Lawyers representing homeowners affected by the Oct. 3 landslide on Mount Soledad met with city staff and engineers Wednesday to discuss the next phase of repair, which includes digging up the water pipes and preserving evidence.
Beginning today, Nov. 29 at 7 a.m., the city will dig 150 to 180 feet of water-main pipe from under the street, take it to a warehouse in Rose Canyon and then put it together again.
“Picture an aircraft accident,” said David Jarrell, interim deputy chief of the City of San Diego’s Public Works Department. “That’s what we’ll be doing.”
To preserve what may be the most important piece of evidence to date, lawyers for the homeowners will have a representative present to observe the excavation process and to videotape it, probably someone from American Geotechnical, said Craig R. McClellan, attorney for nearly 15 homeowners.
“This is where it all started, as far as we know ” in the street here,” McClellan said. “We know there was water on the 3rd [of October].”
According to McClellan, after observing the water lines, the next most important part of the investigation will be the sewage lines.
After the water lines are excavated, the next step in construction of the slide plane will be the winterization, or stabilization, of the slope.
“After we take out the water main and demolish the houses, we’ll excavate and take the sewer out,” Jarrell said.
While at least three homes are scheduled to be demolished, a fourth home, belonging to Ben Foroozan, sits at the edge of the crater.
He has until Dec. 4 to prove that his home is not a safety hazard or it will be the fourth home slated for demolition, Jarrell said.
“He’s provided a bunch of information and we are looking at it,” he said. “We are working together, and it is still being evaluated.”