DATE: August 20, 2025
TO: Honorable Mayor and City Councilmembers
FROM: Water Utilities Department
TITLE: APPROVE CONTINUATION OF EMERGENCY WORK TO REPAIR THE 18-INCH MESA LOMA WATER MAIN AT LOMA ALTA CREEK
RECOMMENDATION
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Staff recommends that the City Council determine there remains a need to continue emergency work on the 18-inch Mesa Loma Water Main.
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BACKGROUND AND ANALYSIS
Water Utilities staff detected decreased water pressure on January 18, 2024, and identified a potential leak in the 18-inch Mesa Loma Water Main near Loma Alta Creek and the North County Transit District (NCTD) railroad crossing. Due to the pipeline’s location within environmentally sensitive areas, and the complexity of internal pipe access to pinpoint leak, it took several months to complete field investigations, internal inspections, permitting, and environmental assessments necessary to locate the leak and develop a repair approach.
By early 2025, the City confirmed two critical pipeline defects requiring immediate repair. Given the estimated 9 to 12 months for standard CEQA processing, staff obtained emergency permitting from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and San Diego Regional Water Quality Control Board. In addition, contractor and staff coordinated and obtained the necessary training and permits from NCTD. Emergency repairs began in April 2025 under the City’s emergency procurement policy.
Initial excavation at Repair Location No. 1 revealed no damage at the first suspected site, but further pressurization tests and video inspections uncovered corrosion-related deterioration at multiple joints along the pipeline, including a significant breach near the second repair, Location No. 2. While Repair Location No. 1 has since been completed and backfilled, progress at Repair Location No. 2 was paused on April 21 due to discovery of an active bird nest. On May 21, a second nest was discovered in the project area further delaying the repair work. In compliance with environmental protection regulations, all work in the affected area was suspended until field inspections on July 3 confirmed that the birds had fledged. As a result, work can resume.
In response to the extent of corrosion identified during follow-up inspections, staff re-evaluated the repair strategy and determined a trenchless, high-pressure liner for 300 linear feet of existing pipe would be most suitable due to the nature of the defects, risk of additional failure if left unaddressed, potential delays imposed by protected species nesting, and the need to complete work under existing emergency environmental permits. The regulatory and environmental agencies and NCTD were advised of the proposed improvements and granted an extension on the emergency permits needed prior to construction.
The installation of a pipe liner will be completed under a separate contract with a specialized pipe rehabilitation contractor, Advantage Reline, Inc. Although this work was not publicly advertised for bid, it is allowed under the City’s emergency procurement policy. Staff obtained comparative quotes from two other qualified lining contractors; Advantage Reline, Inc.’s quote of $155,570 (Attachment A) was the lowest, and the company was able to begin work at the end of August, whereas the other two contractors were not available until October.
Cass Arrieta, the City’s emergency contractor, will perform excavation of the entry and exit pits, provide trench support, flush and test the pipeline, and complete connections to the existing main. The estimated cost for Cass Arrieta’s full scope of emergency work is $982,577, which includes $699,612 in support of the liner installation. The anticipated re-mobilization date is August 25, 2025, pending receipt of revised permits for the pipe rehabilitation work.
Change Order No. 1 (Attachment B) in the amount of $182,966 increased Cass-Arrieta’s original $100,000 emergency contract to $282,966. Change Order No. 2 (Attachment C), in the amount of $699,612, covers additional work associated with the liner installation. Both change orders were approved by the City Manager under the City’s emergency procurement policy.
All repair and rehabilitation work is expected to be completed by the end of September.
FISCAL IMPACT
Funding for the emergency repair will be sourced from the Water Fixed Asset Replacement Fund that is obtained from water meter and service charges. The repair work by Cass Arrieta is being performed on a time-and-materials basis.
Cass Arrieta’s total estimated cost is $982,577, which includes the original contract amount plus the two previously mentioned change orders.
The total estimated cost for all construction, rehabilitation, engineering, and permitting services is $1,528,872. A detailed breakdown is provided in Table 1 below. Final construction costs will be confirmed upon completion of the work.
The project is funded under the Water Pipeline Replacement Account 908163620712. This purchase order is one of several that the Water Utilities Department maintains in order to mobilize contractors in the event of an emergency. Contractors were prequalified via a Request for Proposals and have agreed to respond to emergency situations that may occur. Once the emergency is complete, staff recommends that Council authorize an additional $100,000 be added to the Purchase Order to replenish the account for future emergency response needs.
Table 1.
|
Water Pipeline Replacement Project Account No. 908163620712 |
|
Available Balance |
$1,936,795 |
|
Emergency Construction Costs (5703.10600) |
|
|
|
Cass Arrieta Estimated Cost |
982,577 |
|
|
Permit Costs |
6,225 |
|
|
NCTD Flagging Services During Construction |
121,500 |
|
|
Pipe Rehabilitation/Lining |
155,570 |
|
|
Subtotal |
1,265,872 |
|
Engineering Services (As-Needed Contracts) 5305.10600 and 5305.10800 |
|
|
|
Helix Environmental |
36,300 |
|
|
Environmental Monitoring |
75,700 |
|
|
LGC Geotechnical Engineering |
23,000 |
|
|
Guida Surveying |
23,000 |
|
|
HDR Corrosion/Televising Video |
45,000 |
|
|
Project Management & Administrative Support |
60,000 |
|
|
Subtotal |
263,000 |
|
Total Estimated Emergency Repair & Lining Cost |
$1,528,872 |
|
Replenish Emergency Account (Cass Arrieta) |
100,000 |
|
Remaining Project Account Balance |
$ 307,923 |
There is sufficient funding in the project budget to complete this project. Should a significant water main break occur during FY 2025-26, staff may need to request an additional appropriation. Funding comes from the Water Fixed Asset Replacement fund (712), comprised of water meter and service charges. A full accounting of actual costs will be provided to City Council upon project completion.
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT
Due to the location of the pipeline within an environmentally sensitive area, the project required multiple environmental permits prior to construction. The City obtained the necessary permits from the Regional Water Quality Control Board (RWQCB) under RGP 63 and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) under RGP 63, both of which were issued before construction commenced. Additionally, the California Department of Fish and Wildlife 1610 notification was submitted prior to the start of construction, in compliance with regulatory requirements. The City is working closely with environmental consultants to ensure all necessary environmental approvals are in place and that impacts to the surrounding ecosystem are minimized and agencies are kept apprised of any changes during construction.
COMMISSION OR COMMITTEE REPORT
The Utilities Commission will be apprised of the project update at its regularly scheduled meeting on September 16, 2025.
CITY ATTORNEY’S ANALYSIS
Emergency procurements for public projects without competitive bidding are authorized according to the provisions of Section 28A.24 of the Oceanside City Code and California Public Contract Code Section 22050. The emergency action should be terminated at the earliest possible date that conditions warrant so that the remainder of the work, if any, may be completed pursuant to the City’s regular competitive bidding process.
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Prepared by: Mabel Uyeda, Water Engineering Manager
Reviewed by: Michael Gossman, Assistant City Manager
Submitted by: Jonathan Borrego, City Manager
ATTACHMENTS:
1. Staff Report
2. Attachment A - Quote
3. Attachment B - Change Order 1
4. Attachment C - Change Order 2