More on Upgrading Aging Water Systems

To ensure continued reliability of its distribution of water, the Foothill Municipal Water District is planning a $7 million program to rehabilitate and upgrade portions of the imported water supply system.

This includes upgrading or replacing aging pipelines, pumps, valves, reservoirs, controls and backup power generators that date back to the 1950s and after years of reliable service have reached the end of their useful lifespan. Also involved is increased water storage capacity to meet peak demands and for emergencies.

Our facilities must work flawlessly every day, around the clock and currently there are backup generators that can no longer provide adequate emergency power, pipelines and pumps that need to be repaired or replaced, electronic monitoring and control systems that are obsolete and need replacement and reservoirs with inadequate storage.

The upgrades are particularly important because Foothill has only one connection to the imported water supply from Metropolitan Water District. Without the upgrades, there is a potential for a major disruption in imported water supplies in the event of earthquake, fire or the failure of key equipment. Repairs would be costly and could take days or weeks. The facilities upgrade program includes interconnections with a neighboring water agency to serve as a backup if the imported water system is disrupted.

Besides improving facilities and providing backups for emergencies to ensure greater reliability and protection for customers, the upgrade program also avoids costly emergency repairs.