DATE: April 22, 2026
TO: Honorable Mayor and City Councilmembers
FROM: Water Utilities Department
TITLE: COMPLETION 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 authorize the City Engineer's office to file a Notice of Completion with the County Recorder's Office for emergency work to repair the 18-inch Mesa Loma Water Main at the Loma Alta Creek; and conclude the emergency due to the work being fully completed.
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BACKGROUND AND ANALYSIS
Water Utilities staff detected decreased water pressure in the 18-inch Mesa Loma Water Main in January 2024, and identified a potential leak near the Loma Alta Creek and the North County Transit District (NCTD) railroad crossing. In April 2025, following condition assessments, field investigations, permitting, and environmental reviews, Cass Arrieta, the City's emergency contractor, began work to repair a leak found directly north of the NCTD tracks (Repair No. 1). Subsequent inspections performed during construction revealed additional deficiencies in multiple joints near Repair No. 1 site.
To address the corrosion found in the segment north of the tracks, approximately 300 feet of the existing pipe was lined and final connections were completed on September 30, 2025 (Repair No. 2). Upon completion of Repair No. 2, the water main was pressure tested and failed to hold pressure. Another leak was found in the pipeline south of the railroad tracks where the existing steel pipeline has similar interior lining and corrosion defects. In December 2025, work began on the replacement of 150 feet of existing steel pipe south of the tracks with a more corrosion-resistant PVC pipeline (Repair No. 3).
Repair No. 3 was completed on March 20, 2026, and the new pipeline successfully passed the required pressure test. The Mesa Loma Water Main then underwent flushing, disinfection, and bacteriological testing. Following completion of the fi...
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