New plans, new meters, and new crew hours were all discussed at last night’s meeting of the Joshua Basin Water District. Reporter Mike Lipsitz files this report…
An uptick in commercial and population growth, and increased tourism combined are suspected contributors to higher effluent levels in the Joshua Basin aquifer than what was forecast a decade ago. While still well within safe limits, the district’s board is looking to get out ahead of the issue, and in response, the board is expected to authorize funds to update its strategy for future wastewater treatment at its next meeting. Projected costs for the update? $44,000 to Dudek Engineering.
In other business, the board approved $1.5 million for replacement of the district’s 19-year-old, increasingly failing meters. Improved accuracy of the new, more advanced meters is expected to enhance revenues, enough to more than cover the costs of the replacements over their expected 20-year lifetime.
And finally, the board approved an alternative work schedule for crew dedicated to the Capital Improvement and Pipe Replacement. The change is expected to increase productivity and get more pipe laid in the ground.
