Water Conservation
MCWD Tank Offline in June!
Mandatory Water Conservation June/July 2024
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June 1, 2024
Beginning immediately after meters are read on Sunday, June 2, 2024, Mineral County Water District (MCWD) customers will be under stringent mandatory water restrictions while the District's 324,000-gallon storage tank is out of service for interior and exterior re-coating.
The Battle Creek Meadow Ranch has generously offered to share its new tank (next to the water plant) with MCWD for the duration and will be under restrictions as well. Please be sure to thank your friends at the Ranch for their mutual assistance to Mineral!
Having the use of this tank will save MCWD the large expense of constructing its own back up tank and maintaining it. The catch is that the Ranch tank holds 50,000 gallons, which is only 15.5% of MCWD's usual capacity. Hence, red flags will fly at every subdivision entrance and the Ranch gateway to remind everyone to conserve water.
Based on historical usage records and Spring #2 production data, General Manager John Frehse has set the maximum daily residential consumption level at 100 gallons or 13 cubic feet. Frequently recording meter readings throughout this period will help you track your conservation efforts. Meters display usage in cubic feet. Blank forms are available at the post office for tracking. Note: MCWD may read meters at any time during the month to locate leaks.
Water use in Mineral increases substantially on summer weekends. Ideally, the tank will be full early Saturday morning, not dip below 8 feet over the weekend, and then recover by Tuedsay morning.
Therefore, outdoor water use, including lawn irrigation, will be prohibited from Friday through Monday.
The District's Water Shortage Contingency Plan is based on much higher storage capacity, so we are in uncharted territory when it comes to setting maximum usage levels. MCWD asks for customers' understanding as we evaluate Spring #2 production and conservation throughout this period.
MCWD recognizes that mandatory restrictions are a serious imposition on homeowners and we apologize for any inconvenience. However, recoating is critical at this time in order to prevent structural decay of the 20 -year-old tank. John Frehse thanks everyone in advance for their cooperation. Please feel free to approach him or any District associate with questions or concerns.
The consequences of failure to conserve are dire: It's not about paying more for use, it's about preventing severe financial effects and increased regulatory demands.
The best-case scenario for everyone is if total demand does not exceed Spring #2 supply, because the amount of creek water that Frehse can filter in a 24-hour period is restricted by regulatory requirements for chlorine contact time in the tank. Due to the tank's smaller size, the required contact time is tripled.
The Ranch's tank must be kept 3/4 full at all times to avoid Boil Water orders. Filtering creek water to make up for more than 16,000 gallons (4 feet) of drop in the tank level at any one time will trigger a Boil Water order.
Once a Boil Water order is placed, it will remain until MCWD's distribution system can be hyper-chlorinated and tested, prior to using the District tank again. A Boil Water order would not only create a big inconvenience for customers, it would be a budget-buster for the District, as well as a heavy strain on Frehse, who will already be addressing many out-of-the-ordinary technical issues posed by this challenging situation.
Re-coating should be completed by June 30, but it could take several more days to refill the tank. Yellow flags at subdivision entrances will indicate that the tank is partially filled and back in service. Wait for District notices lifting restrictions completely before resuming normal use.
Consider attending the June 10th District monthly meeting for updates on conservation efforts, progress on the tank, and Spring #2 production (currently 18 gpm). Check for notices at: www.mineralwater.specialdistrict.org, MCWD's display case, the Post Office, the Store and www.mineralcalifornia.com.
Questions? District Secretary Cathie Gasper is available at 530-604-7824.
Water Conservation Tips
1. Compare your water usage last July (located on the August 2023 water bill) to 400 CF, which translates to the 13 CF/day maximum residential limit. This will give you an idea of how much you will need to cut back overall. However, it is important to apply the limit daily, not cumulatively, because the Ranch tank has very little "play" for daily storage.
2. Make a note of your meter reading on June 1. Check the Post Office lobby for a chart to record meter readings. PLEASE NOTE: your meter measures cubic feet. One CF equals ~7.5 gallons.
3. If leaving your Mineral home for a day or more, consider turning off water to the toilet(s) to prevent running, which can start at any time. Depending on circumstances, consider turning off all water to your home.
4. Promptly repair ALL leaks. Check outdoor spigots or sprinklers, even if you don’t plan to use them. Keep an eye on neighbors’ yards and alert them or the District if you suspect a leak.
5. Conserve by not flushing the toilet after every urination.
6. Conserve by turning off water while lathering and scrubbing in the shower.
7. Conserve by filling the dishwasher or washing machine fully before doing a load.
8. Since most visitors are here over the weekend, schedule laundry and such for mid-week.
Approximate Water Usage of Common Appliances/Fixtures
DISHWASHERS
Energy-efficient model: 3.5 gallons/load
Older model: 18.5 gallons/load
WASHING MACHINES
Small Front Loader: 16 gallons/load
Large Front Lloader: 25 gallons/load
Small Top Loader: 19 gallons/load
Large Top Loader: 36 gallons.load
SHOWER HEADS
Efficient model 2 gpm
Older model 4.5 gpm
TOILETS
Older style, one-flush: 3 gallons
Dual Flush w/Half Flush: 2 gallons or less
BATHS
Average-sized, fully filled tub: 37 gallons
TAPS/FAUCETS
Bathroom (Aerator), 4-star rating: 2 gpm
Bathroom (Aerator), 5-star rating: 1.6 gpm
LEAKS
Dripping Faucet: 8-40 gallons/day
Running toilet: up to 4,000 gallons/day! It is also difficult to detect this leak.
For more accuracy, use a container of known quantity to test faucets by running water into them for 1 minute, check meter before and after using a single appliance, or read the manufacturer’s specs.
Download a Meter Reading Chart to Track Your Daily Water Usage
View and download to print the Meter Reading Worksheet to indicate your previous and current meter readings and to calculate the usage. Indicate notes when something happens that uses more water, for your own reference.
Water System Indicators & Consequences of Failure to Meet Conservation Goals While Tank Is Offline
A sign in front of MCWD's building at 38292 Scenic gives a general indication of current conservation requirements in Mineral. Blue means no mandatory restrictions. Green means mandatory restrictions may soon be implemented. Yellow means mandatory restrictions are in effect. Orange means emergency mandatory restrictions. Red means critical mandatory restrictions. The sign indicator will be at Red for at least the entire month of June. Early July will be transitional for tank re-filling.
Please do not confuse measures being taken in this unique situation with the District's Water Shortage/Drought Contingency Plan, which focuses on higher usage rates for those who do not conserve. Because we have less than a sixth of our usual storage capacity, If we fail to meet conservation goals during June and early July , a Boil Water Order will be placed and will not be lifted for quite some time. This event would extend restrictions far beyond early July and would mean severe financial and regulatory consequences for MCWD.
When the arrow is in the Blue, there are no mandatory restrictions in effect for the foreseeable future
Green means MCWD is on Watch for mandatory restrictions
Yellow Warns that mandatory restrictions are in effect
Orange signals Emergency mandatory restrictions
Red indicates Critical mandatory restrictions