The truth about Eldorado water problem

Mary Raynard |

6/29/2008 - 6/29/08

Good Grief! Even the title "My View" doesn't give license to publish a lot of baloney and call it information! Let's correct some of the most egregious errors in Alan Questel's June 22 My View, "Eldorado's water muddle."

Assertion: Two leaks at well No. 9 spilled more than 10 million gallons of water.

Truth: Yes, there were two leaks that spilled water — estimated between
1.5 and 2 million gallons. I'm not sure where Mr. Questel's numbers came from. The real numbers come from measuring the amount of water pumped out of the ground and the amount that passes through the meters. The difference is the amount that is lost.

Assertion: Dos Griegos had to have bottled water brought in because they ran out of water as a result of the leaks.

Truth: One of the tanks drained dangerously low because of a failed booster pump. Operations Management International, which operates the system for the Eldorado Area Water and Sanitation District, responded immediately (on a Saturday), brought staff in and had pumping resumed within four hours. Residents were asked to boil water as a precautionary measure until the water could be re-tested for safety. Bottled water was delivered by OMI as a courtesy. The water was re-tested and was fine.

Assertion: The free water we get from Galisteo Basin has all been lost.

Truth: Although the State Engineer controls how much can be used, all the water the district pumps is free. It comes from several different aquifers. Who would we pay for it? But pumping the water, treating, storing and distributing the water and maintaining the infrastructure required to do all of those things — that all costs money. We didn't spill "free" water, which now must be replaced by "costly" water.

Assertion: Leaks are found by customers instead of OMI.

Truth: Yes, ratepayers help by alerting OMI to problems. OMI staff have also identified leaks.

Assertion: We are remaining at Stage 2 in spite of full tanks because the board does not want to lose face and is putting its interests before the community's.

Truth: The stages are determined based on tank levels and what we know to be normal usage, based on historical data. It is a calculation that is reviewed routinely — weekly or even daily, as now — by the water board. During periods where there is high fire danger, like now, the tanks must be kept full enough to respond to fire.

This particular assertion is not just a lie, it is offensive. In all my time in Eldorado, both when I served on the board and when I did not, I have never known the board to hide from or misrepresent the truth. When a mistake has been made, the board has owned up to it. Saving face is just not an issue.

Assertion: We should build backup wells for all our current wells, which would be easily permitted and would only cost $175,000 each.

Truth: The cost is only about half what we saw as estimates for drilling and equipping well No. 17, and I don't think anything has gotten less expensive in the last two years. The assumption about wells being easily permitted is dangerously wrong.

Assertion: A plan must be undertaken to regularly inspect all the wells and valves.

Truth: The operating wells are inspected daily. A well rehabilitation and maintenance program is in place and in progress. A leak detection test program for the entire system was conducted last year. A system-wide engineering study is in progress. A system-wide mapping program is in progress.

I hope I've made the point that there is a whole lot of mis- and dis-information being trumpeted as the truth. Don't believe it. Maybe it's well-intended and maybe it's not.

The water district is a community enterprise; if there are problems, they are community problems and they require community solutions. Because the board is contending with protests, questions about the rate increase, permitting the new well and managing the system, I expect they need the community's help to develop and implement same. Anyone who would like to help please e-mail me at mcharlotte@
comcast.net.

Mary Raynard is a concerned resident of Eldorado.