Politics & Government
Ramona Water Board Moves Ahead with Solar Installation Plans
The board accepts a plan that suggests a savings of $2.5 million at the two water reclamation plants over the next 20 years.
Ramona Municipal Water District board of directors accepted a proposal from a European-based company to install solar panels at the district’s two water reclamation plants.
The company, Siliken, has its North American headquarters in Carlsbad. U.S. General Manager Scott Sporrer and Kevin Davis, director of engineering, gave a presentation at the water board meeting on April 12.
Davis said several locations at the water reclamation plants were tested to determine the right spot for the solar panels.
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Once the panels are in use, the estimated savings is approximately $1,347,559 in energy costs over the 20-year term of the agreement with Siliken.
Siliken has offered a price reduction for the Santa Maria plant. This computes to an additional savings of approximately $273,984 to RMWD taxpayers, according to district counsel Sophie Akins. The total cost savings will be approximately $2.5 million, Akins added.
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Prior to the presentation from the Siliken representatives, Akins gave a brief history of the solar project, which dates back to March 2010.
In other business, the board denied a request from Janet and Robert Neal that a fire code requirement for an automatic sprinkler system for their remodeled home be waived.
The fire code calls for sprinklers to be installed when the addition is more than 50 percent of the existing building. The Neals’ house was remodeled by an increase of 79 percent, including an attached garage, according to the information presented.
The Neals stated in a letter to the board that they were not aware the garage would be included in the allotted percentage for a remodel. They also stated the house, on Highway 67, is close to Ramona Fire Station No. 82 on Dye Road.
“You can literally see the fire station from our back porch,” the Neals wrote. “Fire response time should be very minimal for this location.”
Board members, however, remarked that the need for the sprinkler system should have been noted by the county building inspector before the remodeling reached the final stages of construction. They also said it is the property owners’ responsibility to make sure the contractors are following the code requirements.
