted for construction runs through the Town of Fairfax’s main downtown corridor. Typical of pipeline projects, the work will occur in sections rather than all at once, helping to limit impacts to any one area at a time. Key details about what to expect during construction include:  

• Construction will start near Deer Park Villa and gradually progress north toward the downtown corridor. Work in the downtown corridor (north of Sherman Street) is expected to begin late July/early August. 

• Construction will occur on weekdays between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m.  

• In areas where active construction is occurring, traffic controls will be in place, and some street parking may be temporarily unavailable, but will reopen after 5 p.m. each day. 

• Construction activities will be suspended during Fairfax Festival setup and breakdown, as well as during Fairfax Farmers Market hours and setup, to avoid impacts to these community events. 

• Any planned water service shutoffs will be communicated 24-48 hours in advance to affected customers. To reduce impacts to restaurants and other downtown businesses, necessary shutoffs in the downtown corridor will occur overnight between 10 p.m. and 6 a.m. 

Construction schedules may shift as work progresses. A more detailed schedule will be updated throughout the project at marinwater.org/BolinasPRP. 

“Marin Water has been coordinating closely with the Town and local stakeholders to help prepare for construction and minimize impacts where feasible,” said Smith. “This work replaces infrastructure that is more than 100 years old and is designed to serve the Fairfax community reliably for generations to come.”