DATE: February 5, 2025
TO: Honorable Mayor and City Councilmembers
FROM: Water Utilities Department
TITLE: COMPLETION OF EMERGENCY WORK TO REPAIR THE 6TH AQUEDUCT PIPELINE
RECOMMENDATION
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Staff recommends that the City Council authorize the City Engineer's office to file a Notice of Completion with the County Recorder's Office for emergency work performed by Orion Construction to repair the 6th Aqueduct Pipeline, and replenish the balance of the Purchase Order.
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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. Upon investigation, the source of the issue was traced to the 6th Aqueduct pipeline, a major water transmission line that supplies multiple pressure zones within the City of Oceanside. The transmission line was promptly isolated and taken offline, with no interruption to water service for customers.
To expedite the repair process, Orion Construction, an approved emergency contractor, arrived on-site on December 13, 2024, to locate and identify leak for repair under City Code Section 28A.24(a) for emergency procurements through the City Manager's Office. On January 8 and 22, 2025, the City Council approved the continuation of repair work as emergency work to ensure the protection of life, health, property, and essential public services.
The leak was located within a large buried valve vault, which has since been uncovered for assessment and repair. The vault with limited access through a circular manway and rectangular opening was completely filled with dirt, rocks, and water. City crews successfully drained the transmission main on December 28, 2024, in preparation for the necessary repairs.
On January 2, 2025, a leaky dresser coupling within the valve vault was replaced with a welded steel buttstrap by Field Maintenance crews in lieu of replacing the coupling to expedite repairs. City crews returned on Januar...
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