At the Redwood Valley County Water District board meeting on September 19, 2024, members discussed significant challenges, including a nearly 10,000 acre-foot drop in Lake Mendocino’s water level compared to last year. With only 600 acre-feet sold this year, the district is grappling with reduced inflows from the Potter Valley Project while preparing for the City of Ukiah to take over billing services.
So far this year, approximately 600 acre-feet of water have been sold. Lake Mendocino’s water level is approximately 10,000 acre-feet lower than at the same time last year, according to the chart on the Russian River Flood Control weekly update. There is less water coming into the lake because of reduced flows through the Potter Valley Project. Mandatory releases are made from Lake Mendocino to satisfy minimum stream flow requirements into the Russian River south of the lake.
Consulting firm Carollo Engineers will be conducting a tour of Redwood Valley and Ukiah to view all the existing infrastructure, equipment and geography. Carollo will then prepare a report as part of the grant application process for the California Department of Water Resources Safe and Affordable Funding for Equity and Resilience (SAFER).
There is nothing new to report on the Eel-Russian Project Authority. The Board discussed the need to get estimated costs for the remodel of the diversion facilities. Janet Pauli, of the Inland Water and Power Authority and the Potter Valley Irrigation District, chairs the confidential ERPA closed session negotiations with the attorneys, and so far there is nothing to report publicly. Director Tom Schoeneman, who attends the closed session meetings on behalf of Redwood Valley, said “It’s coming down to PG&E, and the fish concerns and the tribes. All these negotiations are still confidential.” Schoeneman also noted that the subject of raising Coyote Dam at Lake Mendocino to capture more winter rains has been discussed for years and is nowhere close to being accomplished.
For more information about the Eel-Russian Project Authority and other Potter Valley water matters, see minutes and agendas posted on the IWPC website. This was not discussed at the District meeting, but the board package posted on the IWPC website for the September meeting states that a town hall meeting in Potter Valley was planned, then cancelled to give the consultants more time to prepare for a large crowd. The meeting has not yet been rescheduled.
The most recent Ukiah Valley Water Authority meeting was cancelled due to lack of a quorum. General Manager Jared Walker reported that the UVWA is working to revise the Joint Powers Authority agreement to include some other agencies as parties to the agreement.
Annexation into Mendocino County Russian River Flood Control’s district is ongoing but not yet finalized.
This District is working with Larry Walker Associates to find a new municipal well at the Masonite site. The consulting agreement with LWA needs to be amended to include an extra cost incurred by switching insurance coverage for the project. LWA is eager to start work on searching for a good spot to drill in the 20 acre location. LWA asked that the long grass be mowed before work can begin. Walker is reluctant to mow the large, dry field during this late September heat wave, because there have been recent fires in the immediate area. Walker hopes to get started in early October.
Meters are being gradually replaced for all customers. There are only about 50 meters in inventory, and the District needs up to 400 meters. There is a five-month lead time to order new meters. Millview County Water District has approximately 200 meters in stock available for Redwood Valley to use. The Board approved purchase of 200 additional meters.
The agreement with Energea to provide solar power at the water treatment plant is saving the District approximately $2,000 per month on PG&E bills. This is lower in cost than the previous solar provider. Energea is supposed to replace all the old solar panels. The shipment of new panels arrived damaged, so they are still using the old panels, which are working. The old panels will be replaced as needed.
The audit of the District’s finances is expected to be ready in November.
Office Manager Liz Patton reported that Ukiah will do a test billing run to make sure that the change in billing systems is accurate. As of January 2025, the bills to District customers will be sent from the City of Ukiah.
At the August meeting, a customer who received a monthly bill for over $4,000 asked if she needed to pay the whole amount. She hadn’t seen any leaks, and was surprised to receive such a high bill. Service personnel investigated and found that the meter was spinning rapidly when all the water faucets were turned off, indicating a leak. The customer rerouted their water lines, thinking that since no leaks were visible, the only possible place for the leak could be under a cement slab. Once the lines were rerouted, the meter stopped spinning. The meter was determined to be working properly. She was told in August that the Board would add this as an agenda item to the September meeting. The customer dialed into the September meeting to ask for a break on the $4,000 bill.
The District’s policy is that repairs from the meter to the house are the customer’s responsibility. Repairs from the meter to the street are the District’s responsibility. Because the leak was on her side of the meter, the customer is on the hook for the entire amount. The Board did not offer a discount, but they did offer to let her pay the bill over twelve months, without interest or late fees. If you want to check your own meter for leaks, Walker told us after the meeting that all customers have access to their water meters. If any dial on the meter is moving, that means water is running somewhere. If you need help finding your water meter, please call the office at (707) 485-0679 and a service person will help you locate it. The City of Ukiah will honor any special billing arrangements with Redwood Valley customers when the billing system is switched over.
Another water customer had questions about the door hanger notices that are placed on late paying customer’s doors. These notices inform the customer that the water will be cut off if the bill is not paid by a certain date. She asked why notifications are not made by phone, as customers may be out of town and not see the door hanger notice. Ukiah notifies late paying customers by phone, so this will change at the end of the year when Ukiah takes over the billing.
The Board voted to send a letter to customers about the billing transition to the City of Ukiah.
Director Schoeneman requested that the next Board meeting focus on finding out what all the pending projects are going to cost the District. The City of Ukiah is expected to absorb most of the costs of consolidation, and certain expenses for the District will go away after the consolidation. There is no firm estimate for what the SAFER project will actually end up costing, and when the full amount of the grant will kick in, nor is there an estimate for the costs for the remodeled Potter Valley diversion.
