DATE: January 8, 2025
TO: Honorable Mayor and City Councilmembers
FROM: Water Utilities Department
TITLE: APPROVE CONTINUATION OF EMERGENCY WORK TO REPAIR THE 6TH AQUEDUCT PIPELINE
RECOMMENDATION
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Staff recommends that the City Council determine that there is a need to continue emergency work to repair the 6th Aqueduct Pipeline.
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BACKGROUND AND ANALYSIS
On December 12, 2024, Water Utilities staff identified water surfacing in the southbound lanes of North Santa Fe Avenue, near the Mesa Drive intersection. The leak was traced to the 6th Aqueduct pipeline, a major water transmission line supplying the City of Oceanside.
At its regular meeting on December 18, 2024, the City Council reviewed the circumstances surrounding the pipeline leak and voted to continue the emergency actions. Continuing the repairs is necessary to prevent the loss or impairment of life, health, property, and essential public services.
Water Utilities staff have rerouted the drinking water system bypassing the section of the 6th Aqueduct pipeline that needs repair without any impacts to water customers.
To expedite repairs, Orion Construction, an approved as-needed emergency contractor was contacted, and the City Manager’s Office authorized work under City Code Section 28A.24(a) for emergency procurements on December 13, 2024.
Leaks were located on the 30-inch steel pipeline within a large below-ground vault on December 14, 2024. The vault was completely filled in with soil for reasons unknown. Therefore, a structural assessment of the vault was discussed to determine options to keep the vault accessible for operations and maintenance purposes.
Prior to pipeline repairs in the vault, traffic control may extend beyond the intersection of Mesa Drive and North Santa Fe Drive to locate buried appurtenances needed to empty and depressurize the pipeline. Replacement materials are being sourced, and a trench plate has been installed to maintain traffic flow until repairs are completed. North Santa Fe Avenue remains open to traffic. Area schools, NCTD, and customers in the affected area are among those that will be notified of future traffic impacts associated with the repair.
In accordance with Public Contract Code section 22050, “the governing body shall initially review the emergency action no later than seven days after the action, or at its next regularly scheduled meeting if that meeting will occur not later than 14 days after the action, and at least at every regularly scheduled meeting thereafter until the action is terminated, to determine, by a four-fifths vote, that there is a need to continue the action.”
FISCAL IMPACT
This repair will be funded under the Water Pipeline Replacement account 908163620712.5703.10600, which has an available balance of $2,906,888. Total expenses are estimated to be less than $100,000; therefore, sufficient funds are available for this repair. A full accounting will be provided to Council, once the work is completed.
Water usage and service charges, in the Water Fixed Asset Replacement Fund, are the source of funding for this project.
COMMISSION OR COMMITTEE REPORT
The Utilities Commission will receive a project update at its regularly scheduled meeting on January 21, 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, Principal Water Engineer
Reviewed by: Lindsay Leahy, Water Utilities Director
Submitted by: Jonathan Borrego, City Manager