Boil-Water Notice Issued for Downieville

DOWNIEVILLE — On Monday, February 3rd, Downieville Public Utility District issued a Boil-Water Notice to the residents of Downieville via phone and email. The warning, which was disseminated at around 9:00 AM, reads, “Due to the presence of contamination in the water supply, all residents of Downieville are required to boil their water before personal consumption. This includes drinking, cooking, brushing teeth, and preparing food or baby formula.”

The contamination mentioned is excess sediment in the water, referred to as “turbidity,” which resulted from an increase in Pauley Creek water flow after recent rains. Turbidity was further exacerbated by a buildup of dirt along the riverbank caused by the dry spell over the last few weeks, which was rapidly flushed downstream. These events are not uncommon in Downieville and can be expected to occur several times a year, but the amount of sediment kicked up depends on several environmental variables.

At the first sign of turbidity being too high for the Downieville water treatment plant, pumping from the river was halted, and the town was fed entirely from the water tanks. Unfortunately, turbidity had not settled to acceptable levels before the tanks depleted, so pumping was restarted after roughly 48 hours. The boil-water notice was issued at that time since the water treatment plant could not keep up with the additional sediment in the river. According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, boiling water for three minutes effectively eliminates protozoa, bacteria, and viruses.

Another issue caused by river conditions affecting the town’s water system is turbulence, which causes air to be drawn through the water pumps, reducing their effectiveness. Only about half the normal 170 gallons per minute can be drawn from the river, leading the Downieville Public Utility District (DPUD) to urge residents to keep water use to a minimum. Conserving water during heavy rain can prevent boil-water notices by extending the use of clean water reserves, thus delaying the need to pump potentially turbid river water.

The boil-water notice is expected to stay in effect for “quite a while,” according to DPUD. Although turbidity in the river could soon settle to acceptable levels, the contaminated water in the system will need time to flush out before the supply can be deemed safe to drink. The DPUD requests that the public continue conserving water during this period. The Sacramento Water Board will notify residents that the advisory is lifted as soon as the required turbidity levels become constant.