Belmont Terrace Mutual Water Company

Here are the links to what the state is saying about water systems, the COVID-19 virus, and water safety.

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General Questions

Q: What is a Boil Water Advisory?

A: Boil Water Advisory is a recommendation made to residents in a place to only drink tap water if it has been boiled for at least one minute. This recommendation is made to the town to protect the health of its people.

Q: When is a Boil Water Advisory recommended?

A: The Public Health Unit recommends Boil Water Advisories when there is known   contamination of the water supply OR when there is a risk of contamination in the water supply.

Q: What can I drink during a Boil Water Advisory?

A: You can drink tap water if it has been boiled for one minute. Cool and store all boiled water in a covered container. If you do not wish to boil your water, you may choose to buy commercially packaged water for drinking.

Q: How will I know when the Boil Water Advisory has been lifted?

A: The Public Health Unit will notify the community when the water is safe to drink without boiling. We will alert local media, institutions (schools, hospitals), restaurants, and community centres.

Q: I drank the water before I realized there was a Boil Water Advisory. Am I going to get sick?

A: The Boil Water Advisory has been recommended as a precaution.  If you drank the water before hearing of the advisory, your risk of becoming ill is low. However, if you begin to have fever, diarrhea or vomiting you should seek medical attention.  Advise your health care practitioner that you have consumed tap water during the Boil Water Advisory.

Q: I have a dishwasher.  Is it safe to use during a Boil Water Advisory?

A: If your dishwasher has a hot/sani-cycle then it can be used, it safely disinfects dishes.  If it does not have this setting, after the final cycle, soak dishes for 1 minute in a solution of 30ml (1 oz) of bleach mixed with 13.5 litres (3 gallons) of lukewarm water.  Let dishes air dry.

Q: Can I use the water for other purposes?

A: You can use the water for bathing as long as you do not drink it. Supervise babies and children during bathing to ensure that they do not drink the water.

Q: During a Boil Water Advisory, how come restaurants/food premises are still open?

A: When there is a Boil Water Advisory, restaurants/food premises are given very specific orders from the Health Unit as to how to operate.  These orders will ensure that the foods being serviced to the public remain safe.

Q: How long is boiled water safe to drink?

A: As long as the water is protected from contamination, it should remain safe to drink.   Once the water has been boiled, cover it and place it in the refrigerator for future consumption.

Q: Can my pets drink the water?

A: Pets should be provided boiled water, or water from an alternate source until the boil water advisory is lifted.

Q: Can I use my coffee maker?

A: Most residential coffee makers are not capable of maintaining high temperatures for a long enough period of time to make the water safe to drink.  Coffee and tea can be made by using water that has been brought to a rolling boil for a period of one minute or bottled water.  If using an automatic shut off kettle, make sure the water has boiled for one minute.

Q: Can I use my activated charcoal filter system (i.e. Brita or other brand names) to treat my water during a Boil Water Advisory?

A: No. These filters are not designed to remove contamination from an unsafe water supply. If you have run the water through your filter during the Boil Water Advisory it could be contaminated. It is recommended that you discard the filter and replace it with a new one once the Boil Water Advisory is over.

Q: How do I safely prepare my baby’s formula during the Boil Water Advisory?

A: Sterilize all bottles, rings, utensils and nipples in boiling water for two minutes.  The water mixed with the formula should boil at a rolling boil for at least two minutes, this will sterilize the water.

Dear Belmont Terrace neighbors:

Over the next 3-6 weeks, starting on April 10, 2017, TerraCon Constructors will be installing the new pipeline from the well site to the street distribution piping. We expect that there will be 3-4 days of scheduled water shut-downs on weekdays between 9am to 4pm during construction. We recommend storing water for drinking and cooking ahead of each shut down. We will notify you or knock on doors several days ahead when we know the exact schedule of the shut-downs.

The work will begin by digging in the street to replace valves at several junctions:

Norlee & Bella Vista

Norlee & Tocchini

Tocchini & Dorthel

Tocchini & Daniel

Daniel & Bella Vista

There will be temporary covers on these 5 holes for at least 2 weeks, with warning cones and flashing barricades until all replacements have been installed. The replacements will require water shut-downs on at least 2 weekdays (between 9am to 4pm), and we will knock on doors as soon as we know the schedule.

The second phase will be installation of the new piping, including a trench across the street at 7911 Bella Vista Street, opposite the main gate to the well site. There will be temporary covers on the trench but it might be wise to detour round through Tocchini Street. The connection between the new and existing pipes will require a 1-day shut down (between 9am to 4pm), and we will knock on doors as soon as we know the schedule.

