News from 5/7/12 12:00am to 10/14/12 12:00am
- October 14, 2012
Annual Meeting Minutes
MOUNTAIN MEADOWS MUTUAL WATER COMPANY
(A California Corporation)Minutes of Annual Meeting of Members
October 13, 2012The annual meeting of the Members (the "Members") of Mountain Meadows Mutual Water Company, a California corporation (the "Company"), was held at 9:00 a.m. on October 13, 2012, at the Crowley Lake community center in Crowley Lake, California.
Present at the meeting were David Richman, Blair Hafner, Hal Cady and Vicky Phelps, constituting a majority of the Board of Directors. Board member Bill Archibald arrived at 10:00 am. Also present in person were three Members (in addition to the Board members) and another 29 Members were represented by proxies (once Bill Archibald arrived at the meeting).
David Richman, Vice President of the Company, acted as Chairman of the meeting in the initial absence of Bill Archibald, and called the meeting to order at 9:10 a.m.
Actions during 2012
The Chairman reviewed the actions taken by the Board during 2012, including:
a. Completing the installation of well 5 which has solved the uranium problem that was of concern to Mono County authorities. The quality of the water being pumped from well 5 meets all Federal and State requirements. Because of well 5, the water system in general is much more complicated and has undergone some significant upgrades. There continues to be some aeration in the water which is a byproduct of the pumping. The well has a variable drive and pumps based on demand. The minimum amount pumped is 100 gallons per minute and the maximum is 450 gallons per minute. Well 5 generally pumps at 430 to 440 gallons per minutes when irrigation systems are running.
b. Putting wells 1 and 4 offline and limiting use of well 3. However, David turns these wells on now and then to avoid any rusting problems. Most water is currently being pumped from well 5, partly to meet certain Edison imposed spending requirements during the first year of operation of well 5. After the first year has passed, David anticipates alternating pumping between wells 3 and 5.
c. Maintaining an adequate financial reserve for the Company, with approximately $50,000 in the bank. The Company still owes about $35,000-$40,000 for work done in connection with well 5. But, the Company also has $19,000 in outstanding receivables. Almost all past due accounts have now been brought current. The Company is in good shape unless the water system suffers a major failure. Well 5 and related infrastructure improvement were completed without the need to do a special assessment. The Company has not lost any money due to foreclosure as the Company gets paid by the banks out of escrow.
d. Billing of $25,554 in excess water charge this past year. Sixteen households had water usage that pushed them into tier 3 (260,000 gallons or more for the year). Six households used more than 360,000 gallons for the year – a level that David referred to as “tier 4” although the Company has not yet formally established a tier 4.Condominium Projects
David brought up an issue with the condo projects. All 12 units of Whiskey Creek are on one meter. Total water usage at Whiskey Creek is not much more than the usage by a single family residence. David suggested that the Company cut back the monthly fee charged to each Whiskey Creek unit from $55 to $50. Upon motion made by David Richman and seconded by Vicky Phelps, the Board unanimously approved this reduction in the monthly fee charged to Whiskey Creek units.
Mountain Meadows and Pinion Springs are not metered as it would have cost too much money to install separate meters for each unit. These condos instead are on water restrictions and allowed to water three days a week. The condos often exceed this schedule and the Company has previously fined Mountain Meadows. Both projects have asked for exceptions to the water schedule in the spring so that they could water more often and “green” things up. Further, David has witnessed some issues with the condos’ water and sprinkling systems that were not dealt with until David notified the condos of the problems. Without meters, there is no incentive for these condos to adequately monitor their irrigation water usage.
David thought that it would be appropriate to ask both condos to install meters in their irrigation systems, meaning that a meter would be installed at each tap that the condos use for irrigation. David also pointed out that, in any event, state law requires that all users have meters installed no later than 2018. Upon motion made by David Richman and seconded by Hal Cady, the Board unanimously approved notifying the Mountain Meadows and Pinion Springs condos that they have until September 1, 2013 to install meters on their irrigation systems, and that, next spring, the condos will be allowed to water four days a week until May 15, 2013.
