Mokelumne Hill Sanitary District News

May 30, 2019 by editor

Beginning July 1, 2019 Mokelumne Hill Sanitary District monthly rate will increase by 1.9% to $61.61.  The annual rate adjustment was mandated by Resolution 2012-03 – increase/decrease in inflation as measured by the Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI) for the previous calendar year. Nobody likes a rate increase, no matter how modest.  We hope our customers understand that the escalating costs related to maintaining compliance with state regulations and providing quality service demand that the District adjust its rates annually.

Other News:

The MHSD Board of Directors is pursuing alternative sources of funding to share the costs of maintaining and upgrading our wastewater collection and treatment system. In early February, 2017, MHSD successfully competed for a $155,500 CALFIRE grant to reduce the number of dead and dying trees on its 80 acre wastewater treatment and disposal parcel off of Old Toll Road.  The trees posed a direct threat to MHSD personnel, utility personnel and also to the Mokelumne Hill community which stands to lose critical infrastructure and personal and property loss from wild fire driven by winds up the Mokelumne river canyon.

The CALFIRE project was completed March 31, 2019 and resulted in the following:

• Removal of over 1,000 dead and dying trees along 3 miles of the internal road system that pose a threat to public safety
• Reduced potential for interruption of critical public services (PG&E, ATT and Volcano Telephone have infrastructure on the utility poles on the property)
• Reduced potential for degradation of the Mokelumne River Watershed and water supply by reducing the impact of wildfire, insects, disease and erosion
• Continued maintenance of a serviceable internal road system that can support emergency response vehicles and equipment (CALFIRE actively used the internal road system to combat the Butte Fire)

In addition, MHSD has been awarded a $500,000 “Plan of Study” grant from California State Water Resources Control Board, Clean Water State Revolving Fund to determine the feasibility, engineering, and design for the following projects:

• Over 90% of the collection system pipeline was replaced with three prior capital improvement projects funded through state and federal agency loans.     The remaining 10% that was not replaced is now deficient in capacity and is beyond its useful life.
• Automation of the spray field operation to reduce labor costs while increasing efficiency.
• Reestablish the gravity feed collection System: In the 1970’s, MHSD built a new wastewater treatment plant that required two lift stations to deliver wastewater to the plant.  Wastewater delivery to the old plant was gravity fed.  In addition to operational costs, lift stations and equipment are vulnerable to environmental hazards as demonstrated recently with the Butte Fire and Atmospheric River events.  Both caused damage and failure to the plant equipment and lift stations.
• Expand the District’s 250 sq. ft office and laboratory which is inadequate to accommodate an appropriate work environment while complying with current regulations.

If these projects are deemed feasible, MHSD will be eligible to apply for a $6 million grant/loan to build the four projects.

The Mokelumne Hill Sanitary District is managed by a five member board of directors elected by you. The current board members are:

• Phil McCartney, President
• James Aarons, Treasurer
• Kevin Brady
• Will Mosgrove
• Flynn Forgette

Three part-time employees oversee the maintenance and day-to-day operation of the wastewater collection and treatment systems.  If you have questions or concerns, please contact the District President, Phil McCartney at:  209.256.4548.