Nute Engineering has extensive ongoing involvement with pipelines, sewers and related systems running throughout Northern California.


Nute Engineering provides rehabilitation and replacement services of sewer mains, force mains, pipelines, laterals, and related systems. Our trenchless technology allows pipelines to be replaced with minimal digging in the street and disruption to the public.

Trenchless methods of sewer installation and rehabilitation we employ include:

  • Pipebursting -- A method by which the existing sewer is expanded into the surrounding soil and a new, larger diameter pipe is inserted. This can be done with a minimum of excavation, however each lateral connection must be dug up and reconnected to the new sewer liner. If the soil is rocky or the sewer is too shallow this method will not work. The main benefit of pipebursting is that the diameter of the pipe can be increased without digging a trench.

  • Cured in Place Lining -- An existing sewer can usually be lined using a cured in place liner. In this method a resin impregnated felt liner is inverted into the existing sewer line and then the resin is cured with hot water or steam. Laterals can be located from inside the sewer and a cured in place liner can be inserted into the lateral from the sewer main or from a cleanout at the sidewalk or house. With cured in place lining the diameter of the existing pipe cannot be increased and is only slightly decreased. Also, any slope or sags in the pipe will remain after insertion of the cured in place liner.

  • Directional Drilling -- A new sewer can sometimes be installed in a new alignment using a technique of drilling a pilot bore and then reaming back a larger hole and inserting the new pipe. Other than the entrance pit the only excavations are those necessary to reconnect sewer laterals. This method is not readily applicable to rocky soils and to sewers with slopes less than 1 to 2%.