Sutter Pointe water study ready Appeared in Appeal-Democrat 2010-05-08 The California Public Utilities Commission has released a draft environmental study on the proposed Golden State Water Co. project at Sutter Pointe. Golden State wants to provide water service to the Sutter Pointe development in south Sutter County, where an estimated 17,500 homes are to be built, with a projected population of nearly 47,000. The commission has prepared a focused tiered draft environmental impact report on the proposed water service, which will supply Sutter Pointe with 25,000 acre-feet of water annually. Public comment on the report is being accepted through June 14. The 284-page study is available at the Sutter County Library in Yuba City and online at www.cpuc.ca.gov/Environment/info/esa/gswc_sp/index.html. A public meeting is scheduled May 19 4-6 p.m. at the Veterans Memorial Community Building, 1425 Veterans Memorial Circle, Yuba City.   Several Northern California water transfers are ready to go, another was canceled By HEATHER HACKING - Staff Writer - Posted: 04/22/2010 12:00:00 AM PDT Water transfers from rice farmers along the Feather River to water users south of the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta are moving forward, with State Water Contractors' approval of deals that have been in the works for several months. Yet, transfers along the Sacramento River have been canceled due to recent rains, a higher allocation to water users south of the Delta and difficulty moving water through the water delivery system. Feather River (State Water Project, operated by the Department of Water Resources) Several districts got the go-ahead April 16 to sell water to water users along the State Water Project. Farmers who choose not to grow rice will receive $250 per acre-foot of water sold. Western Canal Water District, with headquarters in Nelson, has growers signed up to fallow land and transfer 17,000 acre-feet of water, said Western Canal Manager Ted Trimble. Richvale Irrigation District will be transferring about 16,500 acre-feet of water by not planting rice on about 5,000 acres, said Brad Mattson, Richvale's manager. Biggs West Gridley Water District will sell 13,000 acre-feet of water through land fallowing, said manager Karen Peters. Within Butte County, Measure G, passed in 1996, does not allow surface water to be sold and groundwater substituted without county approval. But those rules don't apply in other counties. Sutter Extension Water District, with headquarters in Yuba City, will be fallowing land to transfer 6,000 acre-feet of water. Groundwater substitution will add another 4,000 acre-feet at $225 an acre-foot, said manager Lynn Phillips. One acre-foot of water is 325,851 gallons, enough water to cover one acre of land with one foot of water. For purposes of water transfers, the Department of Water Resources allows rice growers to transfer 3.3 acre-feet of water per one acre of land not planted. However, depending on the soil type, rice growers might use more water than this when growing rice. Sacramento River (Central Valley Project, operated by the federal Bureau of Reclamation) Glenn-Colusa Irrigation District, with headquarters in Willows, had been prepared to move up to 20,000 acre-feet of water and substitute use of groundwater to grow crops. The sale price would have been $200 an acre-foot. However, Thad Bettner, Glenn- Colusa manager, said he received word Tuesday the deals had fallen through. Recent storms have meant an increase in allocation to irrigators south of the Delta to 30 percent. The Sacramento River, which is tied to the Central Valley Project, "has the lowest priority for conveyance through the Delta," Bettner explained. Feather River runs through the Delta through the State Water Project, and has a higher priority. Also, farmers along the Feather River can temporarily store water behind Lake Oroville. As of Wednesday, Lake Oroville was at 774.61 feet. The reservoir is full at 900 feet. Shasta Lake is much more full and storage space isn't available. "On the Sacramento River side, all transfers are off," Bettner said. Now farmers are waiting for the rain to stop. After fields dry out, the soil can be prepared for rice planting. Growers often get rice seed into flooded fields by mid-April. But with storms likely again early next week, it may be a while. Water transfers are a controversial subject to many people in the Northern Sacramento Valley. Barbara Vlamis, of the newly formed AquAlliance in Chico, said her ongoing concern with water transfers is there has never been an overall look at effects on groundwater supply, creeks and species dependent upon surface water. With water deals negotiated separately with district "how do you ever get a big picture view of what's happening?" Vlamis said. She'd like to see a more thorough mitigation and monitoring program. State water agency hit with violations in Oroville Dam accident Published Wednesday, Feb. 24, 2010 in the Sacramento Bee. Safety violations by the state Department of Water Resources caused an accident last year at Oroville Dam that injured five workers, according to an investigation by workplace safety officials. The California Occupational Safety and Health Administration found six violations that contributed to the July 22 accident, including five considered "serious." It levied fines totaling $141,375. The accident occurred when river outlet valves were opened inside the dam. The flow of water through giant tunnels caused a massive suction force that destroyed a steel bulkhead separating workers from the tunnel. Two workers were nearly sucked into the tunnel. They survived by clinging to a damaged railing that hung into the tunnel. One suffered a broken leg and arm and head trauma. Others had minor injuries. Water releases from Oroville – the state's second- largest reservoir, with a capacity of 3.5 million acre-feet – were curtailed much of the day in the aftermath. Officials said the dam's safety was never compromised. OSHA found, among other things, that an "energy dispersion ring" designed to eliminate the suction force had been removed two months earlier and never replaced. It also found that the dispersion ring was damaged in 1968 