The Colusa City Council last week selected California Engineering Co. to perform a comprehensive Water Master Plan, which the company has done for other municipalities.
The city’s contracted engineer David Swartz, of California Engineering, is experienced in the fields of water distribution, water distribution modeling, groundwater wells, and elevated water tanks systems, and operations and maintenance of water facilities, officials said.
The Master Engineering Study will evaluate Colusa’s existing water supply (groundwater wells), treatment (mostly chlorine), and distribution system to assess the entire system’s useful life and capabilities.
The scope of work includes the water model of the existing system which will evaluate fire flows and distribution system performance; projection of water distribution demand for the 10-year and 20-year planning horizon; evaluation of the existing water distribution system and identification of hydraulic deficiencies; evaluation of the existing wells and treatment systems, and analysis of system’s ability to cope with severe and long-term drought, among many others tasks.
California Engineering will also identify any present and future regulatory concerns for the water system source supply and distribution system.
The City Council is expected to hear several presentations throughout the process. The cost to perform the work is $139,000, and was included in the city’s 2022-2023 budget, officials said. ■