NID Watershed Gets Good Bill of Health
May 10, 2012
Contact: Ron Nelson (530) 273-6185 Or: Dave Carter (530) 265-NEWSFOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
GRASS VALLEY - A location close to the mountain watershed brings water quality benefits to the Nevada Irrigation District and its 24,000 customers in Nevada and Placer counties, it was reported Wednesday (May 9).
Detailed information on the water that flows into NID water treatment plants was presented to the NID Board of Directors by Colfax-based water resources consultant Bonny Starr, who recently completed an update of NID’s Yuba-Bear River Watershed Sanitary Survey.
NID completed its initial Watershed Sanitary Survey in 1997 and has since updated it every five years, as required by State Department of Health guidelines. NID draws water from a fairly undisturbed mountain watershed with limited chances for upstream contamination. Water quality issues are rare.
Starr examined NID source water that flows through canals as well as natural waterways and found few serious concerns. Monitoring detected one source reading of elevated cryptosporidium, a microbial pathogen which can cause abdominal infection, on the Newtown Canal above Lake Wildwood, in what was likely an isolated incident, Starr said.
The quality of treated water flowing out of NID water treatment plants far exceeds state and federal regulatory levels, said Starr. “The plants are working very well.”
The tiny Smartsville Water Treatment Plant, which is outside of district boundaries but operated by NID, is among the district’s greatest challenges. Its source water flows 30 miles, partly through ranch and grazing lands, where contamination is possible. Starr and NID Water Treatment Supt. Chip Close described ongoing operations to ensure that water to Smartville’s 44 customers meets all standards.
In summary, Starr said, “You have a wonderful watershed and you’re doing a great job. You should be very pleased with what your operations staff and management are doing.”
In other business, NID directors:
• approved a new raw water supply contract to provide the City of Nevada City with source water at times when the city’s limited supply is stretched. Mayor David McKay and City Manager David Brennan attended to thank the district for its support.
• heard an update from General Manager Ron Nelson who reported that the final sections of pipeline on the two-year Banner Cascade Pipeline Project were completed this week. Some limited construction will continue as individual water connections are installed, he said.
• awarded a $387,250 contract to Marques Pipeline of Sacramento for construction of a large raw water vault at the Elizabeth L. George Water Treatment Plant on Banner Mountain. The firm was one of three submitting quotes on the job.
• approved the $229,000 purchase of seven dual-walled bleach storage tanks from Burlington Engineers Inc. of Concord. The firm’s bid, one of two received on the project, includes fabrication and delivery to NID.
• recognized employee Matt Reeves of the district’s Vegetation Control Crew for devising a specialty table for use in loading large 600-pound tanks into district pickup trucks. The tanks had previously been loaded by four men. NID Safety Analyst Don Bird said Reeves’ idea would limit risk of back injury for district employees.
The next regular meeting of the NID Board of Directors will be held at 9 a.m. on May 23 at the NID Business Center in Grass Valley. NID board meetings are open to the public.