and never repaired. A UC Davis study in 1993 advised DWR that, as a result, flow through the valves should be "severely limited" for safety. Yet DWR officials told the employees on July 22 to open the valves all the way, and they were 80 percent open when the accident happened. DWR spokesman Ted Thomas declined to comment in detail on the investigation. "Our position is that the Cal/OSHA findings contain errors, and for that reason we have appealed," Thomas said. Oroville Dam is part of the State Water Project, funded entirely by water sales to contractor agencies. It provides water supply and flood protection. The probe also found that DWR failed to educate employees about hazards related to removal of the energy dispersion device. It changed relevant safety practices, but failed to train employees. There were also maintenance problems: Bolts securing the steel bulkhead separating workers from the water tunnel were corroded, and a vacuum alarm on the bulkhead was disconnected. IMPORTANT INFORMATION ABOUT YOUR DRINKING WATER CITY OF YUBA CITY GROUNDWATER REGION 3 (#5110003) HAS ARSENIC LEVELS ABOVE THE DRINKING WATER STANDARD - FOURTH CALENDAR QUARTER 2009 NOTICE The City of Yuba City Utilities Department is dedicated to providing high quality water and excellent customer service. We routinely monitor your drinking water to ensure compliance with all health standards. Based on the average of the last four quarters of testing, your drinking water (Region 3 Groundwater) exceeds the federal drinking water standard for arsenic. The City has already taken action to lower arsenic levels in your drinking water, but have not been able to lower it below the federal standard. While this is not an emergency, we want you to know what happened, what you should do and what we are doing to correct this situation. New Drinking Water Standard In January 2006, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) lowered the drinking water standard for arsenic, a naturally occurring compound in the local groundwater, from 50 parts per billion (ppb) to 10 parts per billion (ppb). Groundwater Treatment Plant #3, operated by the City of Yuba City Utilities Department, exceeded that new standard: * The current annual average arsenic concentration for Groundwater Treatment Plant #2, which operates year round, is 9.7 ppb. * The current annual average arsenic concentration for Groundwater Treatment Plant #3 is 13.8 ppb. This is above the USEPA standard, so you will be notified quarterly until the standard is met or your water source is converted to the City's surface water system. WHAT SHOULD YOU DO? * This is not an emergency. If it had been, you would have been notified immediately. However, some peope who drink water containing high levels of arsenic for many years may experience skin damage or ciculatroy system problems and may have an increased risk for cancer. * You do NOT need to use bottled water. * If you have specific health concerns, please consult your medical provider. What Steps Are We Taking? The City is always working to keep arsenic levels in compliance by adjusting treatment processes. The City expects to have Region 3 (area south of Lincoln Rd) permanently converted to Surface Water by Fall of 2010. Region 2 (area North of Lincoln Rd) is currently receiving and should continue to receive surface water until permanently being converted at the same time. See attached map. We will continue to rigorously monitor your water supply to ensure it meets federal and state drinking water standards and keep our customers informed. Notices similar to this one will be sent to customers every 3 months until your drinking water is in full compliance with the arsenic standard. FOR MORE INFORMATION * Contact Water Treatment Plant Supervisor John Westhouse at (530) 822-4637. * For questions about general water safety standards, contact the Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) Safe Drinking Water Hotline (1-800-426-4791). * Find more informaiton about arsenic rule compliance on the EPA Web site: http://www.epa.gov/safewater/arsenic/compliance.html * Visit our website at http://www.yubacity.net/utiltiies/hillcreat-surface-water.htm and see Hillcrest Water Conversion Schedlule January 26, 2010 Ad #00091078 - Appeared in: Appeal Democrat on Tuesday, 01/26/2010 Science panel's review of California water woes prompts fight IT'S POLITICAL, SAY CRITICS; FARMERS CALL EFFORT VITAL Published Thursday, Jan. 21, 2010 in the Sacramento Bee An elite science panel's work to clarify California's water problems has become, instead, the latest front in a battle over the Delta's endangered species. Experts on the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta say political meddling prompted the review by the National Academy of Sciences. It risks becoming a "sideshow," they say, that could delay real solutions to California's water woes. Water agencies, on the other hand, say the review is essential to ensure California is on the right path because the economic stakes are so high. The panel appointed by the academy, the nation's most esteemed science body, meets for five days starting Sunday at the University of California, Davis. It is charged with examining rules adopted by federal wildlife agencies to protect imperiled Delta fish species. The panel's recommendations, expected in two phases over 2 1/2 years, carry no legal weight. But they could be the impetus for new regulation, lawsuits, or both. U.S. Sen. Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif., asked for the review in response to requests from San Joaquin Valley farmers, including Stewart Resnick, owner of agriculture giant Paramount Farms. Resnick's Sept. 4 letter to Feinstein asserts that "sloppy science" contributed to the new water and species protections. Resnick and other major water users in the San Joaquin Valley criticize the fish protections, imposed under the Endangered Species Act. They have sued and mounted public relations battles to avoid giving up water to help fish. Several scientists who are experts on the Delta, however, charge that the review was prompted by political pressure from water users rather than a quest for truth. Jeffrey Mount, a geology professor at UC Davis and nationally known expert on the Delta, believes the academy was asked to get involved simply because "people of great influence" don't like the rules. "It's not a wise use of the National Academy of Sciences, in my opinion," said Mount, who served on a prior academy panel that examined Klamath River issues. "It will become a sideshow. We are setting a bad precedent that will stretch well beyond the Delta." Holly Doremus, professor of environmental law at the University of California, Berkeley, said many critics fail to understand that perfect science is not in the Endangered Species Act's mandate. It does not, for example, require the government to guarantee that its rules will save the fish. "Lots of people are uncomfortable with uncertain science," said Doremus, who served on two prior academy panels. "The water users really want to know that when they're giving up water, the fish will be saved. And that's an assurance that just can't be provided." The academy panel can recommend science-based solutions that can't be attained under the law, an outcome that could complicate California's work on its water problems, Mount and Doremus said. The rules, called biological opinions, are adopted by federal wildlife agencies, which set limits on reservoir operations and Delta water diversions to protect five species of native fish: steelhead, two runs of salmon, sturgeon and Delta smelt. Experts appointed to the academy panel will review decades of science to determine whether the Delta fish protections are justified. From fish behavior to urban water pollution and reservoir function, the panel must decide whether the rules are the best choices for the Delta estuary. Their review will cost an estimated $1.5 million, only half of which has been appropriated by Congress so far. The Delta's state and federal water diversion projects serve 25 million Californians and 2 million acres of farmland. This water demand has contributed to a steep ecological decline, pushing numerous fish species toward extinction. Water cutbacks triggered by the fish protections and drought last year idled nearly 300,000 acres of San Joaquin Valley farmland, a major blow to a region stressed by the poor economy. "I think it's just time for a really good, thorough look," said Bill Phillimore, executive vice president of Paramount Farms. "If you're taking actions that have a significant economic effect on employment numbers and people's lives, you ought to make very certain that you're right." Mount and other experts on the Delta, however, said the fish protections are rigorously tested science. They have already been reviewed by five independent science panels over the past 14 months. The academy review, they said, is likely to be redundant or could produce irrelevant information that derails ongoing efforts to solve California's water problems. "I would just describe this as sort of unfortunate meddling," said Bruce Herbold, a biologist at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency who has studied the Delta for two decades. "It strikes me as desperately hoping somebody will come up with some other conclusion." Of particular concern is the Bay Delta Conservation Plan, an effort to obtain Endangered Species Act approval for huge habitat and plumbing projects in the Delta. The academy review won't be done until 2012, a year after expected completion of the plan. This could cause the plan to be scrapped or redrawn, Mount and Herbold warned. Feinstein, in an e-mailed response to questions from The Bee, said the review will complement the Bay Delta Conservation Plan, not disrupt it. "I see no reason why anyone should be afraid of a scientific review by this highly respected body," she said. "I believe it is the key to making better and more informed decisions in the Delta." Water interests have attacked the biological opinions as flawed and filed multiple lawsuits to overturn them. The Coalition for a Sustainable Delta, a nonprofit that represents San Joaquin Valley irrigation districts, filed separate federal lawsuits against the smelt and salmon protections. A majority of the coalition's officers work for Resnick's Paramount Farms. "The science is so critical here that we have to ensure we get it right," said Michael Boccadoro, spokesman for the coalition. "Bringing in the highest science body in the nation to do that review is probably long overdue." In his letter to Feinstein, Resnick provided a list of questions, prepared by Phillimore, for the National Academy of Sciences to consider. Its official charge is little changed from that list. But most of these questions, Mount and Herbold noted, have already been asked and answered in previous independent science reviews. For example, water agencies bitterly oppose an order for more freshwater outflow through the Delta in the fall to benefit smelt. This rule also limits Delta water exports. Two separate independent science panels have affirmed the importance of fall flows for Delta smelt. Yet the academy panel will take up fall flows again at Feinstein's request. "I really don't know what we're going to get from this (academy review) that's likely to be spectacularly different from what we've got now," Mount said. Mid-Valley Briefs - Appeal-Democrat  -  2009-12-31 22:19:58 Yuba City Water main work closing Clark Avenue A section of Clark Avenue near Yuba City High School in Yuba City is closed to through traffic through Jan. 10 while a new water main is installed. Work on the section, between B Street and Franklin Avenue, is being done while school is not in session. Classes at the high school begin Jan. 11. Through traffic is being detoured onto B Street and Gray and Franklin avenues and local access is still available to the high school. Waterline installation on B Street, between Clark and Cooper avenues, was completed Dec. 24. For more information, visit http://www.yubacity.net/construction/contract-09-05.htm or contact the Yuba City Public Works Department at 822-4626. Sutter County adopts rule for water in landscaping By Howard Yune/Appeal-Democrat  -  2009-12-29 23:13:58 Water conservation plans will be required for future homes and lawns in much of Sutter County — despite leaders' complaints the