SAM provides CEQA schedule for Seward/Montero force main and describes emergency repair after recent leak

SAM staff updated the board on two operations items: circulation of the initial study (IS/MND) for the Seward/Montero force main and a recent, localized force-main leak that crews identified and temporarily repaired.

Rochelle (SRT Consultants) and staff said the design-build team (McGuire & Hester and partner firms) has advanced design and permitting to the point where the initial study is ready for the state clearinghouse. Staff expects to post the notice of availability on Jan. 28, 2026, start the 30-day public review period and return to the board at a later public hearing (targeted for April) with the final initial study and the recommended guaranteed maximum price (GMP).

Rochelle outlined required permits the project will seek, including California Fish and Wildlife incidental-take coordination, State Water Resources Control Board approvals, Caltrans and county encroachment permits, and coastal permitting where applicable. Construction is currently anticipated to start in July and finish before the June 30, 2027, contractual deadline.

Operations staff described a recent force-main leak discovered in the Monterey area near a prior leak site. The exposed pipe was 12-inch ductile iron at roughly 6 feet depth; crews excavated, found a large hole in the pipe wall, and installed C900 replacement pipe sections and mechanical Smith-Blair restraints during an emergency response. Staff explained the repair sequence, noted groundwater in the excavation, and stressed the urgency of the larger force-main replacement project to reduce recurring failures.

Board members thanked staff for the photos and for moving forward with both the environmental circulation for the project and the interim repairs to keep the system online.