According to state regulations, we must warn all customers to boil their drinking water after each shut-down, until bacteriological tests confirm that the water is safe for drinking. Our experience is that our disinfection system is capable of providing safe water immediately, but the State requires a laboratory test that takes 2 days to confirm. We apologize for this inconvenience.

After each shut-down some customers see reddish water, and the best way to eliminate it is to run your garden hoses onto your landscape until clear.

If you have questions, you can call: John Rosenblum, Bruce Petersilge, or Debby Turner

.

Tony from TerraCon

Working near Bella Vista and Daniel

Watch work at Bella Vista and Daniel

March 15, 2017

Dear Neighbors:

From time to time, Belmont Terrace Mutual Water Co. must flush out the water system in order to remove sand and other sediment from the lines.  We will be flushing the system on SUNDAY, March  26, 2017 starting at 11:00 A.M.  We should be finished by 3:30 P.M.

Please DO NOT TURN ON ANY WATER during this time.  If you do, it is likely that sediment will be drawn into your home’s water lines.  There will be orange cones by all the fire hydrants.  Once the flush is done we will remove all the cones.

We will place flush signs the day/night before at Danmar (near church), Norlee near Bella Vista, and Danmar at Ragel.  We will place orange cones next to all the fire hydrants Sunday morning before we start flush.  The cones will stay will stay in place until we are finished flushing.  Once ALL the cones are removed from in front of the fire hydrants water will be available to use.

If you do experience cloudy water, please run a back yard hose or faucet for 5-10 minutes to help flush out the sediment.  If you have problems after that, please call the Water Operator at 707-820-7787.

Thank you for your cooperation.

Bruce Petersilge and Debby Turner

Here is the link to the  presentation file.  It is 14 pages BT Annual Meeting

Belmont Terrace Mutual Water Company’s
Annual General Meeting
Monday, January 25, 2016, 7:00pm
Sebastopol Community Church, Fireside Room

Please join your neighbors and Board of Directors for the annual General Meeting of our neighborhood mutual water company. There are several important issues that will be discussed, including a vote on a rate increase. Come and let your voice be heard!

Included in the agenda will be:
• Presentations on:
o The Drought Relief Program
o The Groundwater Sustainability Act
o The Capital Improvement Plan
• A discussion on a possible rate increase, followed by a vote.
• An appeal for new board members

This is YOUR water company, so please come and learn about the issues facing us today. There might even be cookies and drink!

Huck Hensley, President
Victoria Carrara, Secretary
Laurie Mattinson, Treasurer
Oleta Hamilton, Community Member

Be sure to conserve water on these hot days.  We have a lot of users and we do not want to waste water.  Lawns should only be water for 5-10 minutes every other day.  On the HOTTEST of days; Run for an extra 5 minutes.  IF you are on a slope; cut the run times in half and water with time between them (let the water soak in).  This will keep water from running down the gutters.  There is chlorine in our water and it is not good for fish.  Please keep chlorinated water out of the creeks keep your sprinkler’s water on your property.

Thank you for conserving.

Today Yager installed a new pump into Well#1.  This will be used for emergency by-pass of the tank and if for some reason that Well#2 is unable to work for us.

Martin prepares finalizes the electrical for well#1	Wiping down pipe prior to hooking it on the pipe to lower into the well.

Lifting, Aligning and finally	Tightening the sections of pipe.

Finalizing the electrical at the surface just prior to lowering the pump in place.	Final step Lower the pump in place.

We are now up and operational on our new pipes with our dual pressure tanks.  We are having a little trouble getting the pressure tanks up to the correct pressure but that should be cleared up by morning.

Thank you everyone you did a great job conserving water during this construction project.

If you have problems with sand or dirty water please run the hose in the back yard for 5 minutes or so should clear all the water through the house.

I found these tips out on a website:
The Boil Water Notice will be lifted once the water is safe to drink.

After a Boil water Notice has been lifted

• Flush water farthest from the inlet to the house first.  (Most cases the backyard)
• Flush all water-using fixtures for 1 minute.
• Run cold-water faucets and drinking fountains for 1 minute before using the water.
• Drain and flush all ice-making machines in your refrigerator.
• Run water softeners through a regeneration cycle.
• Drain and refill hot water tanks set below 45 C (normal setting is 60 C).
• Change any pre-treatment filters (under sink style and refrigerator water filters, carbon block, activated carbon, sediment filters, etc.).