RANCHO MURIETA, CA (MPG) - Residents served by the Rio Oso water system experienced several hours of low water pressure Sunday morning, Aug. 16 after a scheduled SMUD power outage revealed an unexpected failure in the Rancho Murieta Community Services District’s backup power system.

According to Interim Director of Operations Travis Bohannon, SMUD shut off power to the Rio Oso station at about 8:45 a.m. to perform scheduled transformer work. The district had received about two weeks’ notice of the outage and had tested its permanent generator beforehand, discovering it was not operating properly. A rental generator was brought in to provide backup power during the planned outage.

When SMUD cut power, however, the rental generator unexpectedly failed to start, causing the station’s pumps to shut down. 

As water system pressure dropped, customers in the Rio Oso service area experienced low water pressure until electrical service was restored and the pumps resumed normal operation. District staff later determined the rental generator’s battery had unexpectedly discharged. Replacement batteries were obtained before the second day of SMUD’s scheduled work, and staff planned to start the generator before the outage on Monday, Aug. 17, to ensure it was operating properly.

Bohannon also reported that the district’s permanent generator requires repairs after testing showed electrical panel components had failed. 

Because replacement parts are no longer available for the aging generator, the district has ordered a conversion kit expected to arrive within three to four weeks. 

Once installed, the repairs are expected to improve the reliability of the station’s backup power system.