12. Plant F16
Existing facilities include a below-grade out-of-service reservoir, a 46-year old above-grade operational reservoir and old booster pumps. SGV proposes to replace all facilities at this location with two new reservoirs and booster pumps. SGV states that replacement of these facilities will improve reliability and lower operations and maintenance costs.
The proposed expenditures are $1,555,000 in 2008 and $710,000 in 2009.
The settlement uses SGV's request.
12.1. Positions of Parties
Prior to the settlement, DRA opposed replacement of the existing operational reservoir and agreed with building the new reservoir and installing booster pumps.
COF recommends that two reservoirs with a total capacity of 1.5 million gallons as proposed in SGV's Water System Master Plan (Master Plan), rather than two million gallons as proposed by SGV, be built at a cost of $750,000.9 COF recommends the booster pumps not be replaced because sufficient facilities already exist.
FUSD agrees with the position taken by COF.
SGV states that because the F16 reservoir and booster station are the primary source of water for reservoir F15 and more than 9,500 customers, they can not be taken out of service for any reason. SGV also states that the site is very small such that, once the proposed improvements have been completed, it will be very costly to put in a reservoir at a later date. SGV also argues that the additional facilities are needed to improve the reliability and sustainability of the facilities at Plant F16.
12.2. Discussion
The settlement provides for two new reservoirs with a combined capacity of 1.5 million gallons, which is the size COF recommends. Therefore, COF's concern regarding the size of the reservoirs has been addressed. The existing booster pumps are sized for the existing reservoir capacity of 0.5 million gallons. Therefore, additional booster pump capacity is needed. The settlement is reasonable in regard to the planned facilities at Plant F16.
9 In Ordering Paragraph 16 of D.04-07-034, the Commission directed SGV to develop a water management/engineering report to provide more comprehensive guidance for its utility plant and infrastructure construction projects in the Fontana Water Company Division. SGV prepares its Water System Master Plan in compliance with that decision.
