The county-owned Independence water plant was destroyed by flames that came down Independence Creek during the Inyo Complex Fires. New water tanks and facilities are on tap, and should be paid for by insurance money and state emergency assistance funds. Photo by Jon Klusmire

By Jon Klusmire
Register Staff

11-15-2007

With a bit of luck and a good bid, a new Independence water plant should rise out of the ashes without costing county taxpayers a dime.

The reservoir and various buildings that served as the starting point for the community’s domestic water supply burned down as the Inyo Complex fire blazed down Independence Creek and overwhelmed the plant. The fire was stopped just past the water plant, but the damage was done.
Now, after using temporary water tanks for several months, the county will be moving to use insurance money and state disaster funds to pay for a new water tank and other facilities at the Independence site.

The cost of the new water facilities could range from $1.4 million to $1.7 million.
According to Public Works Department Director Ron Chegwidden, the county’s insurance company “has agreed in principle” to covering the cost of replacing the burned up water system. Plus, the state Office of Emergency Services has completed a “draft Damage Survey Report” for the damage caused by July’s Inyo Complex fires. That draft report notes that OES would provide funding for construction of new water tanks.
The only thing holding up release of the money is both entities want to see firm cost estimates in the form of actual bids for the work, Chegwidden said. Once the bids are in and awarded, he said he anticipated that the entire cost of the project would be covered by the insurance money with additional state OES funds, if necessary.
The key component of the new water plant will be two steel water tanks, with each tank holding 200,000 gallons of water. The new tanks have to be welded together and otherwise fabricated to the Public Works Department’s specifications, which are based on American Water Works Association standards, said Chegwidden.
Besides the two tanks, the overall project includes all other piping, electrical lines, sensors and monitors needed to make the connection to   the town water system. Demolition and cleanup of the old reservoir site will be included, but the old reservoir itself will not be removed     or demolished, said Cheg-widden.
The new tanks will be located above ground next to Independence Creek, which should allow for their installation with minimum interruption of water service, he noted.
It should take about six months to get the whole project complete, with actual fabrication of the tanks being the most time-consuming task. Depending on tank construction and other variables, getting a new water system functioning and flowing could end up taking longer than six months, he said.
The Board of Supervisors recently approved putting the project out to bid, which will be the first step in securing funding for the project and getting the work started.