Decision expected on Carson City-Lyon County water agreement

By Karen Woodmansee

Appeal Staff Writer

Carson City and Lyon County would be able to provide each other with water during emergencies and at peak usage under a water-sharing agreement.

Lyon County Commissioners will be asked Thursday to finalize an agreement they already approved that provides for Vidler Water Co. to build a pipeline from Carson City to Mound House and then on to Dayton.

"Having it will be a huge benefit during times of local or regional emergencies like fires or water line breakages," said Lyon Utilities Director Mike Workman. "We can send water to Carson City or they will be able to send it our way. We'll be able to work cooperatively during emergency events."

Vidler originally proposed the project in which they will build the water line and sell their 75 acre-feet of water rights to developers. The developers who later purchase the water rights will then deed them to the county. Vidler will also deed the infrastructure to the county.

The project includes a 16-inch main line coming from Carson City to the Mound House tank, then on east to the upper Dayton tank.

The contract allows for the building of the pipeline and a water sharing agreement, as well as setting fees. It will become effective upon the agreement of both the commissioners and the Carson City Board of Supervisors, which will also discuss the issue Thursday.

If approved, the contract will be in effect through Dec. 31, 2012, and will be renewed every five years, subject to renegotiation.

The contract stipulates Carson City will deliver an agreed-upon quantity of water that is banked by Lyon County on behalf of Vidler Water Co. in accordance with the Alpine Decree and all federal state and local laws.

The fee will be 48 cents per 1,000 gallons delivered, paid by the recipient of the water. Since water will be able to be pumped both ways, at times Lyon County will pay the fee and at other times, Carson City will pay.

Workman estimated about 300 acre-feet will be transferred once the system is up and running, or 97,755,300 gallons of water, at an estimated cost of $46,922.54 per year.

There is also a lease agreement whereby Carson City can lease excess water rights from Lyon County for $50 per acre-foot.

"We need to first put the system online, operate it and validate all of our assumptions," Workman said. "This will reduce our costs for electricity and chemical use. We bring the water from Mound House into Dayton, so it's pumped multiple times. Having larger infrastructure and larger pipelines makes it a more efficient operation."

Workman said the costs will be passed on to ratepayers, but added that once it is in place, the costs of delivering the water will be lower, and he hoped to pass those savings on to ratepayers as well.

"Anytime we can reduce costs to customers, that would be my goal," he said. "That has to be analyzed. So much of the Mound House cost is depreciation, which had never been funded, but I'm optimistic that Mound House customers in particular will benefit from this, and Dayton and Carson City customers as well."

• Contact reporter Karen Woodmansee at kwoodmansee@nevadaappeal.com or 882-2111 ext. 351.

If You Go

WHAT: Lyon County Commission meeting

WHEN: 9 a.m. Thursday

WHERE: 27 S. Main St., Yerington

CALL: 463-6531

WHAT: Carson City Board of Supervisors meeting

WHEN: 8:30 a.m. Thursday

WHERE: Sierra Room of the Community Center, 851 E. William St.

ON THE NET: A copy of the agenda and supporting materials are available at www.carson-city.nv.us. Go to the Board of Supervisors link under the City Government tab.