UPDATE: Sunday, November 24, 2024, 5:00pm:
Summary: The Trinidad Water System has been operating at full production capacity since late Friday afternoon with all aspects of the Plant functioning as designed. However, storage capacity relapsed to a very low level Sunday morning following a fire emergency that required a significant amount of water to suppress. As a result, the City advises all water customers to practice moderate conservation until further notice.
Details: Trinidad’s Drinking Water Storage Tank level stabilized after technicians identified and repaired several equipment failures related to a leak that occurred inside the filtration room overnight Wednesday during the first winter storm of the season. The incident caused an accelerated loss of water that drained a full storage tank to a critically low level in less than 2 days.
Thanks to a quick response from City Water and Public Works Departments, technical partners (An Electrician, Inc., Cummins West, Cornerstone Computers) and a remarkable conservation response from water customers, the tank level stabilized within 36-hours of the leak being detected.
Shortly after operations resumed late Thursday afternoon, a leak was reported on a customer service line, caused by a debris slide located along a saturated section of Scenic Drive. Public Works was quickly notified and dispatched to isolate the leak. Production continued through Friday and the tanks gained capacity, reaching nearly 65% overnight Saturday, thanks again to a continued conservation effort from water customers.
Early Sunday morning at approximately 4:00am a structure fire occurred north of town on Patrick’s Point Drive requiring Trinidad water to suppress the blaze. The tank quickly dropped from its 72-hour recovery period peak of 65%, to below 40% when emergency service personnel wrapped up around 2:00pm.
The City of Trinidad’s Water Shortage Contingency Plan (WSTP) was designed with a particular focus on shortages during periods of extended drought. It also recognizes Water Plant Equipment or Operation failures requiring a Critical Stage 5 response (referencing a 1-5 scale with 5 being most critical). The recent incidents have proven how vulnerable the system is while operating with only half of its designed storage capacity.
Since the mid-1970’s, the Trinidad Water Plant has been operating with two, 150,000-gallon storage tanks (approximately 300,000-gallons total). The drought years of 2018-2021 brought historically low flows to the City’s water source Luffenholtz Creek. In response, the City was awarded grant funding through the State Water Resource Control Board to improve system reliability by replacing several distribution lines and increasing storage.
The most deteriorated of the two tanks was demolished in mid-October, making room for construction of a new 250,000 tank scheduled to be in-service by March 2025. Until then, the City will be operating with half of the storage capacity it has been used to for the last 50 years. Water production equipment was optimized this year to handle increased demand during the transition, but while storage capacity improvements are being addressed, system reliability can be quickly disrupted by leaks, inclement weather, grid-power surges, and equipment failure.
The City has a team of Engineers and Staff working with lead contractor Mercer-Fraser to complete the tank construction project by March 2025. During the next few months we will remain on high alert and ask the following from every water customer:
- CONSERVATION: Remain conservation-minded. Consume only the amount of water necessary for your well-being.
- REPORT LEAKS: Be on the lookout for leaks, and please consider addressing suspected or known leaks in service lines, seeping toilets, outdoor spigots, faucets, and any other water-wasting appliances. Customers are responsible for any line, valve, or equipment extending beyond the meter to the home. Public Works staff are available to help you locate your meter understand how it works, and share advice or techniques that will help you identify and monitor unintended water loss.
- ISOLATE AND SHUT OFF IRRIGATION SYSTEMS: Irrigation systems are prone to leaks and are the primary suspect with residential high usage.
- SIGN UP FOR EMERGENCY ALERTS: The City of Trinidad invested in a new website hosted by Civic Plus to increase public engagement and response time during emergency situations. Text alerts are now offered through the website by clicking on the “SUBSCRIBE” button on the home page. After enrollment you’ll be able to receive alerts including the content of your choice. The more water customers and residents that are subscribed, the faster our collective response time will be when faced with a sudden challenge.
Thanks again for your understanding and ongoing cooperation.
UPDATE: Thursday, November 21, 2024, 10:00AM:
Grid power surges, equipment failure, and leaks found in saturated areas of the distribution system complicated the City's ability to gain positive elevation in the water storage tank. Technicians are addressing equipment failure, and Public Works staff continues to monitor and stabilize leaks caused by stormwater runoff, earth movement, and fallen trees and debris, specifically along Scenic Drive.
PLEASE CONTINUE TO CONSERVE WATER UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE. Updates, progress, and/or additional alerts will be posted regularly. We appreciate everyone's patience and cooperation.
Please share this information with your neighbors to help spread the word.
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WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 20, 2024, 1:00PM:
A water conservation alert has been issued on Wednesday, November 20, 2024, due to a failed water pipe discovered and repaired this morning at the Water Treatment Plant. Due to limited storage capacity, PLEASE conserve use of potable water until further notice.
The City's water system is operating with only one of its two water storage tanks in service. Power outages and storm-related issues over the last 24-hours have challenged the City's ability to gain adequate capacity in the remaining tank. Water Department staff has currently stabilized production, but warns it could take several days to replenish the tank under extreme flow conditions that the Luffenholtz Creek watershed is experiencing.
Additional updates will be provided on the City's website as the storm passes and adequate storage capacity is achieved. Please share this message with your neighbors. Thank you.