PID approves Almond Street Main Replacement Project
Staff to look for funding for $1.075M project
PARADISE » The Almond Street Main Replacement Project, which was on the horizon for Paradise Irrigation District before the 2018 Camp Fire, was back in front of trustees Wednesday night.
While the trustees voted to send the $1.075 million project out to bid, staff will work to identify grant funding to reduce the impact on the general fund. The plan, developed by design consultant Mark Thomas, was to replace 3,890 feet of 8” steel water main through the Almond Street corridor.
And was in conjunction with the Town of Paradise’s Almond Street Gap Closure Project to complete full- depth asphalt restoration through this same corridor.
According to the PID agenda, “The planned sequence at that time had hinged on the completion of the main replacement prior to the asphalt work, due in large part to the concern for the condition and shallow depth of the main, as well as the necessity to relocate a number of appurtenances (valves, hydrants, services, etc) to accommodate the Town’s project.”
But not long after the plans and specifications were approved the devastating Camp Fire hit. The town is still set to go forward with the plan that the fire forced PID to temporarily shelve.
According to PID, the town wants to take advantage of funding opportunities that have become available. In fact, the town is planning construction to begin no later than the beginning of summer 2021. The PID agenda notes that the Town’s project must move forward very soon to ensure the use of the available funds, allowing for little to no flexibility of timing.
PID staff has the same concerns at this time given the shallow depth and condition of the main on Almond Street. PID says maintenance history on this main indicates a high likelihood that the work to be completed by the Town of Paradise contractor will cause further impact to that main.
Despite that PID staff noted a number of valves, hydrants, and services will be required to be relocated in order to accommodate the new asphalt, curb, and sidewalk, it still supports reviving the previously designed project as the best course of action in terms of the longevity of PID’s infrastructure through this downtown area.
The project’s cost is up from the nearly $900,000 it was in 2018. The concern for interim District Manager Tom Lando was getting funding to pay for the project so it doesn’t impact other PID projects. Using the general fund money fund the project as originally had been planned in 2018 will have future implications on cash reserves and fiscal outlook, staff said.
Lando said that if alternative funding sources fail to materialize, the project will return to the trustees for a more serious discussion.
PG&E settlement
Paradise Irrigation District says it may begin getting its PG& E settlement funds in the second quarter of 2021.
It’s unclear how much money the district will receive, but Treasurer Ross Gilb presented the district with three possible budget scenarios.
One with an unlikely worst- case scenario but that was for planning purposes only.
If PID gets its full PG&E settlement, it would get $132.7 million based on 30 years projected full revenue backfill through 2050, at which point it is projected that PID will be financially sustainable through normal operations.
The other one is a half PG& E Settlement which would provide full revenue backfill for 15 years through 2035.