Water

Under a "worst-case" scenario considered by Community Service District committees,  water, sewer and security rates will be going up in the 2010-2011 budget and probably over each of the next five years. In addition to increased costs for everything from dam inspections to chemicals, the district is dealing with unexpected repairs caused by aging infrastructure and budgeting for an overhaul of the water treatment plant in 2014, when the plant turns 40.  Read more »

The Rancho Murieta Community Services District held the first in a series of workshops last week to meet a state mandate to reduce water use 20 percent by 2020 and to update the community’s water master plan. In the coming months, the CSD will look at the effect of climate change and drought scenarios on the reliability of the community’s water supply and consider ways the community can use water more efficiently.  Read more »

The boards of the Rancho Murieta Association and the Community Services District set goals in January. But unlike the RMA’s goals to move forward with remodeling the North Gate and improve the cable system, the CSD’s goals won’t be achieved this year. Instead, the CSD is looking at developing a five-year financial plan that takes into account aging infrastructure, a state mandate to reduce water usage, and regulatory requirements that increase the district’s reporting and compliance responsibilities for sewer maintenance and storm drainage.  Read more »

The presentation of an independent peer review of infrastructure planning for the water and wastewater needs of future development took place at the Rancho Murieta Community Services District board meeting Wednesday before a small audience of development critics and county officials. The peer review examines water, wastewater and drought planning studies the CSD prepared between 1990 and 2007. When the Sacramento County Board of Supervisors authorized the review in September 2007, it was described as a possible beginning for a master plan update that would determine how many new homes Rancho Murieta could accommodate.  Read more »

The Rancho Murieta Community Services District board voted Wednesday night to spend up to $20,000 to complete flood-plain mapping Sacramento County began a year ago. Without the maps, more than 300 households behind the community's levees would be faced with the prospect of buying flood insurance at an estimated cost of  $500 to $1,000.  Read more »

Deciding it’s not needed now, the Rancho Murieta Community Services District board of directors voted not to proceed with a permit that would allow treated wastewater to be discharged into the Cosumnes River. The permit would be used as a last resort to get rid of excess wastewater storage and prevent an overflow during the wet-weather months, General Manager Ed Crouse said at the beginning of the board discussion at last week’s meeting.  Read more »

Like last month’s Community Services District board meeting, this month’s lasted less than an hour. In that time, the board adopted a sewer management plan required by a regulatory agency and set the stage for considering whether to pursue a wastewater discharge permit that’s been described as an insurance policy for the district.  Read more »

The Rancho Murieta Community Services District board of directors Wednesday afternoon approved spending $16,965 to have a consultant create an operations manual to explain facilities, policies and procedures for recycled water it provides to the Country Club.  Read more »

The Rancho Murieta Community Services District is moving ahead on two fronts to manage the recycled wastewater it supplies to the Country Club for the golf courses. An operating manual will spell out the responsibilities of the club and the CSD, and a permit could become an insurance policy for disposing of excess wastewater.  Read more »

The Rancho Murieta Community Services District board made it clear at Wednesday night’s meeting that the board is, at least for now, dropping the idea of using tiered pricing to drive conservation of water.  Read more »