Groveland’s Long Awaited Clearwell Rehabilitation Project Underway

GCSD photo

Groveland, CA – Groveland Community Services District (GCSD) has begun its long-awaited $3.4 million Clearwell Rehabilitation Project.

Both clearwells hold 2 million gallons of Hetch Hetchy water and provide for disinfection of the raw water used to serve the district’s customers. The most recent interior inspection of the tanks revealed severe internal corrosion. Customers were spared a hike in their monthly water bill as a state grant will pay for repairs to the Big Creek and Second Garrotte clearwells.

“The District worked hard to secure grant funding for this project to eliminate the need for water rate increases that would be used specifically to complete this necessary work,” stated General Manager, Pete Kampa. He added, “If we had to go out and borrow this money, it would have cost $5.77 per month for every customer for 20 years; and the grant reduced the monthly customer cost to $0.”

The project will keep these essential tanks from deteriorating beyond repair, rusting through, or failing entirely, says Kampa. It is estimated that the improvements will give the tanks another 20-40 years of service life before another coating is necessary.

The work will include the removal of the existing epoxy coating and application of a new coating to the steel tank surfaces, details Kampa. On Monday (Dec. 7), Farr Construction did a condition assessment of the tanks’ interiors to determine the number of structural members that need to be replaced. Kampa relays it was determined that the removal of existing baffles will be needed to apply the new epoxy coating thoroughly to the surfaces of the tanks as part of the conditions for funding. No completion day was given.

Kampa says these clearwells are a key water disinfecting treatment component that ensures the production of consistently safe drinking water. Funding for this project was provided in full or in part under the Safe and Affordable Funding for Equity and Resiliency (SAFER) Drinking Water Program and Proposition 68 through an agreement with the State Water Resources Control Board.