Proxies/Quorum/Board Election
The Chairman announced that, while the Company had received a number of proxies from Members who did not attend the meeting, the number of proxies received, coupled with the number of Members present, did not constitute a quorum of Members. Therefore, the annual election of Board members could not be held and, pursuant to the Company bylaws, the current Board members will continue to serve on the Board.
Approval of Minutes of 2011 Annual Meeting
Upon motion made by David Richman and seconded by Hal Cady, the minutes of the annual meeting held on December 3, 2011 were unanimously approved.
Adjournment
The meeting was adjourned at 10:15 a.m.
- September 13, 2012
2011 Consumer Confidence Report
Water System Name:
Mountain Meadows Mutual Water
Report Date:
August 2012
We test the drinking water quality for many constituents as required by State and Federal Regulations.
This report shows the results of our monitoring for the period of January 1 - December 31, 2010.
Type of water source(s) in use:
Groundwater – 4 Wells
Name & location of source(s):
Mountain Meadows Mutual Water Company.
Well 3 is located in the meadow behind Elderberry Drive. Wells 5 is located off of South Landing near
Highway 395. Wells 1 and 4 located off of Meadowview Drive are offline.
Drinking Water Source Assessment information:
Mono County Health Department
Time and place of regularly scheduled board meetings for public participation:
October 13, 2012 9:00 am
At the Crowley Lake Community Center on South Landing Drive
For more information, contact
Blair Hafner
Phone:
(760) 935 – 4504
TERMS USED IN THIS REPORT:
Maximum Contaminant Level (MCL): The highest level of a contaminant that is allowed in drinking water. Primary MCLs are set as close to the PHGs (or MCLGs) as is economically and technologically feasible. Secondary MCLs are set to protect the odor, taste, and appearance of drinking water.
Primary Drinking Water Standards (PDWS): MCLs for contaminants that affect health along with their monitoring and reporting requirements, and water treatment requirements.
Secondary Drinking Water Standards (SDWS): MCLs for contaminants that affect taste, odor, or appearance of the drinking water. Contaminants with SDWSs do not affect the health at the MCL levels.
ND: not detectable at testing limit
Ppm: parts per million or milligrams per liter (mg/L)
Public Health Goal (PHG): The level of a contaminant in drinking water below, which there is no known or expected risk to health. PHGs are set by the California Environmental Protection Agency.
Maximum Contaminant Level Goal (MCLG): The level of a contaminant in drinking water below, which there is no known or expected risk to health. MCLGs are set by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA).
Regulatory Action Level (AL): The concentration of a contaminant, which, if exceeded, triggers treatment or other requirements, which a water system must follow.
ppb: parts per billion or micrograms per liter (ug/L)
ppt: parts per trillion or nanograms per liter (ng/L)
pCi/L: picocuries per liter (a measure of radiation)
The sources of drinking water (both tap water and bottled water) include rivers, lakes, streams, ponds, reservoirs, springs, and wells. As water travels over the surface of the land or through the ground, it dissolves naturally occurring minerals and, in some cases, radioactive material, and can pick up substances resulting from the presence of animals or from human activity.
Contaminants that may be present in source water include:
Microbial contaminants, such as viruses and bacteria that may come from sewage treatment plants, septic systems, agricultural livestock operations, and wildlife.
Inorganic contaminants, such as salts and metals, that can be naturally-occurring or result from urban stormwater runoff, industrial or domestic wastewater discharges, oil and gas production, mining, or farming.
Pesticides and herbicides, which may come from a variety of sources such as agriculture, urban stormwater runoff, and residential uses.
2001 Consumer Confidence Report.docOrganic chemical contaminants, including synthetic and volatile organic chemicals that are byproducts of industrial processes and petroleum production, and can also come from gas stations, urban stormwater runoff, and septic systems.
Radioactive contaminants, which can be naturally occurring or be the result of oil and gas production and mining activities.
In order to ensure that tap water is safe to drink, USEPA and the state Department of Health Services (Department) prescribe regulations that limit the amount of certain contaminants in water provided by public water systems. Department regulations also establish limits for contaminants in bottled water that must provide the same protection for public health.
Tables 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5 list all of the drinking water contaminants that were detected during the most recent sampling for the constituent. The presence of these contaminants in the water does not necessarily indicate that the water poses a health risk. The Department requires us to monitor for certain contaminants less than once per year because the concentrations of these contaminants are not expected to vary significantly from year to year. Some of the data, though representative of the water quality, are more than one year old.
