In September 2009, the Napa County Board of Supervisors authorized County staff to begin outreach on a water conservation program in the unincorporated county, specifically targeting the MST area.
Please stop by the Napa County Flood Control and Water Conservation District Office located at 804 First Street in Napa to pick up some free water saving devices. Some of the free devices that will be available to residents include faucet aerators, showerheads, shower timers, hose nozzles, and hose timers. Other water conservation efforts will include public education and outreach through newsletters and workshops for agricultural growers. Water conservation is the best and cheapest way to relieve the pressure on the groundwater basin and continued conservation will save on pumping costs as well. For additional water conservation ideas, please visit: www.saveourh2o.org.
Initially the County and NSD proposed a recycled water pipeline to serve much of the Southern MST area. After receiving feedback from the community, a more comprehensive approach has been developed. Work is continuing on a scaled-down recycled water pipeline serving only landowners interested in receiving and paying for recycled water. Cost information has been developed and possible funding mechanisms are being discussed by interested property owners. If it is feasible to build a smaller project, the County may consider over-sizing the pipeline so it can supply additional water to property owners who want to connect to the pipeline in the future. The Environmental Impact Report/Statement (EIR/EIS) for the recycled water alternative is being completed through the North Bay Water Reuse Authority Program (NBWRA).
The North Bay Water Recycling Program released the draft of its EIR/EIS on May 5, 2009. In Napa, the North Bay Water Recycling Program draft EIR/EIS evaluates a joint project by Napa County and Napa Sanitation District to develop a program to bring recycled water to users in the MST area, as well as other areas of the County.
The EIR/EIS is an assessment of the possible impacts, both positive and negative, that the proposed projects may have on the natural environment. The complete Draft EIR/EIS can be found at http://nbwra.org/docs/. For detailed information on the North Bay Water Recycling Program or how to join the public process, visit the NBWRA website , e-mail info@nbwra.org or call (707) 547-1923.
In October 2008, the County conducted expanded groundwater level monitoring in the MST area, measuring 57 additional wells that have not been measured since the completion of the USGS study in 2002. These wells will be measured again in April 2009.
Water levels have continued to decline throughout much of the MST despite the fact that there have been several wet years since the completion of the USGS study. The last few dry years have affected the wells even further, as limited rainfall has resulted in even less recharge.
President Obama signed into law on March 30 the Omnibus Public Lands Management Act, a significant step that keeps alive the possibility that federal funding may become available to help fund recycled water projects as part of the North Bay Water Recycling Program (Program), in Sonoma, Marin and Napa counties. The Program includes recycled water projects in the Milliken-Sarco-Tulocay (MST) and Carneros areas. The federal government has previously contributed $1.25 million in matching funds for the Program’s engineering and environmental studies. This Program authorization is a first step that could ultimately lead to a 25 percent federal cost share in design and construction costs. Work still needs to be done to secure federal funding appropriations for the Program, and the remaining 75 percent of the funding for the MST project would still need to come from local sources. The County and NSD will continue working to secure these federal funding appropriations, to seek state grant funding, and to identify feasible methods to provide local funding.
A community meeting will be held when enough pertinent information is developed to present to residents. The community will also be kept informed via Web site updates and periodic mailings.
FOR MORE INFORMATION: Felix Riesenberg at (707) 259-8620 or Deborah Elliott at (707) 259-5969 or email project staff.
Find out more about the regional North Bay Water Reuse Association