Infusion of $4.5 million to make water system more efficient
- By Gary Brodeur
Staff Writer
Posted Apr. 12, 2015 at 10:57 AMADELANTO — Because the city has been able to discharge some debt through a bond issue and net some cash at the same time, Adelanto will make improvements to its water and sewer systems that should lead to future savings.
"We are upgrading our water system to be more efficient," Interim City Manager Tom Thornton said last week. "We can't control the (price of water), but we can control efficiency and reduce costs."
About $4.5 million has been earmarked for traditional and technological improvements to the drinking water system, echoing improvements outlined last week at the annual High Desert Water Summit. Another $478,000 in improvements is slated for the wastewater system. Both the domestic water service and wastewater treatment systems are operated under contract by PERC Water.
Subject to City Council approval, improvements will include installing new pumps and replacing aging wells, pipelines and tanks.
"A complete overhaul of the water meters is planned," Thornton said. "The big buzz right now is 'smart meter.'"
He said wireless links direct to City Hall will help water workers and city staff members identify where and when water losses occur.
Thornton said on average Adelanto pumps 4 million gallons a day for water users but only 2 million gallons reach the city's wastewater treatment plant — a 50 percent loss of water and some revenue. By comparison, a loss rate of 8 percent to 10 percent is considered a normal range, he said.
Water loss in the city has been identified as coming through irrigation and evaporation, water theft and system inefficiencies.
"This infusion of $4.5 million will really get our system to be more efficient," Thornton said.
Gary Brodeur may be contacted at 760-951-6245 or gbrodeur@vvdailypress.com. Follow him on Twitter @DP_gbrodeur.
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