Carlsbad utilities director details operations, reports no lead detected and zero spills last year

Utilities Director Amanda Flessy told the Carlsbad City Council that the city’s utilities operations and maintenance teams maintained reservoirs, pump stations and tens of thousands of field assets while completing a major valve project and meeting new state reporting requirements.

Flessy, who identified herself as the utilities director and general manager for the Carlsbad Municipal Water District, said the district completed a year of inspections, rebuilt 22 pressure‑reducing valves, conducted 46 planned shutdowns to replace nonfunctioning valves and implemented new lead‑sampling protocols required by the state. “We completed the sampling and successfully reported to the state that we have no detection of lead in our system,” she said.

The presentation described the three divisions responsible for water, wastewater and recycled water: operations and construction crews, a meter services team that reads more than 3,000 meters per month, and specialized wastewater collections and operations groups overseeing 273 miles of pipe and 11 lift stations. Flessy said the district moves roughly 6,000,000 gallons a day of wastewater to the Encina Wastewater Treatment Plant and that the district had zero reportable spills in the last reporting cycle.

On customer outreach, staff reported delivery of 22,741 nonpayment door hangers during the year; only 96 of those progressed to shutoff notices, and most were resolved through payment arrangements or reconnection. “Shutting off water is not a remedy. It is something we try to avoid as much as possible,” Flessy said.

Councilmembers pressed staff on rates and asset planning. Flessy said the district’s rate‑setting assumed a 15% pass‑through for the San Diego County Water Authority (SDCWA) but that SDCWA ultimately approved an 8.3% increase; because SDCWA billing includes transportation and fixed charges, the impact to a typical Carlsbad customer is not a direct 8.3% change. Staff posted updated projections on the city website and encouraged customers seeking bill‑specific estimates to contact utility billing.

Flessy said updated asset management plans and a capital improvement master plan will be completed by late summer or early fall; staff intends to return to the board with findings and recommendations to inform rate hearings planned in 2027 for implementation in 2028. She said the board will be asked to select an approach—aggressive, moderate or conservative—for asset replacement and CIP prioritization.

Councilmembers and the mayor praised field crews and outreach efforts. Councilmember Burkholder highlighted outreach around shutoffs and commended the department for communicating directly with affected households; Councilmember Acosta thanked staff for work on customer assistance and the public education on the problems flushable wipes cause for pumps and lift stations.

The utilities item was for information only; council took no action at the meeting.