Residents Have Two Options To Replace Leaking Sewer Laterals

Due to the settlements the City of Pacifica has reached with the San Francisco Regional Water Board and with Our Children’s Earth (a private organization) the City of Pacifica shall commence a Supplemental Environmental Project (SEP) that will replace 382 private sewer laterals and the City of Pacifica will spend at least $650,000 in doing so. This amount is lieu of paying an equal amount in fines to the San Francisco Regional Water Board.

The City of Pacifica is currently developing 2 programs to replace defective leaking sewer laterals. Both programs are scheduled to begin in January 2012 and will focus on areas that have shown to have the highest storm water infiltration based on flow studies that were done last winter. Those studies showed the highest infiltration rates in the lower Linda Mar area followed by Pedro Pt, Vallemar and Fairway Park (both East & West Fairway) 

The first program will be a voluntary one. This program will cover the first 100 homes that qualify after inspection. This program will be open to residents in the districts of Linda Mar, Pedro Pt, Vallemar and Fairway Park. This program will be almost identical to the previous lateral replacement plan that was conducted from 2008 through 2010 with the major difference being the specific districts that are being targeted. The City of Pacifica will conduct the video inspections at their own cost and will not deduct that amount from the $650,000 that must be spent. The City of Pacifica will also establish a list of contractors who can perform the work at set pricing for the length of the program. The grant amount per property will be $1,000 regardless of specific property contract amount.

To be eligible for a lateral inspection under this voluntary program:

1. the property must be in Linda Mar, Pedro Pt, Vallemar or Fairway Park
2. the property must be a private, single-family primary residence or the property must be owned and operated by a nonprofit organization, on a not-for-profit basis, as temporary or transitional housing or related services for homeless persons;
3. the property must not have already received benefits through this Program;
4. the lateral must be at least ten years old or there must be a reasonable basis to believe that the lateral is defective, leaking and/or failed, as determined by City staff.

To be eligible for a grant for lateral replacement reimbursement under this voluntary program:

1. the above criteria for lateral inspection must be met;
2. the lateral must have been inspected through this Program;
3. the lateral must have been found by City staff to be leaking due to root infiltration, breaks, cracks, failed pipe, “Orangeburg” pipe, or alignment problems;
4. the property owner must submit evidence that the lateral has been replaced in conformance with current City codes and specifications, including receipt of required permits, by a contractor licensed to perform such replacement;
5. the property owner must submit evidence of full payment to the contractor.

The second program will be a mandatory replacement program driven by our current ordinances. The mandatory program would consist of City staff inspecting an additional 400 private laterals in the area determined by our flow study to have the greatest storm water infiltration and inflow (I & I) factor which has been identified as the lower Linda Mar area. Our focus will be on the areas with “orangeberg” pipe.

These inspections would include any laterals that connect to main line sewers that are being replaced as part of a City of Pacifica Capital Improvement Project (CIP). Of the 400 sewers inspected we will mandate that the 282 with the worst PACP NAASCO ratings (a standardized national ranking system) be replaced through current ordinances. The City of Pacifica will also establish a list of contractors who can perform the work at set pricing for the length of the program. The funding to each mandated property owner would be $1950.35. The grant amount per property will be $1950.35 regardless of specific property contract amount. Property owners will be responsible for any additional funding.

Inspections for the mandatory program will begin in November 2011 and all properties slated for inspection will receive a notification at least 1 week prior to inspection.

The ordinances that would mandate this are:

Sec. 6-10.401. - Clear water prohibited from sanitary sewers.

No person shall discharge or cause to be discharged any storm water, surface water, ground water, roof runoff, subsurface drainage, uncontaminated cooling water, or uncontaminated industrial process water to any sanitary sewer.

(§ 1, Ord. 181-C.S., eff. September 13 1976)

Sec. 6-10.701. - Inspections of premises.

The Director and other duly authorized employees of the City bearing proper credentials and identification shall be permitted to enter all properties for the purposes of inspection, observation, measurement, sampling, and testing in accordance with the provisions of this chapter.

(§ 1, Ord. 181-C.S., eff. September 13, 1976)

--Brian Martinez

Any questions regarding these future programs can be directed to:

Brian Martinez Sr.
Collection System Manager

700 Coast Hwy

Pacifica, Ca. 94044

Phone: 650 738 4669

Email: martinezb@ci.pacifica.ca.us