Water & Wastewater

There is historical evidence of private well contamination in Boonville that is most likely attributable to the proximity of wells and onsite septic systems. The presence of small lots in portions of the community exacerbate the problem. Many septic systems are also nearing the end of their useful life and in some circumstances, there is insufficient space for a standard replacement leach field. When a system fails in these circumstances, the only viable alternatives are very expensive. In 2016, water quality testing of samples drawn from 23 residential wells in the densest housing areas revealed alarming levels of E Coli and nitrates. These findings confirm that a health issue exists. Funding is currently available under State Proposition 1 to create municipal utility systems. This is a relatively new program and offers an opportunity to take advantage of it. The District has tapped into Proposition 1 State planning grants to develop an affordable Water/Wastewater utility system.

Renter's rights such as for potable water are enforced by the State and not the County. Renters need to file a complaint with the State to initiate an investigation and many tenants are unlikely to do so. Shortage of housing is a factor. Known failures of septic systems have been required to be repaired and only if a property owner refused to repair the failed septic system will the County consider taking action that may lead to "red tagging" the structure.

The proposed service areas are shown on the maps that are linked at the top of this page. The water system service area would extend from Hutsell Road northerly through Boonville (including side streets) to the High School and Clinic area, Meadow Estates and down Anderson Valley Way to the Elementary School. The wastewater system service area would extend from Hutsell Road northerly to the Mountain View Road intersection area, including side streets and also the High School and the AV Health Center.

Water systems are generally easier and less expensive to develop. Either public utility system would contribute to alleviating the current potential health issue in Boonville. However, there would still be contamination from septic systems if only the drinking water system is implemented. Since funding is currently available to study the feasibility of both public water and wastewater disposal systems, the AVCSD studied both systems.

At this time the AVCSD has negotiated all the easements and acquisitions (wells, treatment sites, tank site) for both projects. The easements and acquisitions will be finalized when constructions funds are received. The final draft of the Engineering Reports have been sent to the State Water Board DFA (Department of Financial Assistance) and the Regional Waterboards for review.

The California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) requires that an Environmental Impact Report must be prepared as part of the planning process. In October of 2018 a Notice of Preparation was issued, stating that the report was being prepared. A public scoping meeting was held in November 2018 to hear public comments about the project. At this time we expect the draft EIR to be finished mid spring 2026. A public hearing will be held as part of this process. When the draft EIR becomes available, a Notice of Availability will be issued and comments will be accepted for the following 60 days.

According to State rules, only the owners of properties within a proposed utility service area will have the opportunity to vote on any proposed rates. The process to set and adopt fees for property related services is set forth in Proposition 218. This procedure requires a letter to be sent to the parcel owners within the boundaries of the projects. Parcels in both the water and sewer boundaries will receive two letters. Parcels in the only the water system will receive one letter. The letter will explain the projects and the rates the parcel owners can anticipate. The parcel owner can do nothing (signifying acceptance) or return the letter with a “protest”. The definition of a majority protest is defined as occurring when more than 50% of all properly noticed property owners return a written protest.

The community has concerns about future development in the Boonville area once existing infrastructure-related constraints are removed. We all want to maintain the positive qualities of life in Boonville. We should all recognize that there are other factors that will determine the pace of development and its nature (e.g. zoning, housing demand, proximity to employment opportunities, etc.). The matter of how much growth could theoretically occur was explored at a community meeting on 10/20/15. There is a link to this document on the right column of this page: Mendocino County Planning Dept Analysis. Note that growth will continue to be limited by current County of Mendocino zoning requirements and the system will only be designed for current usage with an "overcapacity" of only 10%. On the positive side, if a wastewater disposal system is installed, individual parcels will have more building options including the potential to accommodate small 'granny' units. Minimum lot size will be reduced with the addition of either water or wastewater systems and if both are installed the minimum lot size for a residential parcel will be reduced further. The systems will be designed to continue operating during electrical outages which is critical for the schools and businesses. Fire protection capabilities will be vastly improved which may result in lower insurance costs for property owners. Property values would be improved as well as public and environmental health.

Everyone in the footprint of the wastewater system would have to connect if property owners approve. As for the water system, the decision to hook up would be optional. A backflow preventer would be required if an existing well were still connected to the house. A standalone irrigation system, not connected to the house, would not require a backflow preventer. Construction grants from the State would pay for all hookups for wastewater systems and residential laterals for water.