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Sweetwater Authority updates National City council on pipeline work and test well at Stein Farm
Summary
Sweetwater Authority told the council it will replace leaking pipelines (mid‑June/mid‑July starts, October completion) and pursue a redesigned National City wells treatment project after high bids; the Authority will begin a grant‑funded test well at Stein Farm on June 17 to evaluate a potential production well that could expand local desalination capacity.
Representatives from Sweetwater Authority presented capital‑projects updates affecting National City. Eric Dolbosque (Director of Engineering and Operations) and Paul Verbauer (Engineering Manager) described two near‑term pipeline replacement projects: an 8‑inch PVC replacement at Salus Street and a 20‑inch replacement on East 16th/Notion Avenue. Both contracts are awarded and staff expects mobilization in mid‑June (Salus) and mid‑July (East 16th) with work complete by October; combined investment for both pipelines is roughly $1 million, with temporary traffic impacts and planned permit compliance.
Dolbosque said a National City Wells treatment project — intended to address minor aesthetic iron and manganese issues despite the water meeting state and federal standards — was re‑advertised after high bids (the lowest came in at about $9.3 million). Authority staff are redesigning the project to keep it within budget; Sweetwater Authority has a federal grant of approximately $900,000 that will help leverage the redesigned bid.
An extended portion of the presentation covered a well‑siting study funded by an $800,000 State Department of Water Resources grant. Authority staff described a six‑week test well program at Stein Farm (adjacent to Otis Elementary and National City Middle School). The test well — a temporary drill to about 900 feet — will begin on June 17. Staff said they will use noise abatement measures, neighbor notification and site restoration after work is finished; if the test indicates suitable production and quality, the Authority will seek to amend an existing easement and pursue a production well and pipeline permitting to carry the water to the desalination facility. Authority staff noted three National City wells already supply a significant share of the city’s demand and that the desalination facility currently provides about a third of Sweetwater Authority’s water on average.
Councilmembers asked how much the proposed new production well might contribute specifically to National City’s supply; Sweetwater representatives said that depends on well yields but noted three National City wells ‘‘almost exclusively’’ serve National City and that Authority data indicate the desalination facility contributes roughly 30 percent of system supply on average. Staff committed to return with more specific production estimates by request.
