DATE: January 14, 2026
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
title
Staff recommends that the City Council determine there remains a need to continue emergency work on the 18-inch Mesa Loma Water Main, and appropriate funds in the amount of $650,000 from the Water Fixed Asset Replacement Fund unrestricted fund balance.
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BACKGROUND AND ANALYSIS
In January 2024, staff isolated a leaking segment of the 18-inch Mesa Loma Water Main near Loma Alta Creek and activated the Mesa Loma Pump Station to maintain service.
Emergency permits were secured in early 2025 from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, San Diego Regional Water Quality Control Board, and North County Transit District (NCTD). Cass Arrieta, the City’s emergency contractor, began work in April 2025. Initial repairs addressed significant damage to the pipeline within the creek directly north of the NCTD tracks, and subsequent inspections revealed additional deficiencies in multiple joints near the initial repair site.
To address the corrosion found in the segment north of the tracks, 300 feet of the existing pipe was lined and final connections were completed September 30, 2025, under the City’s emergency procurement policy. Upon completion of the work, 1,800 feet of existing pipe that had been isolated for the repair work was pressure tested and failed to hold pressure. Another leak in the pipeline is suspected south of the railroad tracks where the existing steel pipeline was observed to have similar interior lining and corrosion defects. Repair options for this segment have been reviewed and Staff has determined the most cost-effective solution is to replace approximately 150 feet of existing steel with a more corrosion resistant PVC pipe. Work on this additional repair commenced in December 2025, and is expected to be complete on February 13, 2026.
Change Order No. 1 executed on August 6, 2025, in the amount of $182,966 increased Cass-Arrieta’s original $100,000 emergency contract to $282,966 to repair the initial defect in Loma Alta Creek. Change Order No. 2, executed on August 20, 2025, in the amount of $699,612, allowed for additional work associated with the liner installation. Both change orders were approved by the City Manager under the City’s emergency procurement policy.
Change Order No. 3 (Attachment A), in the amount of $896,348.47, will be executed to include a credit for balance unused on previous repairs and for the replacement of additional pipe south of the tracks.
FISCAL IMPACT
Funding for the emergency water main repair is from the Water Fixed Asset Replacement Fund (712), and is charged to the Water Pipeline Replacement Account 908163620712.
The total estimated project cost is $2.67 million which includes emergency construction, pipe rehabilitation, permitting, railroad coordination, and engineering and support services required to complete repairs north of the railroad tracks, and address remaining deficiencies south of the tracks. A detailed breakdown of the estimated costs is provided in Table 1 below. Staff will return with a final accounting of actual costs upon project completion.
Based on current expenditures, encumbrances, and anticipated expenditures to complete the emergency repairs, an additional $650,000 appropriation is requested to the project account 908163620712.5703.10600 from the Water Fixed Asset Replacement fund unrestricted fund balance account 712.3100.0002, which has an available balance of $83.78 million; therefore, there are sufficient funds to complete this project.
Once the emergency work is complete, staff recommends that Council authorize an additional $100,000 purchase order increase with Cass Arrieta to replenish a dedicated emergency account for future immediate response needs.
Table 1.
|
Water Pipeline Replacement |
|
Project Account No. 908163620712 |
|
Emergency Construction Costs (5703.10600) |
|
Cass Arrieta Cost - North Repairs |
$734,626 |
|
Pipe Rehabilitation/Lining - North Repairs |
155,570 |
|
Cass Arrieta Estimated Cost - South Repairs |
1,144,300 |
|
Permit Costs |
6,225 |
|
NCTD Flagging Services Jacobs Project Management |
220,000 |
|
Construction Subtotal |
2,260,721 |
|
Amount Encumbered or Spent |
1,293,942 |
|
Available Balance in 5703.10600 |
429,468 |
|
Recommended Appropriation from 712.3100.0002 |
650,000 |
|
Subtotal |
2,373,410 |
|
Replenish Amount for Next Emergency with Cass Arrieta |
100,000 |
|
Remaining Account Balance (5703.10600) |
$12,689 |
|
Engineering Services (As-Needed Contracts) 5305.10600 |
|
Helix Environmental |
36,300 |
|
Environmental Monitoring |
156,045 |
|
LGC Geotechnical Engineering |
23,000 |
|
Guida Surveying |
28,000 |
|
HDR Corrosion/Televising Video |
45,000 |
|
NV5 Engineering |
40,878 |
|
Project Management & Administrative Support |
80,000 |
|
As-needed Engineering Support Subtotal |
409,223 |
|
Amount Encumbered or Spent |
130,287 |
|
Available Balance in 5305.10600 |
385,308 |
|
Subtotal |
515,595 |
|
Remaining Account Balance (5305.10600) |
$106,372 |
|
Total Estimated Emergency Repair Cost & Replenishment Amt |
2,769,944 |
|
Total Encumbered and Appropriated Funds |
2,889,005 |
|
Remaining Project Account Estimated Balance |
$119,061 |
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT
The Project is located in an environmentally sensitive area. Staff has received an extension of emergency environmental permits for the proposed replacement on southside of railroad tracks to ensure compliance and minimize impacts.
COMMISSION OR COMMITTEE REPORT
The Utilities Commission will be apprised of the project update at its regularly scheduled meeting on January 20, 2026.
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: Frederick Mayo, Water Utilities Director
Submitted by: Jonathan Borrego, City Manager
ATTACHMENTS:
1. Staff Report
2. Attachment A