state has forced their hands in the matter. An ordinance demanding water efficiency and irrigation plans for many landscaping projects larger than 2,500 square feet won the Board of Supervisors' approval Tuesday and takes effect on Friday. But the 4-1 vote was a largely grudging one, marked by board members' about state intrusion into local affairs. "We had no way of going to the public, no time to get people's perceptions, to see how (the costs) affect businesses and communities," said Jim Whiteaker, the only supervisor to vote against the law. "The state's gonna do what the state's gonna do, but as a county we shouldn't be accepting this." The water ordinance brings Sutter County in line with Assembly Bill 1881, a state efficiency law that takes effect Friday. New homes or rebuilding projects would require the owner to file a landscaping and irrigation plan — usually involving a drip irrigation system — with the county to prove compliance with water consumption limits before gaining a building permit. The ordinance applies to newly landscaped areas 2,500 square feet or larger, outside homes and public buildings. Future homes are the main target of the law, which does not apply to existing homes except when the owner replants more than 5,000 square feet at a time. Builders and homeowners in Yuba City and Live Oak — home to the bulk of county residents — will be subject to city, not county, water efficiency codes. Stimulus funds drill wells as Calif water vanishes This story appeared in Sacramento Bee Associated Press Writer - Published Wednesday, Dec. 16, 2009 DOS PALOS, Calif. -- The government is spending $40 million in federal stimulus funds to pull water from underground aquifers in drought-stricken California, even as evidence is growing that the well-drilling boom could degrade the quality of water delivered to millions of residents. Farmers, conservationists and engineers are criticizing the Interior Department's plan to spend taxpayer money on digging more wells, saying the approach risks marring the environment. Canals buckle, aquifers collapse and drinking water turns saltier due to so much pumping, and studies show that the state's water supplies are dwindling. "We don't need any more straws going down there 'cause we're already doing a pretty good job of sucking it dry," said farmer Dan Errotabere, who has dug three wells as deep as 1,200 feet to irrigate his tomatoes, almonds and garlic in recent years. "We're using this water as a last resort, but pretty soon we're going to need a policy to protect ourselves from ourselves." Interior Secretary Ken Salazar says the government is targeting its well-drilling effort to serve remote communities and prop up California's agricultural economy, a $36 billion industry that grows nearly half the country's fruits, nuts and vegetables. "The role of the federal government is to provide a helping hand. But the federal government can't solve the water problems," Salazar said as he sampled sliced cantaloupe with local farmers several weeks ago. "California water issues are a big mess and have been a big mess for a long time." Since the drought began in 2006, hundreds of new wells have been drilled and are pumping around the clock in the state, tapping aquifers that date to the days of the dinosaurs. In the last six years alone, the amount of water that has been lost from the aquifers coursing beneath the parched Central Valley would be nearly enough to fill the nation's largest reservoir, Nevada's Lake Mead, NASA researchers said Monday. Salazar announced in July the department would send emergency drought aid from President Barack Obama's stimulus package to drill and renovate up to 135 wells. The total number has dropped since then, and authorities are still drawing up plans about how and where to drill. The money will go to dig up to 50 new wells, retrofit up to 40 old ones and install temporary pipes and pumps to move water to crops and orchards, federal officials said. More than $2 million of the funds will be used for monitoring the real-time ecological impacts of wells in sensitive areas, and proposed new wells will undergo environmental review. While everyone agrees the state's aquifers are quickly being drawn down, no California or federal rules govern how much water can be pumped out. Driven by a similar set of concerns, other Western states have set up laws to limit pumping. Dennis Freeman, who oversees a main canal that irrigates the valley's farm fields, says even without government-financed wells, it is already costing millions to fix the damage wrought by decades of pumping. "There's no doubt about it, the canal is sinking," he said, gesturing at cracked and buckled concrete panels lining the structure's edge. "There's more wells going in, because our growers gotta get water to their crops. But we're always concerned about the effect that will have." Federal officials also are monitoring whether pumping could cause the California Aqueduct to sink, slowing deliveries of drinking water to millions of Southern Californians and forcing costly repairs. Another concern is the quality of water. The federal and state governments allow landowners with wells on their property to swap their underground water for higher-quality canal water. The brackish groundwater is then pumped into an aqueduct that supplies cities, farms and industry to the south, but that causes what comes out of the tap to grow saltier. The saltier water is expected to cause $18 million in long-term economic damages in those areas, such as problems with water recycling plants and the deterioration of appliances. Salazar, a former rancher and environmental lawyer, told California farmers the wells and other taxpayer-funded projects would help their businesses stay alive. "I've watched acres of our land dry up. I've gone to the bank with my brothers and not been able to get financing myself," he said. "You're all wondering what is your future in 30 years, and I know there's a lot of pain right now." Despite recent storms, the pain is not expected to let up anytime soon. Last month, the Department of Water Resources announced it would release a record-low amount of water to farmers and urban dwellers next year, a response