Pine Cove Water District directors chose the same slate of officers for 2017 as served in 2016. Director Robert Hewitt remains board president; Diana Luther will serve again as vice president; and Lou Padula as secretary. All of the officers were elected to their current board office in August 2015.
Reporting on the water conditions, General Manager Jerry Holldber said, “Production is consistent with the last couple of years.”
In November, PCWD production was 2.3-million gallons, which was about 100,000 more than last year. For the year, PCWD has produced 29.6-million gallons compared to 29.2-million gallons in 2015. For the first 11 months of 2016, its production is about 500,000 gallons or 1.6 percent more than the same period in 2015.
Holldber also reported that the groundwater level of PCWD’s static well had dropped 2 feet in the past month, although it had been steady since October.
The level of several other wells has increased, some nearly 10 feet. In particular, the ground level of two wells in the Dutch Flats area, which were not used in the past month, rose 30 feet, he noted.
Holldber said he will upgrade the wells in this area to prepare for spring in case the district needs to expand the number or location of wells in use.
The leak detection efforts have been successful. Holldber reported that water loss was 5.7 percent in November after being 14 percent in October and averaging 10 percent for the past 12 months.
“That is the best we’ve had in a long-term,” he said proudly.
In cooperation with the district’s legal counsel, Brad Neufeld of Varner & Brandt of Riverside, they will hold a workshop in January on the Brown Act and state ethics laws. The use of social media will be another topic addressed during the session. The workshop is for the district’s directors and other elected representatives of Hill public agencies and their general managers.
Holldber also reported that he had met with the Idyllwild Water District directors to offer help or assistance as they begin to recover after the resignations of its GM and three directors. This was done with the PCWD board’s knowledge.
