Recent Goings-on at the Markleeville Water Company

Since it’s been awhile since our last post, we thought we’d provide an update in several areas. Here you go!

Operational Meetings & Board Meetings

We held several weekly meetings (the first one was April 1), as we mentioned in this post, and thankfully we didn’t have any emergencies to address. The extra communication that took place was necessary early on but now it isn’t. The systems put in place by our Operator, Buck McLelland, and Kris Hartnett, one of our directors, have paid, and continue to pay, dividends. Buck and Kris communicate daily and anything that needs to be handled is done so quickly and efficiently.  So, we have discontinued the weekly meetings BUT are still holding our monthly meetings (virtually still at this point, thanks to Zoom). Remember, members are welcome to attend. Just email us at markleevillewatercompany@gmail.com for the meeting details. We meet on the 3rd Saturday of the month starting at 8:30 a.m.

Grant Progress

Work is progressing on the planning grant funded by the State of California Division of Financial Assistance (DFA) program; part of the Drinking Water State Revolving Fund (DWSRF) program. Our consultant, West Yost Associates, submitted a draft of the Preliminary Engineering Report on May 15th. Once finalized, this report with be submitted to the State for approval of the recommended project. Once approved, environmental review and engineering design will begin. The primary objectives of the undertaking are to replace aging, failure-prone distribution piping and to implement distribution system changes intended to increase turnover of stored water as well as reductions in the incidence of disinfection byproduct exceedances. Operational changes over the past few years have already reduced these exceedances considerably, so the top priority of the project will be replacing those pipelines. This is a long-term effort, as you know, so continue to stay tuned for further updates.

Generator Progress

Unfortunately, we have not been able to finish the install of the generator due to other, more pressing priorities. We have poured the pad and secured the generator to it. We’ve also gotten the propane tank installed and the electrical is almost completed. Finishing this project remains high on our list, especially in light of fire season, and we hope to have it operational soon.

Water Usage

Unfortunately, due to the dry winter, and per the California Drought Early Warning System, Alpine Co. is in the midst of a moderate drought. Because of this, we ask that you continue conserving water where you can. We also want to remind you that our Water Use Rules & Guidelines (snippet below) remain in effect and can be viewed in their entirety by clicking here.

  • Landscape watering is allowed at even-numbered physical addresses only on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays, any time between 6 and 10 AM and between 6 and 10 PM.
  • Landscape watering is allowed at odd-numbered physical addresses only on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays, any time between 6 and 10 AM and between 6 and 10 PM.
  • Landscape watering is NOT allowed on Sundays in order to give our finished water tanks time to refill/replenish.
  • Total landscape watering time is allowed up to two hours per day.

The Truckee Meadows Water Authority has a detailed “Assigned-Day Watering” page which we used as a guide for developing our Rules & Guidelines. Click here to check it out as it has some water saving tips and other relevant articles.

Oh, and by the way, if you are planning on doing any pressure washing at your home, which is allowed per our Water Use Rules & Guidelines, please give us a heads up and keep in mind that your pressure washing unit should be turned off when it’s not in use.

Thank you for being a member! We appreciate you continuing to be a good water steward and wish you, and your families and friends, good health. Continue to stay safe!

Updates from the Water Company’s First Virtual Meeting

The Board held its first meeting (via Zoom) under the Covid-19 restrictions and it was a success! A couple directors joined via their computer and others joined via phone. Buck McLelland, our Plant Operator, and two corporation members, Becky and Fritz Thornburg, were also in virtual attendance, as was our former President, Steve Martin.

Per our blog post of last week, we will continue to hold these meetings virtually until further notice.

Operational Meetings

Speaking of meetings…At Buck’s suggestion we have decided to hold ½ hour bi-weekly operational meetings so that we can quickly discuss current water systems operations, business operations, and website and communications. It will also allow us to stay in sync with the latest news and best practices as things develop during the Covid-19 pandemic. The first of these will be held on April 1st at 6:30 p.m. You can find the latest agenda, including how to RSVP for any of these meetings, on our Important Documents page.

Safety Measures

Buck and Kris brought us up to speed on what they are doing to maximize safety and minimize contact as it relates to the Covid-19. They are no longer working at the plant, or anywhere else, together so that if one of them gets sick, the other won’t be compromised. They are in direct contact via phone, daily, as they have been for years.

Additionally, the board discussed contingency plans if both of them were down and not able to travel for any reason. Steve Martin, our former president, has the necessary experience to take over and can do so under Buck’s direction. Other board members can also step in, with direction from Buck via phone or facetime, for example, as the plant and our systems are set up accordingly.

Updated FAQs

We’ve recently this FAQ (and answer) to our FAQ page:

What do I do if I need to make payment arrangements during the Covid-19 pandemic?

If you are under financial hardship due to the pandemic, please contact our secretary, Joanne Oehlerking at 530-694-2924. It should be noted that Markleeville Water Company is considered a critical infrastructure utility and as such needs income in order to continue to operate and supply clean, potable water to our corporation members.

You’ll also find a few others, including one that answers the question: Who do I contact if I have a water emergency?

