Those large pipes snaking through Centerpointe aren't a burst main or an emergency.

They're a planned detour for sewage.

League City installed roughly 3,400 feet of temporary bypass piping so crews can take a 54-inch sewer line and manhole out of service for rehabilitation without interrupting wastewater flow to thousands of homes west of Interstate 45. The piping runs from a manhole near the UPS facility on State Highway 96 to a discharge manhole in the Oaks of Clear Creek subdivision, crossing Walker Street near Centerpointe Drive over a temporary road ramp, KHOU reported Sunday, Aug. 23.

The bypass is part of a larger citywide manhole rehabilitation project. Crews are overhauling 36 sanitary sewer manholes across League City, installing corrosion-resistant liners, replacing rings and covers, repairing risers and swapping out entire manholes where needed.

Five manholes in Centerpointe and a converted lift station near Oaks of Clear Creek are the current focus, according to the city's official Facebook announcement posted the same day.

Why the big pipe matters

The 54-inch sewer line being bypassed serves much of League City west of I-45. It was built before the Centerpointe subdivision existed. Taking it offline without a bypass would risk service disruptions across a wide swath of the city.

The temporary pipes and road ramp will stay in place until work in the immediate area is finished.

$781K contract, unanimous vote

City Council approved the construction contract with National Works, Inc. on May 26 as part of the consent agenda. Council records show the base contract at $710,081 plus a $71,008 work-change-directive budget, totaling $781,089. The vote passed unanimously as Resolution No. 2026-97.

The original bid, published March 20, described rehabilitation of about 30 manholes with corrosion-resistant liners and replacement of three others. The active project now covers 36 manholes, a scope increase the work-change-directive budget may account for.

What residents should know

The bypass pipes are temporary and do not indicate a sewer failure. Drivers crossing Walker Street near Centerpointe Drive should expect the road ramp to remain through the project's duration.

No public hearing or comment period is associated with the project; it is an already-funded capital improvement. The entire 36-manhole project is expected to wrap up by mid-September 2026. Residents with questions can contact League City Public Works.