Phillipsville’s Well Ran Dry

The Phillipsville Post Office in the center of town. [Photo was taken a few years ago by Kym Kemp]

Phillipsville residents are on a boil water order and in emergency water conservation mode.

On Tuesday, June 6th, customers of the Phillipsville Community Services District received texts alerting them to the need for “extreme emergency conservation” of their water.  According to the alert, the district’s well stopped producing water Saturday the 3rd.  On Monday the 5th, Watson Well Service determined the CSD well was dry.  The District says it appears the ground shifted somewhere due to heavy winter rains and water no longer fills the aquifer their well penetrates.

Phillipsville CSD has two water sources.  The primary source is the well on the flat west of the Avenue of the Giants.  The secondary source is a spring uphill, east of the Avenue.  Currently, the District is moving water from the spring to the township’s main tank for distribution throughout the district.  The rate of flow from the spring has been increased beyond the spring’s treatment facility capacity so Phillipsville is on a boil water order as well.

Friday, June 9th, Phillipsville CSD posted a public notice announcing the need to boil water and saying they are “in the process of getting approval for funding to drill a 140 ft well…We are doing everything we can to get this new well and are hoping it will be pumping water into the tank by the end of next week.”

 

 

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Thinking allowed
Guest
Thinking allowed
6 years ago

That’s scary, considering how wet this spring and summer has been so far. But at least there’s a secondary source.

Hopefully the District is closely monitoring the bacterial content coming off the spring so people know whether they need to purify their own pipes or at least how long to wait to stop boiling water when this is resolved.

Another reason this site is so valuable.

A water guy
Guest
A water guy
6 years ago

In truth,I’ve drank directly from these creeks all my life,unless there’s cows or sheep in the creek above the source,or they are transporting it in a contaminated container there’s no real risk.For the born and raised country folk boiling water from your natural spring is a laughable suggestion.the state standards for a service districts water are beyond overkill.It can be consumed at over 20 times what the test results must be to pass state standards.If your still worried,by all means boil away.The boil water alert is one the state makes a service distric post if the water isn’t being treated as ass coverage.Theres likely worse stuff in the old lines that bring it to your home then in the creek.

Ottermom
Guest
Ottermom
6 years ago
Reply to  A water guy

Or a grow upstream… washing rat poison and firtilizers into your stream…

Another water guy
Guest
Another water guy
6 years ago
Reply to  A water guy

My guess is that they are on slow sand filters which need to have ntu of less than 1.0 in 95%of samples. Surface water (spring) turbidity increases during rainfall events or other disturbances to the source.

This is only the filtration part of water treatment. Disinfection must still happen by chlorination or other means, and if turbidity is too high, microbes may “hide” behind the tiny particles (dirt, sediment).

So, as far as disinfecting your pipes, no need, the water is still chlorinated. As far as drinking without boiling, make your own decision with the knowledge provided above.

I Like P-ville.
Guest
I Like P-ville.
6 years ago
Reply to  A water guy

Dude!!!!! Please don’t tell people that “it’s okay to drink from a creek” what is wrong with you! what if someone ignorant and stupid reads what you wrote and goes for creek water to drink. Springs at the source, right at the spout coming from the earth is fine, but not open water, which can carry all kinds of kill you bad stuff. Living in the Woods 101.

Cowabunga
Guest
Cowabunga
6 years ago

Wonder if the recent earthquakes have anything to do with this.

I Like P-ville.
Guest
I Like P-ville.
6 years ago

Oh, no Aunt Dotty won’t allow that. (“Do you think they’re on…….shhhhhh……meth?”)

Ed Voice
Guest
Ed Voice
6 years ago

Great example of things to come in Southern Humboldt. Just seems like yesterday developers were planning more housing/subdivisions in Southern Humboldt, i.e. Garberville/Redway and the Southern Humboldt Community Park is approved for millions of gallons of irrigation per month for sports fields that include even more water demand, consumption and use directly from the South Fork Eel River. At what point do you say stop?

How can 80 rate payers use that much water?

http://www.redwoodtimes.com/general-news/20170619/phillipsvilles-only-well-runs-dry