Table 1 - sampling results showing the detection of coliform bacteria
Microbiological Contaminants
Highest No. of detections
No. of months in violation
MCL
MCLG
Typical Source of Bacteria
(In a mo.)
0
0
0
E. coli
(In the year)
0
0
E. coli
0
Table 2 - sampling results showing the detection of Lead and copper
Lead and Copper
No. of samples collected
90th percentile level detected
No. Sites exceeding AL
AL
MCLG
Typical Source of Contaminant
Lead (ppb)
2010 results
10
<.005
0
15
2
Copper (ppm)
2010 results
10
.75
0
1.3
0.17
TAble 3 - sampling results for sodium and hardness
Chemical or Constituent
(and reporting units)Sample Date
Level Detected
Range of Detections
MCL
PHG
(MCLG)
Typical Source of Contaminant
1/2007
8.4
none
none
32
none
none
*Any violation of an MCL or AL is asterisked. Additional information regarding the violation is provided on the next page.
TAble 4 – detection of contaminants with a Primary Drinking Water Standard
Chemical or Constituent
(and reporting units)Sample Date
Level Detected
Range of Detections
MCL
PHG
(MCLG)
Typical Source of Contaminant
1/2007
<0.1
2
1
3.2
45
45
None detected
5
2009 Average
1.7 pCi/L*
15 pCi/L
2010 Average
1.9 pCi/L*
20 pCi/L
TAble 5 - detection of contaminants with a Secondary Drinking Water Standard
Chemical or Constituent
(and reporting units)Sample Date
Level Detected
Range of Detection
MCL
PHG
(MCLG)
Typical Source of Contaminant
2.8
250
1/2007
1.5
250
1/2007
101
500
1/2007
10
1/2007
<0.03
5
1/2007
.30
*Any violation of an MCL or AL is asterisked. Additional information regarding the violation is provided below.
Additional General Information On Drinking Water
All drinking water, including bottled water, may reasonably be expected to contain at least small amounts of some contaminants. The presence of contaminants does not necessarily indicate that the water poses a health risk. More information about contaminants and potential health effects can be obtained by calling the USEPA’s Safe Drinking Water Hotline (1-800-426-4791).
Summary Information for Contaminants Exceeding an MCL or AL, or a Violation of any Treatment or Monitoring and Reporting Requirements:
Some people may be more vulnerable to contaminants in drinking water than the general population. Immuno-compromised persons such as persons with cancer undergoing chemotherapy, persons who have undergone organ transplants, people with HIV/AIDS or other immune system disorders, some elderly, and infants can be particularly at risk from infections. These people should seek advice about drinking water from their health care providers. USEPA/Centers for Disease Control (CDC) guidelines on appropriate means to lessen the risk of infection by Cryptosporidium and other microbial contaminants are available from the Safe Drinking Water Hotline (1-800-426-4791).
The Water Company has put the new well in service. This well meets all California water quality requirements. This eliminates our Uranium problems completely.
The conservation of water is greatly appreciated.
- June 22, 2012
WELL 5 UPDATE- Well 5 continues to work as planned with system adjustments continuing. The aeration will remain in the system, but we hope to reduce it some next year. If you have any questions regarding the system, please visit the contact page.
- May 22, 2012
Water Quality
Well 5 has been exclusively on-line for the last couple of weeks. The quality of well 5 is excellent.
It appears that the pump creates some aeration in the water.
We hope to reduce this as we “dial in” the system.During our testing, there were times that the water pressure in the system was greatly reduced, which caused tuberculation, allowing sediment to be pulled from the walls of piping.
Yesterday, a well that has been off-line during this period was energized, due to low water levels in the tanks. Because of its inactivity, some sediment was introduced into the system. We expect that the sediment and discoloration from iron will be flushed within
24 hours.Although we remain confident of the water quality, if you feel more comfortable, you can choose to use another source of drinking water during this period.
- May 7, 2012
Minutes of Meeting of Board of Directors
April 29, 2012A special meeting of the Board of Directors (the "Board") of Mountain Meadows Mutual Water Company, a California corporation (the "Company"), was held at 4:00 p.m. on April 29, 2012, at Bill Archibald’s house in Crowley Lake, California.
