To the members of th~:
CITY COUNCIL /
Date ~CA V CC 1:::::.
CM _iZAcJi~ DCM (3) V
Council Memorandum
July 30, 2026
To:
From:
Via: Geoff Patnoe, City Manager
{city of
Carlsbad
Memo ID# 2026039
Re:
Honorable Mayor Blackburn and Members of the City Council Paz Gomez, Deputy City Manag~ublic Works
North Batiquitos Interceptor S we mergency Repair Summary (District 3) This memorandum provides a summary of emergency repairs, permitting and costs for the emergency repair of the North Batiquitos Interceptor (NBI) Sewer in the Ponto Area, in which the City Council terminated the Declaration of Emergency conditions in early June.
Background
During a routine closed-circuit television inspection of the city's main sewer pipelines in April 2026, staff identified damage to a segment of the NBI Sewer in the Ponto area. This sewer is a 5.2-mile long, 27-inch diameter sewer pipeline that transports sewage from the city's southernmost sewer basin to the Encina Water Pollution Control Facility, the wastewater treatment plant.
The pipeline damage location was approximately ¾-mile south of the wastewater treatment plant. The damage to the sewer pipe was in the upper part of the pipeline and classified as a partial pipe collapse. The damage created an opening in the pipe exposed to the surrounding soil and posed an imminent danger of leaking sewage under high sewer flow conditions, and/or soil potentially entering the opening and causing a risk of blockage. This condition could have resulted in sewage spilling into the surrounding environment.
Emergency Declaration
In response, the City Manager declared the existence of a local emergency condition resulting from the partially collapsed sewer pipe on April 30, 2026, and authorized staff to immediately proceed with the st eps necessary to effectuate the repair of the pipe.
On May 12, 2026, the City Council confirmed the Declaration of Emergency and authorized the City Manager to have the emergency repair performed as quickly as possible using emergency construction procedures rather than the formal bidding process. The City Council continued the Declaration of Emergency on May 19, 2026.
On June 9, 2026, the City Council terminated the Declaration of Emergency followin g completion of the pipe repair work.
Public Works Branch
Utilities Department
5950 El Camino Real I Carlsbad, CA 92008 I 442-339-2722 t
Council Memo -North Batiquitos Interceptor Sewer Emergency Repair Summary (District 3) July 30, 2026
Permitting
• The repair work was within the city's Local Coastal Zone, and the City Planner issued an Emergency Coastal Development Permit for the work on May 1, 2026, in accordance with Carlsbad Municipal Code Section 21.201.190 and reported the issuance of the permit to the Executive Director of the California Coastal Commission and the City Council.
• On May 5, 2026, city staff filed a California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) Notice of Exemption with the County of San Diego. The repair work was statutorily exempt from environmental review under CEQA pursuant to California Public Resources Code Section 21080(b)(2) and (4) and CEQA Guidelines Section 15269(b)-(c), which apply to emergency repairs to publicly owned facilities necessary to maintain services essential to public health, safety or welfare and other specific actions necessary to prevent or mitigate an emergency. The statutory exemption covered both the Declaration of Emergency and the Emergency Coastal Development Permit. • The NBI sewer is located within a city sewer easement in the North County Transit District's (NCTD's) right-of-way. On May 4, 2026, city staff and contractors submitted applications for rights of entry from NCTD and received access permits on May 18, 2026. • The NBI sewer is also located within the city's Habitat Management Plan (HMP) preserve known as the Poinsettia Station Vernal Pool Preserve, which provides habitat for seven federally listed plant and animal species. Staff coordinated with the city's HMP Manager for Poinsettia Station Vernal Pool Preserve protection requirements during repair work and provided notification to the resource agencies. A biological consultant was hired to assist the city to implement protective measures, conduct onsite monitoring and documentation of the construction work and temporary impacts to the Poinsettia Station Vernal Pool Preserve.
• On May 18, 2026, city staff notified the California Regional Water Quality Control Board of the emergency repair work and submitted a Notice of Intent for coverage under Statewide General Waste Discharge Requirements for the emergency repair, specifically for the Poinsettia Station Vernal Pool Preserve protection activities. On May 22, 2026, the city received Notice of Applicability, Enrollment Under Water Quality Order No. 2023-0058-DWQ, Statewide General Waste Discharge Requirements for Discharges of Dredged or Fill Material to Waters of the State from Emergency Repair and Protection Activities for the North Batiquitos Interceptor Ponto Sewer Pipe Repair Emergency Project (SDWB Order No. R9-2026-0082). The Regional Water Quality Control Board required an amendment to the city's Habitat Mitigation and Monitoring Plan for the preserve area restoration following construction completion. This amendment was submitted to the Regional Water Quality Control Board on July 16, 2026, and approval is currently pending. A Notice of Completion has also been filed.
Council Memo -North Batiquitos Interceptor Sewer Emergency Repair Summary (District 3) July 30, 2026
Construction Repairs
• On May 12, 2026, the City Manager approved a contract with TC Construction, Inc. to perform the emergency repair in an estimated amount of $465,080 and with RECON Environmental on May 8, 2026, for biological and cultural monitoring and regulatory permitting in an estimated amount of $121,129. Staff issued Notices to Proceed on May 13, 2026. Funding was authorized as part of the Capital Improvement Program (CIP) Project No. 5503-27 Budget.
• The contractor began the emergency repair work on May 18, 2026, including installation of a temporary sewer bypass system, potholing the pipe and adjacent utilities, fence removal installation of shoring, trench excavation, pipe removal/replacement and backfill, replacement of excavation of the upper layer of preserve soil layers, and site cleanup and restoration. Repair work was completed and the site was restored by June 1, 2026.
• The biological consultant provided onsite monitoring and documentation during all construction preparation, repair and restoration activities. The consultant completed post-construction report for submittal to the permitting agencies on June 26, 2026.
Discussion
Staff estimated the emergency repair costs at termination to be $686,209. The actual final costs totaled $412,308, as shown in the table below:
Actual Emergency Repair Costs S41213os
Construction Contract -$289,934
Construction Management, Inspection, Material -$32,723 Testing, Support Services Environmental/Cultural Monitoring and Reporting -$54,803 Permitting (CEQA, CDP, RWQCB WDR, NCTD, -$34,848 Consultant fees) Utilities staff prepared the Coastal Development Permit and Habitat Management Permit applications as required by the city Planning Department on July 29, 2026.
Next Steps
Upon amendment approval from the Regional Water Quality Control Board, Utilities staff will implement the additional Habitat Mitigation and Monitoring requirements for the Poinsettia Station Vernal Pool Preserve in conjunction with another city CIP project within the preserve. cc: Sheila Cobian, Assistant City Manager
Cindie McMahon, City Attorney
Jeff Murphy, Deputy City Manager, Community Services
Council Memo -North Batiquitos Interceptor Sewer Emergency Repair Summary (District 3) July 30, 2026
Laura Rocha, Deputy City Manager, Administrative Services Christie Calderwood, Police Chief
Michael Calderwood, Fire Chief
Tim Lyons, Assistant City Attorney
Amanda Flesse, Utilities Director
Tom Frank, Transportation Director/City Engineer
Jason Haber, Intergovernmental Affairs Director
Zach Korach, Finance Director
Kyle Lancaster, Parks & Recreation Director
Mike Strong, Community Development Director
Amy Ventetuolo, Communication & Engagement Director
Eric Lardy, Assistant Director of Community Development Dave Padilla, Assistant Utilities Director
Emily Hasegawa, Engineering Manager
Keri Martinez, Utilities Principal Engineer
Sean Diaz, Utilities Senior Engineer