Montara Water and Sewer (MWSD) Stay on Top of Critical Infrastructure by Rehabbing the 15-Year Old Alta Vista Well After 11 Million Gallons of Production

Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...

PRESS RELEASE. From the Montara Water and Sewer District (MWSD) for August and September.

Staying Ahead of our Local Community Needs

Montara Water and Sanitary District (MWSD) works every day to deliver water, garbage and sewer services for the residents of Montara and Moss Beach. Over 6,000 residents rely on our services for their homes and businesses.

News for You: Maintaining Our Water Infrastructure; Wise Water Use Practices

While we continue to monitor this drought and assist customers with leaks, our small but mighty MWSD staff continue work to maintain the critical water infrastructure we rely on.

In June, staff worked with our contractor to complete rehabilitation work at our Alta Vista Well. Placed in service in 2007, Alta Vista is 15 years old and is in almost daily operation. So far in 2022, it has already produced over 11 million gallons of water for our community. To ensure a long and productive service life, we focus on staying ahead of maintenance and replacement of critical components.

This year early work started the coordination of video inspections and water quality sampling. Before work at Alta Vista could start, staff prepared and placed in service auxiliary wells to offset the missing water production while Alta Vista maintenance was underway. Rehabilitation work included removal of the well pump, well head, and well column, installation of a brand new pump motor and replacement well head.

While work occurred at the Alta Vista well, we also refurbished three pressure reducing valve stations – which are critical to reducing and managing pressure as your drinking water flows downhill from our storage tanks at higher elevations. These stations had deteriorated due to age and exposure to our coastal environment. We also undertook trail maintenance to ensure safe access to our Montara Creek surface water diversion structure.

And the work continues!

Work is also underway to deepen our Portola 4 Well and improve longterm production.

We’re always happy to share the work thats underway. Please feel free to reach out when you see work in your neighborhood.

 

Always Practice Wise Water Use these Stage 1 water management measures are always in place to protect our water supplies:

• Irrigate outdoor areas in early morning or late evening.

• Don’t allow water to run-off your property.

• Don’t over water! Fix leaks within 5 days!

• Don’t hose down cars, equipment or driveways. Wash your car at a car wash that recycles water.

• No washing of streets, parking lots and buildings*.

• Use automatic shut-off devices on hoses.

• No fill or refill of swimming pools, spas, artificial lakes, ponds or streams*.

• No outdoor water use of any kind during power outages. *except as necessary for public health or fire protection

 

Want to do more? Consider taking a Stage 2 Action:

• Set your automatic sprinkler system timers to operate during off-peak hours between 10:00 p.m. and 6:00 a.m.

• Chose not to irrigate on Saturdays or Sundays

• If you operate a restaurant, only serve water on request.

 


 

Where Does Your Water Come from in Montara? Run for Montara Water and Sewer District (MWSD) for 3 Vacancies on their Board

 

 


Montara Water and Sanitary District (MWSD) Meetings ~ 1st & 3rd Thursdays @ 7:30pm

Watch remotely. Comments and questions by email.

 

Agendas and Zoom Live Meeting Links

If you experience technical difficulties or have technical questions prior to or during the meeting, please contact MWSD’s IT support at (650) 728-7843.

Meeting Videos

 


Meeting Schedule:

Regular meetings are 7:30pm on the first and third Thursday of each month. They used to held at the District office at 8888 Cabrillo Hwy, next to Pt Montara Lighthouse and Hostel.

To receive agendas by email, send a request to [email protected]

In addition to email, we post agendas before each board meeting:

  • On the District website here
  • Montara post office
  • Moss Beach post office
  • the bulletin board in front of the MWSD office

 


Who is on the Board of Directors?

DIRECTOR TERM
Kathryn Slater-Carter — President Term 2016-2020
Jim Harvey — President Pro Tem Term 2018-2022
Ric Lohman — Secretary Term 2018-2022
Peter Dekker — Treasurer Term 2019-2020
Scott Boyd — Director Term 2016-2020

 


Services

Sewer Authority Mid-Coastside (SAM) – MWSD is a member of SAM, the agency that collects and cleans our Coastside community’s wastewater before it enters the ocean. SAM meets monthly on the 4th Monday at 7:30pm. Jim Harvey and Scott Boyd presently serve as SAM board members.

Recology of the Coast – MWSD has contracted with Recology of the Coast for trash pickup, recycling, and waste hauling.

Visit County Solid Waste Department for more information about recycling, composting, etc.

 


In an Emergency

Water Emergencies: Call MWSD at (650) 728-3545

Sewer Emergencies: Call SAM at (650) 726-0124

For emergencies that affect life, health or safety:  Dial 911

 


Contact Us

  • 8888 Cabrillo Hwy
    Montara, California 94037
  • Office Hours:
    8:30AM to 5PM Mon-Fri
  • (650) 728-3545
  • [email protected]

Note: Public participation is not permitted during closed session discussion items.

 

MSWD General Manager Clemens Heldmaier showing a creek filtration system.

 

 

Coastside Buzz
Author: Coastside Buzz

Me