At least two trucks bringing water from Ukiah to the Mendocino Coast
At least two large trucks now are hauling more than 20,000 gallons of water from Ukiah to the Mendocino Coast.
Ukiah City Manager Sage Sangiacomo said the first delivery of water from Ukiah to Fort Bragg, which will be treating the water and making it available to people making water deliveries on the coast, began Sept. 8 “with a single truck, carrying about 5,000 gallons of water, but the truck was able to make two trips for about 10,000 gallons a day.”
As of Sept. 14, Sangiacomo said, a “second certified water truck is in service, bringing the daily haul volume to approximately 23,000 gallons.”
If and when more trucks begin hauling, Sangiacomo said the daily volume could reach 55,000 gallons.
“This is an unprecedented effort that has been made possible through a mutual aid agreement between the city of Ukiah, the county of Mendocino and the city of Fort Bragg,” Sangiacomo added, explaining that Ukiah is “simply supplying the water, (which) is then being picked up by haulers that the county is procuring, and then being delivered to the city of Fort Bragg and put into their system, and from there it is distributed to water haulers in the region for health and human safety purposes.”
Sangiacomo also acknowledged actions by the California State Water Resources Control Board, which “has recognized how our pre-1914 water right provides critical value to Mendocino County,” referring to the amended curtailment order last week that will allow the city to draw a “very, very small amount” of water from the Russian River to provide water to coastal residents, particularly those in the village of Mendocino and other areas whose private wells have run dry.
“Essentially, that amended order has allowed us, without affecting our delivery of water from groundwater for our own community, to utilize a very, very small amount from the river under our pre-1914 right to assist our coastal neighbors with a much-needed water supply that they currently do not have,” Sangiacomo said.