to dry weather and environmental protections for a native fish in the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta. As the state struggles to find a solution, even federal water managers are discussing whether this small portion of the $787 billion economic stimulus bill could aggravate the problem. "It keeps coming up in conversation, because we know the more active wells there are, the more these concerns come to the surface," said Michael Jackson, the Bureau of Reclamation's area manager for south central California. More Complaints About Flood Insurance Overcharges In Sutter County By: Chris Gilbert  -  Appeal-Democrat  -  December 14, 2009 MORE CALLS ARE COMING IN REGARDING FLOOD INSURANCE OVERCHARGES IN SUTTER COUNTY. A NEWS RELEASE STATED ON FRIDAY THAT FOUR PROPERTY OWNERS HAD COMPLAINED OVER THE LAST MONTH OR SO. BUT SINCE THAT INFORMATION CAME OUT, THE COUNTY GOT FOUR MORE CALLS JUST THIS (MON.) MORNING. WATER RESOURCES CHIEF DAN PETERSON SAYS IT MAY BE THAT THIRD PARTIES HIRED BY INSURANCE COMPANIES ARE INACCURATELY PLACING PROPERTY OWNERS IN A SPECIAL FLOOD HAZARD AREA. THAT WOULD MEAN RATES OF 17-HUNDRED DOLLARS A YEAR. HE'S URGING ANYONE WITH BILLS OVER 400 DOLLARS TO CALL 822-3299 FOR ASSISTANCE.     Millions in U.S. Drink Dirty Water, Records Show By CHARLES DUHIGG More than 20 percent of the nation’s water treatment systems have violated key provisions of the Safe Drinking Water Act over the last five years, according to a New York Times analysis of federal data. That law requires communities to deliver safe tap water to local residents. But since 2004, the water provided to more than 49 million people has contained illegal concentrations of chemicals like arsenic or radioactive substances like uranium, as well as dangerous bacteria often found in sewage. Regulators were informed of each of those violations as they occurred. But regulatory records show that fewer than 6 percent of the water systems that broke the law were ever fined or punished by state or federal officials, including those at the Environmental Protection Agency, which has ultimate responsibility for enforcing standards. Studies indicate that drinking water contaminants are linked to millions of instances of illness within the United States each year. In some instances, drinking water violations were one-time events, and probably posed little risk. But for hundreds of other systems, illegal contamination persisted for years, records show. On Tuesday, the Senate Environment and Public Works committee will question a high-ranking E.P.A. official about the agency’s enforcement of drinking-water safety laws. The E.P.A. is expected to announce a new policy for how it polices the nation’s 54,700 water systems. “This administration has made it clear that clean water is a top priority,” said an E.P.A. spokeswoman, Adora Andy, in response to questions regarding the agency’s drinking water enforcement. The E.P.A. administrator, Lisa P. Jackson, this year announced a wide-ranging overhaul of enforcement of the Clean Water Act, which regulates pollution into waterways. “The previous eight years provide a perfect example of what happens when political leadership fails to act to protect our health and the environment,” Ms. Andy added. Water pollution has become a growing concern for some lawmakers as government oversight of polluters has waned. Senator Barbara Boxer, Democrat of California, in 2007 asked the E.P.A. for data on Americans’ exposure to some contaminants in drinking water. The New York Times has compiled and analyzed millions of records from water systems and regulators around the nation, as part of a series of articles about worsening pollution in American waters, and regulators’ response. An analysis of E.P.A. data shows that Safe Drinking Water Act violations have occurred in parts of every state. In the prosperous town of Ramsey, N.J., for instance, drinking water tests since 2004 have detected illegal concentrations of arsenic, a carcinogen, and the dry cleaning solvent tetrachloroethylene, which has also been linked to cancer. In New York state, 205 water systems have broken the law by delivering tap water that contained illegal amounts of bacteria since 2004. However, almost none of those systems were ever punished. Ramsey was not fined for its water violations, for example, though a Ramsey official said that filtration systems have been installed since then. In New York, only three water systems were penalized for bacteria violations, according to federal data. The problem, say current and former government officials, is that enforcing the Safe Drinking Water Act has not been a federal priority. “There is significant reluctance within the E.P.A. and Justice Department to bring actions against municipalities, because there’s a view that they are often cash-strapped, and fines would ultimately be paid by local taxpayers,” said David Uhlmann, who headed the environmental crimes division at the Justice Department until 2007. “But some systems won’t come into compliance unless they are forced to,” added Mr. Uhlmann, who now teaches at the University of Michigan law school. “And sometimes a court order is the only way to get local governments to spend what is needed.” A half-dozen current and former E.P.A. officials said in interviews that they tried to prod the agency to enforce the drinking-water law, but found little support. “I proposed drinking water cases, but they got shut down so fast that I’ve pretty much stopped even looking at the violations,” said one longtime E.P.A. enforcement official who, like others, requested anonymity for fear of reprisals. “The top people want big headlines and million-dollar settlements. That’s not drinking-water cases.” The majority of drinking water violations since 2004 have occurred at water systems serving fewer than 20,000 residents, where resources and managerial expertise are often in short supply. It is unclear precisely how many American illnesses are linked to contaminated drinking water. Many of the most dangerous contaminants regulated by the Safe Drinking Water Act have been tied to diseases like cancer that can take years to develop. But scientific research indicates that as many as 19 