Nevada Division of Environmental Protection - Office of Financial Assistance

City of Caliente Water System Improvement Project

BACKGROUND

The City of Caliente is located within the Meadow Valley Wash in north-central Lincoln County, Nevada, along U.S. Highway 93. Caliente is the county seat of Lincoln County, and the only incorporated city in the county. The City is characterized by steep mountain slopes and several washes and creeks which traverse the city limits. The principle wash through the city is the Meadow Valley Wash, which runs in a generally southwest direction. Three side canyons, Antelope Canyon, Newman Canyon, and Clover Creek Canyon, terminate within the city limits and join Meadow Valley Wash. Union Pacific Railroad mainline tracks cross the community from the northeast to the south. Caliente is a central maintenance and switching center for railroad operations.

The City of Caliente water system is relatively old. Wells in the system were completed between 1929 and 1970, and portions of the distribution system date from the initial well completion. Well production has dropped off in recent years and some active wells are entraining sand in the water produced. The wells that are located in a former rail yard and adjacent to a major railroad line. The City's Wellhead Protection Program recognizes that these wells are susceptible to contamination from accidents. These wells were constructed without sanitary seals. Most of the water lines in the City of Caliente ar 4 or 6 inches in diameter. These sizes are inadequate to meet the requirements of the Uniform Fire Code for residential fire protection (fire flow).

PROJECT DESCRIPTION

In March 2002, the City of Caliente was awarded a grant by the Board for Financing Water Projects in the amount of $1,176,868.70 (70% of the total project cost of $1,681,241). The project includes the following: the purchase and installation of a new industrial park water storage tank; south side pipeline improvements; construction of a new well; a leak detection and repair program; and the addition of 393 meters as part of a water conservation program. Due to project bids coming in higher than expected, the city eliminated the new well from the project.

In early 2005, two of the three wells owned by the City of Caliente failed, possibly due to the flooding conditions in Meadow Valley. The remaining well was not capable of supporting either demand during the summer months or fire flow. The City of Caliente requested additional funds to drill two new wells. In April 2005, the Board for Financing Water Projects approved an emergency increase in the grant amount to $2,021,314.72 (70% of the total project cost of $2,887,592.46).

The City pursued funding of one new primary well through FEMA and no longer needed the additional funding through the state grant program. In August 2006, the Board deobligated the emergency increase in the grant given in April 2005.

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PROJECT STATUS

The new water storage tank is installed and the south side pipeline improvements are complete. The City is currently in the process of completing the meter installation and implementing a metered water rate. The new well is still pending.