Construction plans approved for emergency repairs to Pebbly Beach Lift Station
November 6, 2018
Avalon City Council green-lights infrastructure proceedings to fix lift station not exceeding $200,000.
AVALON — An underground leak at Avalon’s Pebbly Beach last spring caused some chaos for property owners in the area. Plans for a short-term repair, however, will move forward after Avalon council members voted yes on construction plans at their Oct. 16 meeting.
According to the staff report: “On May 31, 2018 and June 1, 2018 an underground leak at the Pebbly Beach Lift Station caused a black water incident effecting seven property owners in the area. Under its emergency authority, city staff have worked to mitigate the issues that caused the failure; however, the efforts only provide a short term solution.”
Avalon City Council had previously given staff the go-ahead to source proposals for the emergency repair at the Aug. 21 meeting. At the time, council members requested the project would not exceed $200,000.
“To further expedite the process, and minimize potential risk and liability, staff requested the city manager be granted authority to execute a contract with the successful bidder for an amount not to exceed $200,000,” the staff report continued.
When the leak happened in May, reports were quickly shared on varying outlets how vacationers, businesses and locals were all inconvenienced. In a report by NBC Los Angeles, the owner of Maggie’s Blue Rose Mexican Restaurant said that the dilemma has “paralyzed the island.”
The city began passing out free water bottles and Porta-potties were set up while the water had been turned off.
While staff has now addressed a short-term solution, more planning will need to be done in the long-term, according to the staff report. The budget of $200,000 has been taken into account for the Fiscal Year 2018-2019 budget.
