Water Tank Project Faces Possible Hold As Redway District Board Meets Wednesday; Planned Shutoff March 30

A dispute over an unpaid subcontractor is threatening to complicate a state-funded water storage project in Redway, according to the board packet prepared for Wednesday’s Redway Community Services District meeting.

Sonoma Reinforcing, a subcontractor that supplied welded rebar cages and HRC T-heads for the project, has filed a stop notice against general contractor Mercer Fraser over an unpaid bill. RCSD Office Manager Glenn Gradin explained in an email that a stop notice instructs the project’s owner, in this case the district, to withhold payment to Mercer Fraser until the subcontractor is paid. If Sonoma Reinforcing isn’t paid, the company could place a lien on the property within 30 days of the project’s notice of completion.

Gradin said the district doesn’t expect it to go that far. “We are confident that we will not be going down this path,” he wrote. “But time will tell.”

In his monthly report included in the board packet, General Manager Cody Cox noted he had not yet received an official response from Mercer Fraser as of last week, adding that both he and another staff member were awaiting word.

The project is funded through a Department of Water Resources grant and must be completed by June 30, a deadline Cox described in his report as firm and unchanging. It’s unclear what happens to the funding if that deadline isn’t met.

The subcontractor dispute is one of several infrastructure issues the five-member board will face when it convenes Wednesday, March 25 at 6 p.m. at the district office at 3168 Redwood Drive.

The district’s water treatment plant was recently placed on the State Water Resources Control Board’s failing facility list, a designation that could actually work in the district’s favor. According to Cox’s report, the classification may qualify the district for state financing to upgrade the facility. The plant has struggled during storms; Cox noted in his operations report that raw water turbidity spiked to around 70 NTU last month, forcing the plant to temporarily shut down until conditions improved.

The wastewater plant also had a difficult month. A storm event caused a hydraulic overload at the facility, according to the operations report, requiring staff to notify the state. Cox wrote that biological treatment held up through the event without a major failure.

On a more positive note, Cox reported in his general manager’s memo that he recently passed his California Grade 3 Wastewater Operator Certification, qualifying him to serve as the plant’s chief operator. Once his license is issued, Cox wrote, the district can drop a contracted operator it’s currently paying $1,500 a month.

The board will also take up a proposed assistance program that would knock $15 off monthly water bills for customers receiving Social Security benefits. The draft policy, included in the board packet, calls for the credit to be drawn from property tax revenues rather than ratepayer funds and would require customers to re-certify eligibility annually.

Other agenda items include a discussion about drilling a well on Southern Humboldt Unified School District property, adoption of the county’s updated hazard mitigation plan, a discussion of water service rules in the Lower Redway Q Zone, and nominations for a special district seat on Humboldt LAFCo.

The meeting is open to the public. Comment will be accepted on items not on the agenda. Residents needing disability accommodations can call the district at (707) 923-3101 at least 48 hours ahead of the meeting.

The board packet can be viewed at the RCSD website at redwaycsd.org.

Separately, the district has announced a planned water service interruption scheduled for the night of March 30 to complete hydrant and valve installation work.