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Politics & Government

Water Tank at Mt. Woodson Leaking Since 2008; Backup Power Study for Poway Pump Station

Water district directors urge staff to fix the leak and approve a study on emergency power backup for Poway Pump Station.

The water storage tank in the Mount Woodson area has been leaking since Ramona Municipal Water District (RMWD) first acquired it in 2008 and the board of directors wants to speed up the process for getting it fixed.

“It has leaked intermittently over the years,” General Manager David Barnum announced at the RMWD board meeting on Nov. 22. “It’s not a lot of water but it is the expectation of this agency to get what we pay for and we didn’t pay for  a tank that leaks even a little bit.”

Barnum assured the directors the contractor will “provide us with a solution to the leaking tank.” He said if the tank needs to be drained to make repairs, there will not be any interruption in service to district customers.  

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The problem seems to stem from bolts needing to be tightened to stop minor leaks. When that happens, another leak will appear elsewhere. The tank is galvanized and has synthetic rubber-based gaskets.

“The gasket material used is common to this situation,” the district’s engineering consultant Mike Metts said. “Eventually it will get fixed. This is an issue with bolted tanks. It’s not uncommon.”

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Boulder Tank was installed in the Mount Woodson area and provides water for 200 district customers. It holds 900,000 gallons of water and is considered one of the smaller tanks in the district. Barnum called the area where the tank was installed “a difficult location." The decision was made at that time to use a bolted tank that would be easier to install.

Directors stressed giving a timeline to the contractor for remedying the problem.

“Repair efforts up to this point have been kind of piecemeal,” director Kit Kesinger said. “It could affect the entire tank and could necessitate requiring repair of the entire gaskets.”

The tank has not yet been accepted by the district and will not be accepted until all leaks are repaired, according to Metts. Sophie Akins, district counsel, said if an agreement is not reached, the district should consider filing a complaint with the contractor, Orion Construction Corporation, of Vista.

The directors voted unanimously, with board president Brian Wadlington not in attendance, for the district to enter into a “tolling agreement” with Orion. What that means, Barnum explained following the meeting, is waiving the right by both parties to claim litigation because of the expiration of the statute of limitations.

In other business, Barnum recommended the district hire DE Solutions, of Encinitas, to conduct a study on the options for power reliability and potential energy savings at the Poway Pump Station. The cost of the study is not to exceed $4,500.

The directors agreed with Barnum and voted unanimously to enter into the agreement. The study will be brought back to the board in two months.

The study will look at ways to keep the pump station running in the event of an emergency, such as the county-wide black out in September and the Witch Creek Fire in 2007. Both times, the pump station shut down due to lack of electricity and could have caused Ramona to be without water for an undetermined amount of time.

The options to be considered by DE Solutions include: a permanent diesel generator; natural gas engine-driven water pumps; and a natural gas generator set, referred to as “COGEN.”

The Poway Pump Station is responsible for pumping water uphill to Ramona through a 1,000-foot pipeline.

“When you go down to the Poway Pump Station, it’s amazing how they get water up to Ramona,” director Darrell Beck said. “This is a very worthwhile project.”

The board also unanimously accepted the annual audit for the 2010-11 fiscal year. Director Joe Zenovic, who is treasurer, complimented Barnum on the work he performed as the district’s chief financial officer.

Barnum moved into the position of general manager two months ago. As assistant general manager for six months before that, Barnum performed his new duties as well as those required for the financial department.

The audit, performed by Hosaka, Rotherham & Company in San Diego, shows the district received an “unqualified opinion,” which means the district is in compliance with local, state and federal requirements.

“For the first time in several years, the district is in a better cash process,” Barnum said. “Finances and revenues are up, costs are down. We’re in a better cash position.”

The Dec. 13 meeting of the board of directors will include a public hearing for the preliminary 2010 Urban Water Management Plan. The meeting begins at 4:30 p.m. at Ramona Community Center, 434 Aqua Lane.

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