million Americans may become ill each year due to just the parasites, viruses and bacteria in drinking water. Certain types of cancer — such as breast and prostate cancer — have risen over the past 30 years, and research indicates they are likely tied to pollutants like those found in drinking water. The violations counted by the Times analysis include only situations where residents were exposed to dangerous contaminants, and exclude violations that involved paperwork or other minor problems. In response to inquiries submitted by Senator Boxer, the E.P.A. has reported that more than three million Americans have been exposed since 2005 to drinking water with illegal concentrations of arsenic and radioactive elements, both of which have been linked to cancer at small doses. In some areas, the amount of radium detected in drinking water was 2,000 percent higher than the legal limit, according to E.P.A. data. But federal regulators fined or punished fewer than 8 percent of water systems that violated the arsenic and radioactive standards. The E.P.A., in a statement, said that in a majority of situations, state regulators used informal methods — like providing technical assistance — to help systems that had violated the rules. But many systems remained out of compliance, even after aid was offered, according to E.P.A. data. And for over a quarter of systems that violated the arsenic or radioactivity standards, there is no record that they were ever contacted by a regulator, even after they sent in paperwork revealing their violations. Those figures are particularly worrisome, say researchers, because the Safe Drinking Water Act’s limits on arsenic are so weak to begin with. A system could deliver tap water that puts residents at a 1-in-600 risk of developing bladder cancer from arsenic, and still comply with the law. Despite the expected announcement of reforms, some mid-level E.P.A. regulators say they are skeptical that any change will occur. “The same people who told us to ignore Safe Drinking Water Act violations are still running the divisions,” said one mid-level E.P.A. official. “There’s no accountability, and so nothing’s going to change.” Griffin Palmer contributed reporting. SECTION 00020 - NOTICE INVITING BIDS NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the City of Yuba City, hereafter referred to as “Owner”, will receive SEALED BIDS at the City Hall, City Clerk's Office, 1201 Civic Center Blvd., Yuba City, CA 95993, until 3:00 p.m. local time, on January 6, 2010, for construction of: Garden Highway Storage Tank Improvements Contract No. 2009-30 At said place and time, and promptly thereafter, all Bids that have been duly received in accordance with the Contract Documents, will be publicly opened and read aloud. The clock located in the City Clerk's office is considered the official local time. Project Description: In accordance with plans and specifications prepared by Peterson Brustad, Inc., the Work includes the furnishing of all labor, materials, tax, equipment and services for the construction and completion of the rehabilitation of the 3 million gallon potable water storage, including joint sealing, interior coating and ladder replacement at the Garden Highway Storage Tank. The total Contract Time to achieve Final Completion is 90 calendar days. The estimated cost of construction is $340,000. At the time the Contract is bid, awarded and for the duration of the Contract, the Owner has determined that the General Contractor shall possess a valid State of California Class C33 - Painting Specialty Contractors' License. Failure to possess the specified license shall render the Bid as non-responsive. Bidders must comply with the provisions of the California Business and Professions Code Section 7028.15 by setting forth their license number and expiration date on their Bid. A full set of Contract Documents and all information available to Bidders, as further defined in Section 00200, INFORMATION AVAILABLE TO BIDDERS, may be examined at the Owner's Utility Department during regular business hours. Bidders may also obtain the plan holder's list and purchase a copy of the Contract Documents and related information from: Signature Reprographics 620 Sunbeam Ave. Sacramento, CA, 95811 Phone: (916) 454-0800 Fax: (916) 736-3053 www.signaturerepro.com Document Description Non-Refundable Charges Complete half-size set of Contract Documents (specifications and half-size drawings) $75 plus shipping and delivery Checks should be made payable to: City of Yuba City. Charges are not refundable, regardless of whether the documents are returned or not. Complete sets of Contract Documents must be used in preparing Bids. The Owner does not assume responsibility for errors or misinterpretations resulting from the use of incomplete sets of Contract Documents. The Owner, in making copies of the Contract Documents available on the above terms, does so only for the purpose of obtaining Bids for the Work and does not confer license or grant for any other use. A mandatory pre-bid meeting and project walk-through will be held on December 16, 2009 at 10:00 a.m. at 302 Burns Drive, Yuba City, CA 95991. At this meeting, representatives of Owner and the Design Engineer will discuss the bid documents, site constraints, order of work and other items specific to this project. A project walk-through will follow this meeting, including confined space entry into the tank for those with the proper certification. A sign-in sheet will be available up until commencement of the pre-bid meeting only. Attendance at the entire pre-bid meeting and project walk-through is mandatory for bidding. Bids received from Bidders who did not sign the sign-in sheet and attend the meeting and project walk-through will be returned to the Bidder unopened. Attendance by subcontractors is not mandatory, but all interested prospective subcontractors are encouraged to attend. The Owner will transmit to all recipients of complete sets of Contract Documents such Addenda as Owner considers necessary in response to questions raised at the meeting and project walk-through. Oral statements not confirmed by Addenda may not be relied upon and are not binding or legally effective. Except for