Fortuna Exchange: Using springs for water supply?

Thursday, February 19, 2009

Using springs for water supply?

Comment from Fortuna Citizen: I have heard and I don't know how true it is - that there are MANY underground springs in this area why can't the city tap into that resource?
janelle: The area was once known as Springville. We have springs on our property and I remember there was a comment at the public meeting on the tank back in May, but I don't remember who made the comment. That's all I know. If you remember who you heard it from, maybe you could find out more?
Reply: I am sorry - I do not recall where I heard that information. I would it is on record somewhere in the city as to where and how much flow could be garnered from these springs?
janelle: Anyone know more about this? If there is a record, would need a bit more information to find it.

1 comment:

AnonymousFebruary 26, 2009 at 9:47 AM
As for finding out what exists, I am wondering if Tom Osborne with SHN is a 30+ year expert on all the earthquake faults in the area having been mapping them for as long, and may well know where springs exist since their presence would, I imagine, destabilize the surrounding area if close to a fault. If he doesn't know, he may know who would.

Anyway, I hope the springs materialize. I know when I looked at a property in Carlotta at the top of Wilder Road, it was rife with springs.
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New tank or use Vancil Reservoir?

--The 5 million gallon Vancil reservoir has 4 million gallons of unused storage. It is up the street from the proposed tank. In Fortuna’s southeast there is an identified need for storage, but no proposed projects.

--The proposed 2 million gallon tank was sized only to meet current demand. With 4 million gallons of unused storage, Vancil will easily meet current and future growth needs in the north part of town.

--Built before the 1964 Christmas flood, Vancil was part of a water development program for a growing city with 5 wood products manufacturing plants. There is no evidence that it was ever intended as emergency storage.

--The City requested and was told there are no regulatory obstacles to using Vancil.

--The Water Bonds are not a legal obstacle to using Vancil, Fortuna is not required to build the proposed tank. The City Council can and has changed the 2006 bond funded projects

--We were told the water rate increase was to borrow money (sell bonds) that would fund "urgent projects" required to fulfill the City's "current operational responsibilities."

--A pipeline between Vancil and downtown will make 4 million gallons available, providing the 1 million gallons of fire reserve storage recommended for down town. The proposed tank has only 1/2 million gallons for fire reserve storage.

--Using Vancil will make bond funds available for other necessary projects, allowing us to avoid an unnecessary rate increase.

--We can safely and reliably use Vancil for 50 years and spend less than the cost of the proposed tank, plus interest.

--The 50-year estimate was based on the January 2009 Staff Report’s estimate of $10,000/year energy cost. Three months earlier, in September 2008, the City requested and received information that the actual cost would be half that, $5,000/year. Based on this, we could expect using Vancil would be significantly less than the proposed tank.

I still do not know the motivation for the tank, but I suspect and hope that this is a simple case of good intentions and faulty assumptions resulting in a misguided project.

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Fortuna Exchange

Thursday, February 19, 2009

Using springs for water supply?

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Estimated cost: $4,500,000

New tank or use Vancil Reservoir?

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