Water prep tips for emergencies
Here are five essential water prep tips for any emergency situation.
Problem Solved
The sound of construction equipment echoed through the quiet streets of south Salinas as excavation work proceeded along Park Street and a section of Archer Street earlier this month.
Part of California Water Service’s (Cal Water) extensive program of infrastructure upgrades currently underway, the crew was in the process of replacing a section of the approximately 350 miles of water mainline responsible for transporting potable water within the city’s municipal water distribution system with 1,871 feet of new 8-inch water main.
The mainline replacement project, which includes swapping out old fire hydrants as well, began earlier this summer, according to Cal Water, and is important for water quality and fire prevention by preventing failure of aging and high-risk pipelines.
To determine which water mains get replaced, Cal Water takes into consideration how likely a pipeline would leak, or break given its age, material, and other site-specific conditions, along with the impact on customers in the event of a leak or break.
“We’re looking at age, quantity of leaks, size, and type,” explained Laura Florez-McCusker, manager of external communications at Cal Water, adding that new mains like the ones currently being installed have a 50-year life cycle.
The main replacement project is expected to be completed in December. Between 2025 and 2027, Cal Water proposes to replace 28,191 feet of water main.
Cal Water to begin construction on two new groundwater wells
Cal Water serves approximately two-thirds of Salinas, providing drinking water to more than 126,000 people through a complex water distribution system that includes storage tanks and wells.
This fall, Cal Water will begin construction on two new groundwater wells to increase water supply and system reliability for residents and businesses in the south Salinas.
The wells, located on Romie Lane and Harris Road, will be the first of their kind in the region in more than a decade, and comes after Cal Water took two wells offline due to the presence of nitrates and other water quality constituents, explained Brenda Granillo, Cal Water Salinas district manager
“We continually modernize and upgrade our water system to provide safe, clean, reliable drinking water for our customers and community — any time they need it,” Granillo said.
The city’s two newest wells will be drilled deeper, 700 to 800 feet, than older wells which were shallower at 300 to 500 feet, Granillo said.
“As we are developing that new well, we are taking samples to see where the best water is at,” she said.
The new wells, along with 100 feet of new water main to help each well deliver water to the system, are expected to be completed by December 2026.
Cal Water currently constructing new storage tank
A new 150,000-gallon water storage tank for the community of Las Lomas is currently being constructed, which Cal Water expects to be fully operational in April of next year.
A new booster station on Harrison Road is underway to expand the system’s capacity to provide water amid peak demands in northern Salinas.
Cal Water expects the booster station to go online in March 2025.