YWA approves grant to help replace aged water main

The Yuba Water Agency approved a grant worth $1.4 million to the Olivehurst Public Utility District to help replace an aged and outdated steel water main that is losing approximately 78 million gallons of water each year due to leakage and inefficiencies.

The project is one of five currently vying for $4.3 million worth of regional funding through the Department of Water Resources for water projects that benefit disadvantaged communities. The agency’s grant is expected to bolster the Yuba Integrated Regional Water Management application, which includes the five regional projects.

John Tillotson, general manager of OPUD, said the water main issues have been present for years. The project was close to receiving the needed DWR funding a few years ago but missed out. He’s hoping this go around they have what it takes to receive the remaining funding needed for the approximately $3 million project.

“We feel very good. The consultants that run the IRWM program seem very confident on our area’s application,” Tillotson said. “It’s never a guarantee, though.”

The grant approved by YWA would only be awarded if the state approves the funding for the regional projects, he said.

The plan calls for replacing 14,000 feet of steel water main with a heavy commercial PVC plastic pipe, as well as replacing other critical elements of the district’s water supply system that serves 10,000 residents in Olivehurst, including 25 fire hydrants, 69 8-inch valves and 40 tie-in locations to existing water main lines.

The majority of the district’s steel water mains were installed in the 1940s and ‘50s. The pipes leak constantly and cause some cloudiness and particles in the system, which requires OPUD to flush the system via fire hydrants. That leads to water conservation concerns, Tillotson said.

By replacing the pipe, the district expects to prevent the loss of water, increase public safety by increasing the water supply flow for fire fighting, improve the water supply system for Olivehurst residents, and help the district manage water resources during dry periods.

“Replacing this outdated infrastructure is essential to improving efficiency and maintaining a reliable water supply for the residents in Olivehurst,” said Doug Lofton, a water agency board member and county supervisor whose district includes Olivehurst.

With the commitment, YWA will now look to submit the IRWM application by the deadline at the end of the month. Tillotson said DWR will decide which projects to fund with the available $24 million and announce the award recipients early next year.

Doug Lofton