The information provided below is subject to change. Last updated January 19, 2022 at 11:45 am.

Background

On early morning Thursday, December 23, 2021, District water operations staff responded to State Parks staff report of a water main break near the San Simeon Creek Campground. Staff identified this as the transmission water main that supplies water from the San Simeon Well Field to the town of Cambria. After turning off the well pumps and isolating the break, staff requested external engineering contractor assistance to inspect the break and help develop solutions for a repair. The break is located in the marsh/wetlands area. Due to the natural conditions and the recent rain events, water saturated conditions prevent any mechanized equipment from entering the site to repair the watermain break. Staff has obtained a right-of-entry permit from State Parks to perform emergency repairs. Staff has also informed the CCSD's regulating agencies as to the nature of the emergency project. Additional permits, monitoring and reporting are likely to be required as the project progresses.

The bottom-line is that there is no interruption of service except for a very few customers in and around the San Simeon well site - those who draw water upstream of the water line break.  The CCSD is working with those customers to provide temporary water accommodation.  For the remainder of the community, there is no need to boil water or take any other extraordinary measures.  We ask the community to continue to conserve water, as we are temporarily operating solely from the Santa Rosa Creek well, which is not designed to singularly sustain the entire community for long periods of time. 

Board Action Taken

A special meeting was convened on Tuesday, December 28th at 2pm in order for the Board to discuss and consider authorizing emergency action and completion of the Emergency San Simeon Water Transmission Main Repair project. The board voted 5-0 to adopt Resolution 56-2021 finding that an emergency exists within the District and authorizing the General Manager to enter into contracts for emergency repair.

Status of Water Supply

Although the Santa Rosa Creek wells are the CCSD's supplemental source of supply, Santa Rosa Well 4 (SR-4) is capable of supplying water to meet off-peak demands during this temporary emergency. As a conservative measure, the CCSD asks customers to continue to conserve water as they have so successfully done over the course of the summer and fall. There is no need to conserve "above and beyond" what has already been achieved. Any change in required conservation measures will be posted at this web page and delivered electronically to those subscribed to Water Conservation news updates (subscribe below).

Once the Emergency San Simeon Transmission Main Repair project is complete, no long-term impacts to the CCSD's water supply are anticipated. Water supply and demand updates will continue to be provided in the Utilities Manager Report posted in the second regular Board meeting packet each month.

Status of Repair Work

The CCSD's emergency contractor has procured temporary piping, completed fusion welding of the approximately 3000 feet of HDPE 12" pipe, and is preparing for tie-in to the existing system. In the days to come, pressure testing and disinfection of the new pipeline will occur. Prior to commissioning the new line, bacteriological analysis will be performed to ensure water quality standards are achieved.   

As of January 6th, the pipeline has successfully completed pressure testing and the disinfection process has begun. Bacteriological sampling and analysis will occur in the coming days to ensure water quality standards are achieved. Staff hopes to begin interconnection over the coming weekend with restoration of service anticipated for the week of January 10th. With successful interconnection, the Water Department can bring the San Simeon Well Field back online. 

An update of all project activities to date was provided at the regularly scheduled January 13th Board of DIrectors meeting (see below).

Temporary Bypass Pipeline Completed

As of January 19, 2022, the temporary bypass pipeline has been installed, tested, and put back into service. Production from the CCSD's San Simeon Well Field has resumed. All service has been restored to customers affected by the temporary closure of the San Simeon Well Field during project activities.

It is anticipated that the Board of Directors will terminate emergency action at the regularly scheduled January 20th meeting.

Plans for permanent replacement of the failed transmission main which has been abandoned in place will be developed in the coming months. Coordination between California State Parks, CalTrans, and other stakeholder agencies will be required. Updates on this and other projects are provided in the monthly Utiltiies Manger Report given during the second regular Board of Directors meeting each month.

Measures for Health & Safety

Immediately following recommissioning of the San Simeon Well Field, customers may experience increased disinfection residual in their drinking water. This is done for health and safety purposes as a precautionary measure to ensure water quality standards are achieved. 

Fusion Welding Machine

12" HDPE Pipe

Elbow connection on new bypass line

Project Documents