There is no centralized water distribution in Wonder Valley. With Matt Schragge, General Manager of the 29 Palms Water District attending as the guest speaker, residents used the chance to ask him what it would take to connect into the system.
Schragge explained that extensions are usually initiated by developers or a group of homeowners, and need to go through LAFC0, or the Local Agency Formation Commission. Costs for extending the main line are paid for by the new water users, and, a recent extension tallied out to about $120 per foot. Given the low number of residents in Wonder Valley, Schragge said it was unlikely to be financially feasible.
Later in the meeting association president Chancey Chambers also demonstrated how to extend the life of a well by maintaining the right pressure in what’s called the captive air tank. If the pressure is improperly set, the pump will turn on and off too often, and the motor will quickly degrade. That can be a $3000 – $7000 dollar mistake, Chambers said.
