Keller Beach Sanitary Sewer Moratorium

City Council Report Issued Pursuant to Government Code Section 65858(d)
Keller Beach Moratorium Area
Urgency Ordinance Establishing a Moratorium on the Issuance of Building Permits Requiring Sewer Connections

The City recently completed an assessment and CCTV analysis of the Keller Beach Sanitary Sewer and interceptor.  The assessment has determined that the Keller Beach interceptor has severe internal corrosion, sand deposits, defective laterals, buried manholes, and limited maintenance access. The current conditions indicate pipe failure is an imminent possibility that would be exacerbated by additional connections and/or increased use of the Keller Beach Sanitary Sewer (KBSS). Urgency Ordinance No. 01-22 imposed an immediate 45-day moratorium on the issuance of building permits for certain development activities requiring new connections to the KBSS in order for the City to evaluate remediation options and development alternatives in lieu of connection to the KBSS. 

The KBSS consists of 5,392 linear feet of 8 to 12 inch concrete-encased cast iron pipe. The pipeline, constructed in 1959, is located off Keller Beach in the San Francisco Bay and is submerged during average tides. The location of the sewer is highlighted in blue in the image below. 

Keller beach for web

Access to the sanitary sewer pipeline for maintenance or repair is extremely difficult because the manholes are submerged during high tides, and vehicles cannot get within fifty feet of the pipeline due to the cliffs and private property. Access for foot traffic is also limited to public beach access and through private properties.  These conditions make it difficult to get appropriate equipment in the area to maintain the pipeline.