Placer County Water Agency to install 1.5 miles of new pipeline west of Auburn

As many as 48 homeowners in the Duncan Hill community west of Auburn may soon have a reliable drinking water supply on the way after the Placer County Water Agency Board of Directors recently approved the initiation of the environmental phase to construct a new 1.5-mile treated water pipeline. Total cost of the pipeline, fire hydrants and related structures is estimated at $10.6 million and is included in PCWA's County-Wide Master Plan, adopted in February 2022. The project is important not only for homeowners in the rural Duncan Hill area but also for service reliability throughout the larger PCWA system. The 12-inch diameter pipeline will connect two existing pipelines and consolidate the Auburn/Bowman water system to the Foothill water system. This will eliminate two dead-end pipelines, improving water quality throughout both systems. It also improves PCWA's ability to move water around its service area. The project is another step in PCWA's longstanding commitment to unify water service in the county and bring safe, reliable drinking water to rural sections of the community that have lacked it for years. "This important project creates a valuable link in our pipeline network where none currently exists and will provide benefits to all our customers by making our water system more resilient," said PCWA board Chairman Robert Dugan. "In addition, we're pleased to offer access to high-quality treated water service to a number of families in the Duncan Hill area who have not had access to it before." The project will provide access to a reliable and safe treated water supply to about 48 homes in the Duncan Hill area. Some of these customers purchase raw water from PCWA's Fiddler Green Canal for domestic purposes but must buy bottled water for drinking, cooking and bathing. Others depend on private wells for their domestic needs, some of which have intermittent water availability or water quality concerns. Connecting individual properties to the new pipeline will be paid for either by the homeowner or grants. The new pipeline will enable additional connections in future phases, which could serve an additional 70 homes in the area. The project site is located two-tenths of a mile west of Auburn and primarily accessed from Ophir Road at the intersection of Stone House Road. The new pipeline is proposed within Millertown Road, Calnick Lane, Voyiatzes Road, Duncan Hill Road and Ophir Road. Challenges associated with the project include crossing North Ravine Creek and PG&E's Penstock/Wise Canal. In addition, construction will occur amid steep terrain and narrow road rights-of-way. Construction is expected to start in spring 2025 and be completed by spring 2026. PCWA has found no significant environmental impacts associated with the project. It has prepared a mitigated negative declaration in accordance with the California Environmental Quality Act to address routine construction impacts. For more information about the project, visit PCWA's Environmental Planning website or call the agency at 530-823-4850. The next regular meeting of the PCWA Board of Directors will be Thursday, Feb. 1, at 2 p.m. at the PCWA Business Center, 144 Ferguson Road, in Auburn. PCWA board meetings are open to the public. For information on PCWA board meetings, contact the clerk to the board at 530-823-4850 or 800-464-0030.