Present at the meeting were Bill Archibald, David Richman, Blair Hafner, Hal Cady and Vicky Phelps, constituting all of the Board. Also present was Carol Kavulla, a resident of Pinion Springs condos.
Bill Archibald, President of the Company, called the meeting to order at 4:00 p.m.
Conservation Efforts
Carol informed the Board that she had asked to attend the meeting in order to discuss potential conservation efforts in light of the general drought conditions and certain members’ inability to restrict watering. After discussion, the Board agreed on the three conservation measures set forth below, all of which were unanimously approved by the Board, and all of which will go into effect immediately:
1. Members of the Company will not be allowed to water between the hours of 10:00 am and 4:00 pm. The first infraction by a member will incur a warning by the Company. Subsequent infractions will incur penalties of $100 (second infraction), $300 (third infraction) and $500 (all subsequent infractions).
2. The allowed annual water usage by members and the penalty structure will be as follows: Each member is allowed annual water usage of 160,000 gallons for the base rate of $55 per month for active members and $26 per quarter for standby members. A charge of $4 per 1,000 gallons used will be assessed for the next 100,000 gallons of annual water usage over 160,000 gallons. A charge of $5 per 1,000 gallon used will be assessed for the next 100,000 gallons of annual water usage over 260,000 gallons. A new billing tier of $7 per 1,000 gallons will be assessed for every 1,000 gallons used in excess of 360,000 gallons.
3. Watering at Mountain Meadows condos and Pinion Springs condos will continue to be restricted to Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays.
New Policies
Following discussion, the following new policies were adopted by the Board:
1. Any member who challenges his/her meter reading and wants to replace the meter will have to do so at his/her own expense. Following installation of the new meter, the Board will monitor the member’s water usage for a period of one year before making a decision on whether or not to credit the member for prior accrued usage fees or penalties.
2. Maintenance of the lateral pipes from the main to the stop and waste valve, before the meter for each property, will be the Company’s responsibility, if the property is metered. Otherwise, the lateral is the property owner's responsibility.
3. Each member will be required to keep access to his/her water meter and the top of the water meter clear of bushes, trees or any other impediment. If the member fails to keep access clear, the Company will clear the access to the meter and charge the member a fee of $25.
4. If a member’s water meter fails and such failure is covered by warranty, the Company will fix and/or replace the meter. If damage to the meter is not covered by warranty, the member will be responsible for the cost to repair and/or replacing the meter.
5. The Company will install insulation on all existing meters to protect against the cold. After such insulation has been installed, it will be the responsibility of the member to repair, thaw and/or replace a meter that freezes.
6. Any member who installs a new meter as part of the construction of a new home will be responsible for installing and insulating the meter to water company specification.
Well 5 Update
David reported that the telemetry has been installed, although some tweaking is necessary. However, there is still a water hammer issue – if the system is shut down quickly, it can cause a water surge. David stated that action is being taken to address this issue, and he hopes that the well will be online in the net two weeks.
Financial
David reported that the Company has $66,000 in cash. The Company still owes approximately $8,000-9,000 for the 10% holdback on the well pump. Also, a second booster pump (approx. $3,000) needs to be installed, and there are some other related expenses. All in all, David thought that for approx. $20,000, the Company will be able to complete well 5 and related changes to the system. Company receivables are in good shape.
Changes to Bank Signatures
David requested that the Board authorize just one signature for checks of up to $1,000, with two signatures still being required for checks in excess of $1,000. The Board unanimously approved such change and all Board members executed a new signature card for First Bank Association Services. Execution of such signature card further constitutes approval by the Board of all resolutions and other undertakings set forth in such signature card.
Ball field
David reported that CSA wants to put a drinking fountain and hose bib at the ball field. David told the County that the Company would consider making water available for a drinking fountain, but would not allow Company water to be used to hose down the field or the mound. David asked the County to provide designs and installation plans. He has not heard back from the County yet. However, the Board unanimously approved allowing a connection for a water fountain and instructed David to move forward with providing such connection once he had received plans from the County and was satisfied with the plans.
Adjournment
The meeting was adjourned at 6:45 p.m.