Repair work at 1000 Steps

A 76-foot-long work boat landed at 1000 Steps Beach early Wednesday to test its ability to navigate the shoreline in preparation for a major sewer project by South Coast Water District.

The district plans to repair an unusual tunnel that houses a sewer line serving the coastal area. The tunnel is five feet high and six feet wide and was hand dug and blasted from the bluffs in 1954.

The tunnel is two miles long from Three Arch Bay to Aliso Beach, and the area at 1000 Steps Beach is deteriorating and is being fixed on an emergency basis, according to district officials.

The cost of the project is budgeted at $2 million.

The tunnel repair work will likely start the week of Jan. 15, said Linda Homscheid, public information officer for the district.

Because of the inaccessibility of the site, a boat will carry workers and materials to the location.

During the project, the work boat landing will be targeted to coincide with the work hours of Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

An estimated 30 landings will be required over the 4 ½ month project to offload materials and equipment and to remove debris.

On average, the boat will land one or two times per week and stay about two hours, Homschied said.

The main components of the project are to:

The project is expected to be completed by Memorial Day.

For more information, call (949) 499-4555 or visit www.scwd.org