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District Facilities to be Upgraded Board To Consider New Rate Schedule for 2008 A recently completed independent engineering evaluation of San Juan Water District’s water distribution system indicated an estimated $24 million is necessary to rehabilitate or improve the facilities and increase water supply reliability. Many of the facilities are approaching the end of their useful lives and are scheduled to be replaced. At a public hearing on August 8, the district’s board of directors will consider a new rate schedule that is proposed to help fund needed replacements and rehabilitation. If approved, the new rate schedule will take effect on January 1, 2008. Water facilities necessary to meet the needs of growth are paid for by new development, not existing customers. The district takes rate increases seriously and works hard to limit them. The 2007 rate increase was approved only after careful consideration and analysis of various factors, such as the need for upgrading and replacing aging facilities to continue providing our customers with reliable service and high-quality water. Questions about how your rates will be impacted? Contact us.
Here’s a brief look at some of the Capital Improvement Program (CIP) projects to be paid for with funds from the approved rate increase: Miner’s Ravine Mainline Replacement (Spring 2008) An important 14-inch diameter water distribution main that that currently crosses the creek within the creek bed is exposed to potential damage and will be relocated above the flood line by placing it on the new bridge being contructed by Placer County on Barton Road. Design for this project is complete and construction is anticipated to begin by May 2008 with project completion by Fall of 2008. There will be some anticipated traffic delays during this construction and our customers are advised to check the Placer County Department of Public Works website (http://www.placer.ca.gov/departments/works.aspx) for further information on the bridge project and the potential traffic access impacts. Auburn-Folsom Road Water Main (Spring-Summer-Fall 2008) In cooperation with Placer County, a large 24-inch diameter water transmission main will be installed by San Juan Water District under Auburn-Folsom Road during construction of the road widening project. This pipeline, when complete, will significantly improve water delivery and firefighting capability of a relatively large portion of SJWD's Retail Service Area (well over 50% of the water service connections). This project is being constructed in phases with the first phase of construction scheduled for 2008. If all goes well, it is probable that the second phase of the pipeline along with the planned new booster pumping station (see below) will be designed in 2008, constructed in 2009 and ready to go into service by 2010. Entrance Landscaping Improvements Project (Spring-Summer 2008) In the interest of improving the delineation of the entrance roadway for the District's water treatment and administrative offices property on Auburn-Folsom Road, a landscaping project is planned to enhance traffic safety. This project will include the planting of some shrubs and trees along the entrance roadway and the installation of a few new concrete curbed planter areas; all to help direct traffic flow between the new entrance gate (at Pinebrook Drive) and the District's Administrative office. All of the newly planted landscaping and irrigation facilities will comply with the current guidelines for water use conservation. Wholesale Metering Improvements Project (Summer 2008-Spring 2009) Installation of a few new flowmeters and replacement o some existing older flow meters is planned for the wholesale transmission piping system. This project will improve the Districts ability to better verify water deliveries to each of the wholesale member agencies (Citrus Heights Water District, City of Folsom, Fair Oaks Water District and Orangevale Water Company; and also our seasonal deliveries to Sacramento Suburban Water District). This project includes improvements to 33 meter sites at various locations throughout the wholesale service area. Golden Gate Avenue - West Phase 8" Water Main Replacement Project (Summer 2008) Approximately 1,350 lineal feet of new water main will be installed in Golden Gate Avenue betweenExcelsior and Peerless Avenue to replace existing old, leaky, steel water main. The replacement of this water main will eliminate the currently excessiveleakage and result in significant water loss reduction in this area of the distribution system. As part of this project the District will replace an existing wharf hydrant with a current standard wet-barrel fire hydrant and will add an additional new hydrant along the roadway; thereby improving fire safetycapacity for our cutomers in this project area. Treatment Plant Chlorine System Improvements Project (Summer 2008-Spring 2009) A new chlorine treatment system, housed in a new building will be constructed to update the existing chlorine disinfection system that was originally built in 1977. This new water disinfection treatment system will result in a safer working condition for the treatment plant operations personnel. Raw Water Transmission Pipeline Improvements Project (Summer 2008-Spring 2009) The existing raw water transmission main that conveys untreated, raw water from Folsom Lake to the District’s water treatment plant will be rehabilitated by relining the interior of the pipeline, and a new pipeline will also be constructed adjacent to the existing pipeline. This project will result in a redundant supply pipeline in the event that either of the pipelines needs to be taken out of service for maintenance or repair in the future. Treatment Plant Hydraulics Improvements Project (Summer 2007-Fall 2009) Improvements to the existing yard piping at the treatment plant are planned to eliminate a few of the “bottlenecks” in the current piping layout. This project will facilitate laying the groundwork to prepare the treatment plant for the currently planned future expansions. Groundwater Supply Investigation Project (Summer 2007-Fall 2009) District personnel, with assistance from a local hydrogeologic firm, are investigating the possibility of extracting groundwater from new well locations within or adjacent to the District’s Retail Service Area. The purpose of this project will be to augment water availability in emergencies and/or dry weather years when our water supply from the American River through Folsom Reservoir may be curtailed due to limited rainfall and snowpack. This project is intended to help protect our customers from the effects of extreme drought conditions, and to assist with the regional water supply and conjunctive use planning efforts that the District is involved in with the neighboring water purveyors. Other Improvement Projects (planned for Summer 2009) There are other, somewhat minor, capital improvement project being planned for construction this year including, the Park Vista Main Replacement Project, the Folsom to Bentley Main Replacement Project, the Erwin Avenue Main Replacement Project, the Central Ave Main Replacement Project, and service line replacement projects for Stevens Avenue, Golden Gate Avenue, and Cavitt-Stallman Road. Your District personnel are working hard to ensure that your investments in the water facilities that serve you are accomplished in a prudent and cost-effective manner. We continuously research and fine-tune the operation of our existing facilities, as well as plan and implement the possible options and alternatives to maintain and improve service while keeping a focus on minimizing the impact on the cost of water service. San Juan Water District always welcomes customer inquiries for any of the above-mentioned projects. If you have any questions regarding any of these listed projects please do not hesitate to contact the Engineering Services Department by phone or e-mail.
SJWD continually reminds its customers to keep their service boxes clear for a number of reasons, the most important of which is that root intrusion from trees and shrubs break the water line and service box and cause dramatic damage and inconvenient water outages. Simply because the roots and pipes are out of sight does not mean they should be out of mind. As a perfect example of that, take a look at the photo above. As you can see, the tree root has actually overcome the service line. In this case, the root ruptured the water line and it had to be replaced. To prevent this from happening at your home, be sure to keep your service box clear of landscaping! We recommend that trees not be planted within 10 feet of service boxes and service lines.
The district’s new entrance at the intersection of Pinebrook Drive and Auburn-Folsom Road is now open, providing more convenience and easier, safer access to customers and other district visitors. Please note that the bill payment box is now located at the new entrance. At San Juan Water District, helping customers find simple ways to use water efficiently is a priority. That’s why we have a number of rebates available to customers who install water efficient equipment and appliances in and around their homes.* Listed below are some of the rebates we offer. If you think you might qualify, click here for more information.
Please note: to qualify for any rebate (other than for toilet replacement), customers must agree to a free indoor water audit or a free landscape irrigation review by certified SJWD staff before any improvements are made. Call 916-791-2663 to schedule. Toilet rebates do not require an indoor water audit. Metered water rates went into effect more than a year ago for all San Juan Water District customers. Since then, the district has been working hard to help customers save water, which helps reduce water bills.
Since metered billing went into effect, district staff have helped locate nearly 400 leaks that were wasting customers’ water and money. During a two-month period:
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