With the weather soon turning to the cooler fall, water use will gradually slow down here in the Central Valley.
For the community of Dos Palos, which also includes Midway, South Dos Palos, and other areas outside of the city limits, that means they made it through the summer with an adequate water supply. During the past 10 years, citizens have had to endure two periods of no water because of algae blooms in the California Aqueduct.
Dos Palos receives its water from the aqueduct, and the accumulated blooms plugged up the system so much that water could not be treated fast enough to be used during the high peak summer months.
The city has moved past “Phase I” of upgrades to the water delivery system with the construction of a brand-new water storage tank.
Dos Palos city manager Dewayne Jones said the new tank went online on Oct. 4, and it will hold 750,000 gallons of the precious commodity.
“It will bring our total water storage capacity to two million gallons,” Jones explained. He added that the new tank will also allow for more contact time, which is the amount of time the water is treated while in storage.
The cost of rehabilitating the tank was $1.2 million and was paid for with American Rescue Plan Act funds.
Now the city will move on to “Phase II”, which will be a much-needed new water plant. The ambitious project will cost approximately $25 million and is being paid for by state and federal monies.
Jones said that hopefully the construction will begin in the spring of next year.
“Our new water plant plans have been completed and are waiting for approval from the state,” Jones explained. “We anticipate going out to bid around the first of the year.” He added that it will take about two years to complete the project once construction starts.
“The new water plant will not only allow us to expand our capacity even more, but it will also allow our community to grow,” said Jones.
So with the additional storage and the brand new plant, Dos Palos residents should be able to rest easily that when they turn on the taps in their homes, plentiful water will be coming out.
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