In July, Bird Rock Community Council was updated by the city on plans to repair Midway Bluff, got water conservation tips from a consumer advocate and discussed next month’s annual community picnic.
City project manager George Freiha told community planners and local residents about a project to repair the westerly end of Midway bluffs. He said erosion problems with the site go back years.
“In 2004-05, stormwater went over the bluffs and eroded part of it, and the city came and closed this area,” Freiha said. “It became a safety issue and was fenced off.”
Freiha said the city now has 100 percent complete design plans to “repair the erosion of the bluffs and restore the viewpoint area on top, with new fences and drought-resistant landscaping.” He added that repairs will “improve the path of travel on the sidewalk leading to the seating area.”
The civil engineer said improvements will entail erecting a mechanical earth wall with blocks stacked onto one another to support and stabilize the bluff wall.
“We will put in a texture at the tail end of the project to match the existing neighboring walls,” Freiha said, adding that the city is presently going through the required permitting process to do the bluff construction work.
“We will finish design early in 2015 and put it out to bid and hopefully have construction by fall 2015 following the summer construction moratorium,” Freiha said. He added that the estimated cost is $120,000 for project construction which is expected to last four to five months.
David Akin, spokesman with the customer support division of the city’s public utilities department, said he’s the “go-to” guy for residents who have problems or issues with water or other public infrastructure.
“What I do is customer advocacy,” Akin said, adding, “I’m not an arbitrator or mediator.”
Noting he follows consumer inquiries for help “through ’til the end,” Akin promised that issues brought to him “don’t slip through the cracks.” He noted the city’s public utilities department is responsible for managing “thousands of miles of pipes, reservoirs and lakes.”
One major area of concern involves administering consumer water meters and billing residents for increasingly expensive water usage. But the good news, the consumer advocate said, is that there are lots of things consumers can do to lower their water bills.
“Leaking and running toilets is the biggest water (waste) problem,” Akin said, adding he’s the one residents come to if they think their water meter’s been misread or if they suspect they have a leak that’s costing them money. He said the city will “split the difference” on their water bills with consumers who repair hidden pipe leaks.
Akin said residents can find out more at www.sandiego.gov/water, and can contact him at [email protected].
BRCC president Jacqueline Bell reminded residents that the community’s annual summer picnic at Calumet Park catered by Beaumont’s will be Tuesday, Aug. 5 from 5:30 to 7 p.m.
“Get there early before the food runs out,” Bell urged, noting the picnic cost is $10 per person regardless of age and that exact change is required with no checks accepted.