Editor’s note: The following is submitted article, reprinted with permission from Jim Shields, editor and publisher of the Mendocino County Observer, and district manager for the Laytonville County Water District. Listen to his radio program “This and That,” Sat. at 12 p.m. on KPFN 105.1 FM, streamed live at www.kpfn.org. The opinions expressed here Shields’ and do not necessarily reflect those of Mendo Voice. You can read more from Shields here.
LAYTONVILLE, 8/25/20 — I only have time for a very short report on our water shortage emergency because we literally just completed the repairs, installed new laterals in the filter vessel, loaded in 13.25 tons of new media, and then spent the last 48 hours breaking in the media with numerous backwashes.
The Water Shortage Emergency Order will remain in effect for a short time longer until we can boost capacity in our storage tanks to safe firefighting levels. The important development is that we will be producing water with both filters operating as designed.
The actual emergency lasted exactly one month, from July 25 to August 25. Our original estimation of installing the new laterals, loading the new media, and bringing the plant fully back on line within two to four weeks proved accurate.
We had a good plan, that included issuing the Emergency Order, getting out reports and updates to the public keeping them informed on what was happening, monitoring compliance with the water conservation regs, completing our pre-repair work, and bringing in extra help to load the media this past Saturday — a great work crew of locals by the way.
I want to remind everybody that under our current, permanent water conservation policy, no outdoor irrigation/can occur durring the hours of 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Likewise, bulk water haulers are currently prohibited from taking water 7 days a week during the hours of 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Speaking for the District, I want to thank our many customers and ratepayers who have been complying with the existing conservation order, we truly appreciate you.
Will customers be reimbursed for their individual home water filters that were clogged due to the Laytonville Water District’s gross mismanagement?
Will customers be reimbursed for their individual home water filters that were clogged due to the Laytonville Water District’s gross mismanagement?
Jim Shields drains every fire hydrant in Laytonville once a week wasting thousands of gallons each week. Cities test fire hydrants once a year. He has nothing else to do but waste water. The water trucks take thousands and thousands of water from the fire station for free and go sell it to marijuana farmers. Laytonville water shortage is self inflicted.