MWD grants SDG&E permanent easement in Pala

The Metropolitan Water District of Southern California granted San Diego Gas and Electric an permanent easement on MWD property in Pala.

The MWD board vote Feb. 11 approves the granting of the easement including conditions. SDG&E will obtain a 12-foot wide easement along the northern edge of the MWD property in the 39000 block of Pala Temecula Road.

MWD’s Pipeline 6 currently conveys water from Lake Skinner to Anza Road at De Portola Road in Temecula. That 7-mile segment is considered the northern reach of Pipeline 6; the southern reach would extend from Anza Road at De Portola Road to the San Diego County Water Authority delivery point approximately 6 miles south of the Riverside County line.

That portion measuring approximately 6 1/2 miles would be installed in a tunnel. The planned length of Pipeline 6 is approximately 31 miles, and the SDCWA would be responsible for the 11.7-mile segment between the delivery point and the CWA’s Twin Oaks Diversion Structure.

Five other MWD pipelines convey water along the San Diego Aqueduct to San Diego County; three of those provide treated water and two convey untreated supply. The CWA also has local supply sources including the Claude “Bud” Lewis Carlsbad Desalination Plant, and the San Diego County portion of Pipeline 6 is not expected to be needed until at least 2035. However, MWD began right of way acquisition so that easements could be obtained at a lower cost and MWD has also conducted geotechnical and hydrological studies.

The Pala Temecula Road property was acquired by MWD in 2004 as a possible tunnel portal. A neighboring property owner holds a private utility and access easement which provides for the extension of utility services.

Plans to develop that neighboring property include residential electrical service, so the utility crossing right has been exercised. Although the property owner’s easement does not specify any particular company or person, the SDG&E policy is that the utility be granted a nonexclusive permanent easement by name.

Once the transaction paperwork is completed SDG&E will be granted an easement of 7,930 square feet. Five steel poles 50 feet in height along with distribution lines will be placed within the easement area.

The easement conditions require SDG&E to maintain reasonable access over and across the easement, and the utility has the formal right to add operation, maintenance, repair and replacement of overhead lines and related facilities to its right to construct the poles and wires themselves.

Although the easement already existed and MWD will not charge SDG&E for the easement itself, MWD will receive a $2,500 application and processing fee from SDG&E.