mandatory walk-through, no other access to the project site will be granted pre-bid without the Owner's approval. During all site visits the Bidder must be accompanied full time by an authorized representative of the Owner. No exceptions to this requirement. Written questions regarding the Contract Documents and/or the proposed Work should be directed to Ashley Rico, Administrative Assistant by phone at (530-822-4639), facsimile at (530-822-4773), or e-mail at (arico@yubacity.net) no later than ten (10) calendar days before the time specified for opening bids. Bidding procedures are prescribed in the Contract Documents. Bids shall be executed upon the Bid Forms bound and made a part of the Bid Documents. All prescribed Bid Forms may be removed from the Contract Documents for submission in a sealed envelope. A Bid Guaranty in an amount not less than ten percent (10%) of the total aggregate of the Bid, including all Additive and/or Alternate Bid Items shall accompany each Bid. This Bid Guaranty is to be forfeited should the Bidder, if awarded the Contract, fail to enter into the same, or fails to furnish the bonds and/or proof of insurance as stipulated in the Contract Documents. The checks or bond shall be made payable to the Owner. The successful Bidder will be required to furnish both a Faithful Performance Bond in the amount of one hundred percent (100%) and a Payment Bond in the amount of one hundred percent (100%) of the Contract price. Pursuant to the provisions of California Labor Code Section 6707, each Bid submitted in response to this Invitation to Bid shall contain, as a separate bid item, adequate sheeting, shoring, and bracing, or equivalent method, for the protection of life or limb in trenches and open excavation, exceeding five feet, which shall conform to applicable safety orders. By entering an amount for this bid item, the Bidder warrants that its action does not convey tort liability to the Owner, the Engineer, the Construction Manager, and their officers, employees, agents, and subconsultants. Pursuant to Sections 1770, et. seq., of the California Labor Code, the successful Bidder shall pay not less than the prevailing rate of per diem wages as determined by the Director of the California Department of Industrial Relations. Copies of such prevailing rate of per diem wages are on file at the Owner's Engineering Department where copies will be made available to any interested party on request. These rate determinations may also be found on the State of California Department of Industrial Relations' website at: http://www.dir.ca.gov/dlsr/DPreWageDetermination.htm. The successful contractor and its subcontractors shall employ the appropriate number of apprentices, in each apprenticeable craft, on the project site as stipulated in California Labor Code, 1777.5. The successful Bidder must insure that its policies and practices provide equal opportunity to all applicants and employees without regard to race, color, creed, sex, age, religion, ancestry, citizenship, national origin, handicap, mental condition, veteran or marital status. The successful Bidder must comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act. Pursuant to California Public Contract Code Section 22300, for monies earned by the Contractor and withheld by the Owner to ensure the performance of the Contract, the Contractor, may, at its option, choose to substitute securities meeting the requirements of California Public Contract Code Section 22300, or have the retained, earned monies deposited in an escrow account at a federal or state chartered bank. No Bid received and read aloud may be withdrawn for a period of sixty (60) days after the bid opening date, except pursuant to California Public Contract Code Section 5101 et seq. Telephones will not be available to Bidders at the Owner's offices for the preparation of bids or for communicating bid results. Bid forms received after the designated time will not be opened and will be returned to the Bidder unopened. Bidders shall develop and submit bids at their own expense. The Owner will not reimburse any costs associated with the development and submittal of any and all bids. The Owner reserves the right to award the Contract, to reject any and all Bids, to waive irregularities, and to reject nonconforming, nonresponsive or conditional Bids. DATED: Terrel Locke City Clerk    December 5, 2009    Ad #00088299 Sutter County is sponsoring a free workshop on basic National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) regulations, floodplain management policies, and the practical application of these policies in local communities. The workshop will be held on January 20, 2010 at the Veterans Hall in Yuba City, from 8:30 am to 4:30 pm. An agenda for the workshop is attached. The intent of the workshop is to give a thorough introduction to the NFIP from the perspective of a local community official responsible for developing, implementing and enforcing local floodplain management regulations. The workshop will be based on the FEMA-480 Manual (A Study Guide and Desk Reference for Local Officials), and will be focused on regulations that apply to the Northern California area. Although this workshop was developed to assist local community officials, it is open to the general public. Please forward this announcement to anybody who might be interested in attending the workshop. It is recommended that attendees download a copy of FEMA 480 prior to the workshop at the following website: http://www.floods.org/index.asp?menuid=388&firstlevelmenuid=180&siteid=1 Hard copies of FEMA 480 can also be acquired from FEMA at this website: http://www.fema.gov/library/viewRecord.do?id=1443&fromSearch=fromsearch An RSVP is encouraged for logistical purposes. To RSVP, please send an e-mail to: dwpeterson@co.sutter.ca.us or call (530) 822-3299. Regards: Daniel W. Peterson, P.E., CFM Chief, Water Resources Division County of Sutter (530) 822-7450 dwpeterson@co.sutter.ca.us Yuba City weighs $6 million for fish screens By Ashley Gebb/Appeal-Democrat  -  2009-12-02 14:38:07 Yuba City is progressing with plans for a project that not only protects fish, but will help secure a valuable source of city water. The City Council held a