Updated Important Documents

We’ve added the agenda from Saturday’s meeting, as well the operations report; the approved minutes from last month’s meeting and the agenda for our first operational meeting. On this page, you’ll also find our Schedule of Rates & Fees and a 3-year waiver for testing of organic synthetic materials that we rec’d late last year. Kudos to Director Hartnett for his hard work and persistence in getting that waiver, by the way – not having to do that testing so often will save us money and give Kris a little more time back in his day.

Grant Update

Lastly, we want to let you know that our planning grant initiative is moving along nicely. We’ve had lengthy, detailed discussions on timing, cost and possible options. Some options will likely increase members’ rates but it’s too soon to tell for sure how much. We are VERY cognizant of the impact increased rates could have and will not make any such decisions without members’ input. We are discussing how and when we could host a meeting for members to bring you up to speed and get your feedback. It’s likely that the Covid-19 pandemic would have an impact on that meeting; right now it’s too early to tell. Once we have some certainty, however, we’ll post something on the website, and email and mail notice to all members.

Be Safe and Stay Healthy!

We wish you and your families well during this difficult time and urge you to follow all guidelines issued by the county and state. Urge your family and friends to do the same, too.

If we all stick together and do it for each other then we’ll get through this.

Markleeville Water Company Board Meetings to be Held Virtually Until Further Notice

Alpine County’s Public Health Director has said: “There should be no gatherings of any kind.”

In keeping with this directive, MWC Board meetings will be in the form of a telephone conference call until further notice. Qualified Persons may call in to attend. Please e-mail us at  markleevillewatercompany@gmail.com for information on how to call in.

Everyone calling in must identify themselves and we will restrict comments to the public comment period of the meeting or to specific agenda items on which action may be taken.

Agendas and other important documents can be found on, and downloaded from, our Important Documents page.

Like the Board of Supervisors meetings, attendees comments will be limited to three (3) minutes, including any Q&A.

The number of connections is limited. We apologize if this excludes any Qualified Person; we are making the best of a difficult situation. 

Be safe and thank you for your understanding.

Covid-19 (Coronavirus Update)

The United States EPA and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) issued the following information on drinking water supplies and COVID-19:

FROM THE EPA

EPA has established regulations with treatment requirements for public water systems that prevent waterborne pathogens such as viruses from contaminating drinking water. These treatment requirements include filtration and disinfectants such as chlorine that remove or kill pathogens before they reach the tap. Additionally, WHO (World Health Organization)notes that, “conventional, centralized water treatment methods which utilize filtration and disinfection should inactivate COVID-19 virus.” https://www.epa.gov/coronavirus/coronavirus-and-drinking-water-and-wastewater

FROM THE CDC

The COVID-19 virus has not been detected in drinking water. Conventional water treatment methods that use filtration and disinfection, such as those in most municipal drinking water systems, should remove or inactivate the virus that causes COVID-19. https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/php/water.html

FROM THE MWC

Markleeville Water Company uses filtration and disinfection to treat surface water.  The water in the system is then tested to ensure the water has the proper amount of residual disinfection in our pipe system. Markleeville Water Company reports this information to the State and the County, and we are in compliance with their water quality regulations.

Emergency Repairs on Transmission Line Tonight!

Posted at approx. 7:20 p.m.

Unfortunately, there’s been a break in our 6″ transmission line. This break occurred at/on the Robinson property when a contractor hit the line.

We will be turning off water at the plant about 7:30 p.m. for approxmately 3 hours.

Members along Hot Springs Road, including all of town, could be affected! Marklee Village, however, should not see an impact as that tank is full.

Please be patient, and don’t head to the repair area, as you may get in the way.

If all goes well we’ll have the water back on in the next 3-4 hours. We’ll post another update later tonight or tomorrow morning.

Are You Water Ready if Power is Turned Off?

MWC recently received a message from the State Water Resources Control Board (State Board comments are in italics below). We’ve published portions of it here and a copy is being mailed to all members as well because it has some good advice; not just for us, but for you, too. Our responses to their message are noted in bold.

Due to the upcoming extreme heat and fire hazard, the power utilities are implementing Public Safety Power Shutoff warnings across California.  If adverse conditions develop in your area, the power serving your water system may be shut off, which may affect the ability of your water system to provide water to customers.  There are several steps we recommend you take now to prepare for any potential power outage:

Ensure that your tanks are full prior to the planned power outage. 
MWC will monitor our tanks and will ensure they are at full capacity prior to any outage. Keep in mind, however, that there is only enough water to supply our customers for 4 days (depending on demand). We will post a notice on the MWC website (https://markleevillewatercompany.com/) in the event of an outage, but since some members will not be able to check our website due to lack of power, we also will post notices in town if an outage occurs. Note that we only supply water for domestic use (i.e. drinking water) and for the fire dept. to fight structure fires. Members should also be aware that there may be NO WATER coming through our system during a wildland fire event.

Acquire or position emergency generators where needed to maintain water supply and pressure.  Ensure you have adequate fuel for power generators to last at least 4 to 6 days.
MWC has been making good progress on the installation of our generator. It is not yet operational and isn’t expected to be fully operational until January 1, 2020. We will notify our members when it is operational.

