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After nearly two weeks without safe drinking water, 46 of the 67 Mountain View households affected by the recent water main contamination breach near Cuesta Park have been told that they are in the clear. The city is still working to return full water services to 21 homes in the area.
Mountain View announced Wednesday morning that, in coordination with the California State Water Resources Control Board, it had lifted the “boil water” notice – which went into effect on Friday, May 1 – for most of the impacted homes. The households still under the advisory are on Drucilla Drive and Carla Court, where the city is currently working on a “super chlorination” treatment process for the pipeline serving that area.
The city first shut off water access for dozens of homes near Cuesta Park on April 24, after city contractor C2R Engineering breached a water main at the corner of Bonita Avenue and Cuesta Drive. This incident caused a cement slurry mix to come into contact with the main water supply.
Since then, Mountain View turned the water back on for all of the households but has been issuing various restrictions on water usage, such as only allowing people to flush toilets or requiring that tap water is boiled for at least one minute before it’s used for drinking and cooking purposes.
Initial testing of water after the incident showed the presence of coliform, a group of bacteria that is typically harmless but can indicate the presence of other harmful organisms, according to a fact sheet from the California State Water Resources Control Board.
In a round of recent testing, only the water line serving homes on Drucilla Drive and Carla Court showed levels of coliform, prompting the city to initiate a “super chlorination” process for that pipeline. The duration of that work depends on forthcoming test results of the chlorine residual levels and presence of bacteria, the city said.
The treatment entails establishing temporary water lines for each of the houses, injecting the affected water pipe with a high concentration of chlorine, keeping it there for 24 hours before flushing it out and then conducting two rounds of water testing 12 hours apart to check for remaining bacteria. Throughout the process, the “boil water” notice will remain in effect for affected homes on the two streets, according to the city.
Mountain View will continue to provide hotel accommodations and meal and incidental reimbursements for the 21 impacted homes on Drucilla Drive and Carla Court through Sunday, May 10. For the 46 other households in the area that had their water restored, Wednesday, May 6, is the last night that the city will offer those resources.
In response to affected residents’ concerns regarding how the water main breach may affect upcoming bills, the city plans to issue all households a 100% credit for water and sewer services for the entire two-month bill cycle that includes the emergency period, a Wednesday news release said.
One day after the breach happened, April 25, Mountain View declared a state of emergency, which will allow the city to pursue reimbursement from the state and federal government for expenses incurred while responding to this incident. Additionally, the city is investigating the circumstances surrounding the water main contamination, city spokesperson Lenka Wright previously told the Voice.
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