public hearing Tuesday for an environmental assessment and draft study report for upgrades to a water intake structure on the Feather River. It is anticipated adoption of the documents will be considered at the Dec. 15 meeting, and once they are approved, the project can go to bid. Construction would likely begin in late spring and take a year to complete. Council members balked a bit at the $6 million cost, but city staff told them there is no other option. Without mitigation for impacts to spring- and fall-run Chinook salmon and steelhead trout, the state would likely not renew two of Yuba City's 20-year water permits, which provided 65 percent of the city's water for free in 2008, said Utilities Director Bill Lewis. If the mitigation efforts are necessary, the city must proceed with the project, said Mayor Kash Gill. "But if we're spending $6 million and have to change the location of it in four to five years, it does not make sense," Gill said. The new intake structure will be about 50 feet upstream from the existing inlet pipeline and should be able to be incorporated into any upgrades, Lewis said. The fish screens allow for intake of 48 million gallons per day, when the pump only has a capacity of 42 million gallons per day and the city only needs 30 million. About 10,000 homes would need to be built in Yuba City before a larger intake structure would be needed, Lewis said. Gill also asked if other mitigation options are available, such as spending less money and replenishing the number of fish by other means. Other agencies have used other mitigation methods, such as building hatcheries to offset fish loss, but that was not an option for Yuba City, said Maria Solis, assistant utilities director. The 40-year-old water intake structure is now the largest unscreened structure on the Feather River and the last to adopt some sort of mitigation for impact to fish, Lewis said. The upgrades and fish screens will prevent fish from being sucked into or trapped against the pipes. The $6 million project will be funded by state revolving fund loans, to be repaid with rates and future impact fees, and a $900,000 grant through the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. No residents spoke at the public hearing Tuesday, and no written comments have been received. No action was taken by the council.   Calif. projects historic low for water deliveries Published online on Tuesday, Dec. 01, 2009 - By GARANCE BURKE - Associated Press Writer FRESNO, Calif. State officials expect to release a record-low amount of water to 25 million California residents next year if the drought continues, a grim outlook for local farmers and urban dwellers already struggling to conserve after three years of persistent dry weather. Lester Snow, who directs the state Department of Water Resources, said Tuesday the agency anticipates delivering just 5 percent of what was requested by its contractors, the lowest projection in history. While water deliveries could increase if more rain and snow falls over the winter months - a likely possibility if El Nino weather patterns hit California - Snow said the state had to assume it would be faced with a fourth year of drought. "We're putting people on notice to get on with conservation," Snow said. "We'll need to take measures because what if there is not only a fourth year of drought, but a fifth and sixth year?"Last year, the state predicted it would deliver 15 percent of requested water but boosted that number to 40 percent by May. State Water Project supplies feed most Southern California cities and help irrigate 750,000 farm acres scattered throughout the southern San Joaquin Valley, San Diego and Orange counties. Water managers in Kern County, where thousands of pistachio and almond trees grow near the Tehachapi range, said Tuesday's news was akin to a worker hearing his wages would be cut to 5 percent. "This would be devastating to an employee, and the extremely low water allocations are the same to Kern County farmers," said Jim Beck, general manager of the Kern County Water Agency. The federal government also delivers water to California farmers and residents. Last year, federal deliveries were just 10 percent of the normal allocations, fallowing tens of thousands of acres, forcing bankruptcies and contributing to record unemployment. The Bureau of Reclamation is not expected to announce its water delivery plans until February. While the dry weather has exascerbated the problem, farmers' water woes are not all drought-related. Supplies for crops and cities also have been restricted by federal environmental restrictions cutting back allocations that flow through the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta, the main conduit that sends water to nearly two-thirds of Californians. Last month, Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger signed a milestone $11.1 billion water bond that includes money to fix the freshwater estuary, as well as invest in water-efficiency and conservation programs and groundwater storage. However, the bond must still be approved by voters next November, meaning none of it can be spent toward immediate drought relief. There's nothing in the bills that would immediately affect this winter and spring," Snow said. Associated Press Writer Samantha Young in Sacramento contributed to this report. What we need, then, are reservoirs that will contain this $200 per-acre foot commodity, to be released economically and intelligently.It may take a reservoir conservator to micro- and macro-manage leaky faucets and billion-dollar dams. Our existing politicized agencies do not seem able to rise above their buttoned down perspectives to meet 21st century challenges. Reservoirs will be surface and subterranean to recharge sucked out aquifers and ground water sources and to provide power, flood control, drought relief, irrigation, domestic supply, recreation, etc. Can we not, using our collective wisdom, build structures to these ends, so that our children and their children can continue to enjoy our Garden of Eden? Do we need more motivation than that which was generated in 1955, 1986 and 1997? Larry G. Harris Yuba City © Copyrighted 2011 All rights reserved by MurkyWater.org