Issue notices to customers to conserve water to reduce unnecessary demand and maintain storage supply.
MWC has kept our water restrictions in place, and you’ve been great stewards. Now it’s up to all of us, as members, to keep it up, while at the same time making sure that we each have our own supplies. Again, in the event of a wildland fire event, or a public service power outage, we remind you that available water is only for domestic use INSIDE YOUR HOME. MWC water is available for structure firefighting purposes.

If the power outage occurs and the water system loses water pressure, your water system should take the following actions:

  • Activate your Water Quality Emergency Notification Plan
    The MWC Board will activate the MWC Emergency Disaster Response Plan when it’s necessary.
  • Notify your DDW District Office or County Local Primacy Agency for instructions on issuance of a precautionary Boil Water Notice
    This action is on MWC’s Emergency Disaster Response Plan checklist.
  • Have a Boil Water Notice ready for distribution. 
    Go to the “Important Documents” page of our website to download a sample copy of our notice.
  • Make sufficient copies of the Boil Water Notice now, so that they may be delivered immediately if water pressure is lost.
    If we need to issue a boil water notice MWC will have paper copies ready to post at several locations in our service area. We will also have additional copies of the notice at the library, but we suggest you print a copy of our sample boil water notice now and keep it handy just in case. It may not be possible for the website to be updated in case of a boil water emergency.

Publicly available PSPS (Public Safety Power Shutdown) proposed outage maps can be found at the following links:

Liberty Utilities: https://california.libertyutilities.com/markleeville/residential/emergencies/electrical/outages-map.html

Pacific Gas & Electric:    https://www.pge.com/en_US/safety/emergency-preparedness/natural-disaster/wildfires/psps-service-impact-map.page  

Southern California Edison: https://www.sce.com/safety/wildfire/psps

San Diego General Electric: https://www.sdge.com/wildfire-safety/public-safety-power-shutoffs

DDW District Office contact information can be found at: https://www.waterboards.ca.gov/drinking_water/programs/documents/ddwem/DDWdistrictofficesmap.pdf.

Ballots for the Election of Two Markleeville Water Company Directors are on the Way. Please vote ASAP!

As you may know, state law requires that at least 20% of the Company’s Membership Interests (shares) be represented by their owners being present in person at the annual membership meeting before business can be conducted.

Unfortunately only about 10% of the membership were present at this year’s meeting so new Directors couldn’t be elected to the two (2) open seats on the Board. The Board can fill mid-term vacancies and unexpired terms, but only the Members can elect Directors to new full terms.

Members in attendance did nominate two individuals, however, and ballots were mailed to you yesterday. Those individuals are Kris Hartnett and Lloyd Van Doren. You’ll also have the ability to write in another individual’s name if you so choose. We appreciate Kris’ and Lloyd’s willingness to serve and now ask that you vote for at least two (2) people, and return your ballot promptly, so that we can convene the full board at our next meeting.

The ballot, and cover letter being mailed with it, have additional information so please be on the lookout and again, we’d appreciate your fast action in returning your ballot. A self-addressed stamped envelope is included.

Markleeville Water Co’s Annual Meeting and Steve Martin Send-off

Calling All Members! Calling All Members!

Our Annual Meeting is next Saturday, August 3rd, 2019
at 10:00 a.m.
Alpine County Administration Building, Board Room,
99 Water St., Markleeville, CA 96120

Steve Martin, our President, is hanging up his MWC hat! Join us so we can all thank Steve for his 33 years of service.

We’ll also cover some Water Co. business, too, of course, including:

1. Approval of Minutes (Quorum required)
2. Approval of Balance Sheets (Quorum required)
3. President’s Report for 2018-2019 Year (Steve’s last report)
4. Elections of Two (2) Directors (Quorum required)

A quorum of 40 members is essential in many instances as you can see, so it’s very important that members attend.

We’ll post the complete agenda, and other appropriate documents, on our website prior to the meeting. You’ll be able to view them on our Important Documents page. We’ll have hard-copies available as well.

WE HOPE TO SEE YOU NEXT SATURDAY!

–Your Markleeville Water Company Board of Directors

Markleeville Water Company Publishes RFP for Engineering Services

Markleeville Water Company (MWC) has published a Request for Proposals (RFP) for Engineering Services for Water System Planning and Improvements.   The engineering services will be funded by a $435,000 planning grant from the California State Water Resources Control Board Drinking Water State Revolving Fund (SRF).

MWC now has a signed Funding Agreement with the State for this grant.  The planning grant project will include a comprehensive evaluation of the MWC distribution system to address failures and issues with disinfection byproducts. Note: this is partially due to the worn, interior surfaces of the existing steel pipes. Replacing them with modern piping will help decrease these issues.

The Project includes preparation of construction documents to the 75% complete level, preparation of environmental review documents, preparation of documents required to apply for the SRF construction grant, and grant administration.

Proposals are due no later than 4:00 p.m. Thursday, August 22nd, 2019. Click here to view and download the RFP.