Department of Water Resources
A daily compilation of significant news articles and comment
October 24, 2007
4. Water Quality
Water plant shutting temporarily
By Alisha Semchuck, staff writer
QUARTZ HILL - For six days - from Oct. 28 to Nov. 2 - one of four water treatment plants operated by Antelope Valley-East Kern Water Agency will be shut down, requiring certain consumers to use water sparingly.
AVEK, a wholesaler that supplies surface water to agricultural users and municipal agencies such as Los Angeles County Waterworks District 40, will halt operations at its Quartz Hill plant on Avenue N and
During the shutdown, construction crews will convert the water disinfection process from the a chlorine treatment system to a procedure using chloramines to meet a mandate by the Environmental Protection Agency to reduce levels of contaminants called trihalomethanes. Those contaminants result when chlorine mixes with organic substances found in lakes and streams.
Some studies suggest added health risks associated with drinking water that contains high levels of trihalomethanes, according to the EPA.
Besides switching to chloramines, Barnes said ozone disinfection and an improved filtering system will be added.
Though AVEK also is converting its Acton, Pearblossom and Rosamond treatment plants to chloramines, those sites will continue to function. The difference with Quartz Hill is that plant also is increasing the output of treated water from 65 million to 90 million gallons per day, Barnes said.
In order to work on that expansion, Barnes said, "the water (coming) into the plant has to be shut down for main line plumbing to be installed." In addition to the shutdown at the end of October, he said a second shutdown will be needed from Feb. 3 to Feb. 8.
AVEK is expanding the Quartz Hill plant by an additional 25 million gallons per day of treated water at the request of Waterworks District 40.
Adam Ariki, assistant deputy director of
"I have bosses," Ariki said. "I can't tell you, 'yes.' But would I be supportive of this? Absolutely."
AVEK's board agreed to begin the project.
Now that it's under way, Waterworks District 40 mailed notices to its customers in Lancaster and Palmdale, informing them of the temporary shutdown.
"I am writing to request your assistance to restrict your water use between Oct. 28 and Nov. 2," wrote Donald Wolfe, the county director of Public Works. He explained the reason for the shutdown, noting that during the six-day period, Waterworks 40 would "rely solely on its wells and water stored in tanks to meet its customers' demands.
"However, this water supply will not be sufficient to meet the expected normal water demand," Wolfe advised.
The shutdown will affect approximately 45,000 customer connections between the district's regions 4 and 34, said Melinda Barrett,
"It's a little warmer than usual at the moment," Barrett said. "We hope it cools off in the next couple of weeks. Normally, the hotter it is, the higher the demand."
"We get 60% of our water normally from the Quartz Hill Treatment Plant," Barrett said.
Because the county can't count on that supply during the shutdown, Barrett said, "what we're doing right now is ensuring all our wells are operating at full capacity and filling our storage tanks."
Also, she added, "we're intending to go door-to-door with fliers in that area," notifying residents.
Although Waterworks 40 is AVEK's largest municipal customer in the area, Quartz Hill Water District and Palm Ranch Irrigation District also purchase a portion of their supplies from the wholesaler.
Chad Reed, the general manager for Quartz Hill Water District, feels secure despite the shutdown.
Reed said he consulted with the county's Department of Health representative, and together they determined the situation would be "status quo. We're not going to have to ask our customers to cut back for (that) week. We're not in the same boat as
"On an annual basis, we receive 60% of our water budget from that plant," Reed said, and "40% is well water."
For the same time period in 2006, Reed said Quartz Hill customers used nearly 4.24 million gallons per day.
To get residential and commercial customers, and parks - roughly 5,600 connections - through the six-day period, Reed said, "We'll keep all of our tanks completely full, almost to the spill point, leading right up to the actual shutdown at midnight Saturday." Total tank storage is 10.9 million gallons.
The Quartz Hill district has not asked customers to cut back on watering lawns at this point, though Reed said, "in the near future, there's a good chance." Water experts say at least 70% of water use goes to the outdoors.
Meanwhile, Palm Ranch Irrigation district is "trying to stay with well water," said Phillip Counts, a director who has been on that board since the mid-'80s.
In his appeal to Waterworks 40 customers, Wolfe wrote, "With your help, we hope to avoid potential water shortages, by taking the following steps:
Avoid watering your lawn if possible: and if needed, don't water between 6 a.m. and 6 p.m.
Repair broken sprinkler heads and adjust them to avoid spraying sidewalks.
Fix any plumbing leaks and do not wash your car or hose leaves and grass clippings."
"All construction meters will be turned off," Barrett said. "We're asking parks, cities and schools - our biggest users - to cut back."
"It's absolutely critical," Barrett said, "that people cooperate and conserve." #
http://www.avpress.com/n/20/1020_s3.hts
####
No comments:
Post a Comment