Update on TKWC Short & Intermediate-term Actions

In an effort to keep homeowners informed regarding the well issues faced by our Water Company I wanted to provide a quick update on the current situation.

First, we are likely to be cited this week for the uranium levels on Well #3 and will have to shut it down. At that point, we will only have one operational well until we get the uranium treatment in place for wells #2 & #3, which is currently on schedule for the end of the month (fingers crossed we get the necessary State approvals).

Suffice to say this is a somewhat precarious situation.

Second, the emergency inter-tie we have with STPUD is currently shut down until we install a backflow device. This issue came to light after a test of the inter-tie, that was completed a week or so ago, experienced a low-pressure event on the STPUD side. Regardless, the test confirmed STPUD’s inability to supply water through the inter-tie during peak times, as they had previously informed us.

So, once well #3 is shut down we will have no backup for the next couple of weeks until wells #2 & #3 come back online or the Lukins intertie is completed.

Third, the inter-tie with Lukins Brothers Water Company is now critical to provide some degree of redundancy given the STPUD inter-tie is out of action. The contract for this has been signed and we should have an estimate for completion shortly.

Fourth, our Oversight Subcommittee has been working on a proposal to allow homeowners to apply for a permit for an “on-property” water tank not connected to their irrigation without the need for a backflow device. The Board will review (and potentially approve) this on the 19th.

Fifth, the Oversight Subcommittee has looked into the feasibility of allowing drip irrigation in the short term. While this looks feasible, until wells #2 & #3 are back online it was felt to be too risky to allow this while we are down to only well #1. This is something that might be allowable come June but would present some risks and will need further exploration and discussion.

Sixth, our one remaining well #1 tested at 2.2 ppb (parts per billion) for PCE versus the MCL of 5.0 ppb…it is expected that with continued use and the low water levels that PCE levels will continue to climb, as we have experienced in the past years (we are continuing to test regularly). If we exceed 5.0 ppb then we have to shut it down forthwith…no four-quarter grace period. At the moment at least the levels are not outside what we have seen historically through the summer months.

That’s it for now. Our Water Company staff is working hard to get both the short-term filtration in place for wells #2 & #3 to ensure we have safe drinking water short-term.