RANCHO MURIETA, CA (MPG) - Water issues dominated the discussion when the Rancho Murieta Community Services District Board of Directors met on July 17. 

The most urgent matter was the recent discovery of a leak in the pipe that transports water from the Cosumnes River to Clementia. 

The most controversial issue was a board member’s recommendation that the district declare a moratorium on new water connections. (See the separate story in this issue.)

Other water topics included a report from the district’s engineer about the capacity of the community’s two water tanks. A community activist also told the board that she would file a public records request to obtain information from the water supply study currently underway. Another community activist complained about the way that the district is reporting the community’s water supply in its monthly utility reports, and a board member requested that a study be conducted for Lake Clementia to determine its actual capacity. 

In other business, the board approved the final list of the Capital Improvement Projects. The board was also informed of a timetable to complete three audits, received an update about a recent sewer leak and reviewed job descriptions. Additionally, a Murieta Village landlordcomplained about the district’s handling of a broken water pipe at his rental.

Major Leak

Interim Director of Operations Travis Bohannon informed the board that a leak was discovered in the Clementia spillway on June 19. Further investigation revealed that the 33-inch line transferring raw water from the Cosumnes River to Calero Reservoir was leaking. TNT Industrial Contractors exposed an inspection plate and inserted a video camera, which identified multiple leaks and cracks in the pipe.

Bohannon requested the board’s permission to initiate repairs immediately, rather than waiting the five weeks required to put the project out to bid. One concern was the potential delay in acquiring a new pipe. He emphasized the importance of completing the repair before Nov. 1, the date when the district is authorized to draw water from the river. The board voted unanimously to authorize the work under an existing agreement with TNT Industrial Contractors. The repair will remain an agenda item until the work is completed.

Water Tanks

Bohannon brought the district’s contracted engineer, Joe Domenichelli, to the board meeting to discuss the agenda item “water distribution storage capacity for Residences East and West.”

Whether the Rio Oso Water Tank’s storage capacity is adequate to supply the subdivision was a topic at two prior meetings of the Improvement Committee, which is comprised of Directors Randy Jenco, Martin Pohll, Bohannon, General Manager Mimi Morris and other staff. Stories about the two committee meetings can be found in the June 28 and July 5 River Valley Times newspapers, available online.

Domenichelli said he was asked to look at the Rio Oso Tank first because the water levels had been dropping lower than they should. 

“We are getting to the limit of the operational storage in that tank,” Domenichelli said. “Adding a significant number of units is just going to impact it more.”

The engineer said his initial analysis indicated that adding 68 units in the first phase of the 198-lot subdivision would drop the water level less than half a foot, as long as the new homes have low water-use landscapes. 

“It’s not going to have an impact where we are going to be in trouble,” Domenichelli said.

Director Linda Butler asked him what would happen by adding the remainder of the lots.

Domenichelli suggested that a comprehensive analysis of the entire water distribution system, including the larger Van Vleck Tank, should be conducted because some improvements could be made. 

“But overall, the storage volume that we have puts you right on the edge,” Domenichelli said. “We are going to try and do whatever we can to make it continue to function correctly. But in my opinion, the big picture is to get more storage out there.”

The discussion touched on many other aspects of the water distribution system. Bohannon also highlighted an incident when a car knocked over a fire hydrant in the back lakes a couple of years ago, causing the Rio Oso tank to drop from 27 feet to empty in just five hours.

After President Tim Maybee asked Domenichelli if he could provide direction, the engineer emphasized the importance of examining the entire system. 

Director Randy Jenco agreed, stating that Domenichelli should begin the analysis immediately. “It should have started yesterday,” Jenco said.

Domenichelli actually presented a $42,000 proposal to analyze the entire system at the June Improvements Committee meeting. Jenco and Pohll asked Morris to schedule a special board meeting to approve it because they didn’t want to wait five weeks until the next meeting. Instead, Morris asked the engineer to reduce his proposal’s scope so it would fall within her $25,000 spending authority. 

The board also directed Domenichelli to move forward with his suggestion to install a flow meter at the Rio Oso tank to better track water usage. He said the installation cannot occur until cooler weather.

Community activist Janis Eckard told the board that it would be impossible to accurately size a future tank unless the current water study is revised to show how many homes the current water supply can support.

Audience member Jay Hannum, a contractor, said the district should consider bringing in a treated water line from Sacramento instead of building a new water tank. Asked after the meeting how much it would cost, he estimated $11 million. That would have been far cheaper than upgrading the water treatment plant for $14 million, Hannum said.

Other Water Topics

As she has done many times before, community activist Janis Eckard came to the podium to point out problems with the current water study. Eckard said that it is based on inaccurate data and unachievable assumptions.

 Eckard also said she has been asking questions since March 2023, with many questions going unanswered. 

For that reason, Eckard said, she was submitting a Public Records Act request. Echard said she would take action to enforce her request if she didn’t get answers before the next board meeting.

John Merchant, another community activist, objected to the monthly raw water storage report delivered to the board. He argued that including Clementia storage in the report is confusing because the water in that reservoir is designated solely for recreational use. 

President Tim Maybee said he would refer Merchant’s concern to the Improvements Committee for further discussion.

Director Linda Butler inquired about conducting a bathymetric study on Clementia. She noted that previous studies revealed that both Calero and Chesbro had less water than previously assumed for decades. 

Maybee responded that the board had chosen not to survey Clementia at the same time as the others to reduce costs. 

However, he said he would have Morris look into the cost and present the findings to the Improvement Committee

Capital Improvement Projects

Also on the agenda was a public hearing to consider approval of the district’s Fiscal Year 2024/25 Capital Improvement plan with proposed infrastructure projects for the year. The total budget for the 12 projects was $4,958,369 of which $3,122,150 would be spent this year. Six projects were carryovers from the prior year and one project came under budget after it went to bid. 

The most expensive projects include the Granlees pump station safety improvements, a filter bed rehabilitation at Water Treatment Plant 2, the replacement of the communication system at the plants and lift stations, the rehabilitation of two sewer lift stations, and converting the wastewater plant from using chlorine to bleach. 

The board approved the list of projects.    

In Other Business

Director of Finance Mark Matulich said in his report that the Finance Committee would move to a quarterly meeting schedule to allow staff to work on prior year accounting and audits. The 2021-22 audit would be presented at the October meeting, the 2022-23 audit at the January meeting and the 2023/24 audit at the April meeting.

Bohannon reported that a June 12 sewer leak at the 6A lift station near Bass Lake had been fixed for $18,647.

The board tabled a revised job description for the director of operations so it could be amended and approved a revised description for the patrol officer position. Morris reported that a fourth officer is poised to join the district in August.

Murieta Village resident Dale Schell protested the district’s decision not to fix a water line at his rental, arguing that it was not a private line as claimed. 

Maybee said he would discuss the issue with Morris and have staff schedule a meeting with Schell.

The board’s next regular meeting is slated for Aug. 21.