Water and waste topics at GHCSD meeting

Pat Doody.

Well water was again a topic at the March board meeting of the Golden Hills Community Services District. In one last try to find potable water in what is called the "salvage area" – an area near Tom Sawyer Lake and is not under the control of the Tehachapi Cummings Community Water District – the GHCSD hired the consulting firm of Provost & Pritchard to request bids for the drilling of the P2 well. The contract would be for the drilling of a maximum of three test holes searching first for water quality and then, if found, quantity. Jeff Eklund of Provost & Pritchard said they received two bids that were miles apart. Hearn Richardson Drilling LLC presented a bid for $890,575, while Scott Belknap Well Drilling, Inc. came in at $2,323,500. When asked what they thought the reason for the huge discrepancy, Eklund and GHCSD General Manager Christopher Carlson agreed that it was because Hearn Richardson is familiar with the Tehachapi area and Scott Belknap was not. The board voted unanimously to award the bid to Hearn Richardson.

For the second month in a row SB1383, the bill requiring solid waste collection by all California communities was front and center. Joe Torres was again on hand to answer questions and self-haulers were again the topic for the evening. The main concern of the board was that while self-haulers can get a waiver, it is up to the GHCSD and Torres to monitor and report violations. Torres said that the requirement has made the refuse haulers the "bad guys."

As Director David Shaw said, "We have no control on self-haulers but are responsible." Part of the ordinance requires that there be a Code Enforcement Officer. Torres also mentioned that the self-haulers will most likely now to have to show what they are hauling when they go to the landfill. General Manager Carlson agreed saying, "people will have to change their habits."

The board of the Golden Hills CSD meets on the third Thursday of the month at 6 p.m in the board room of the Community Service District located at 21415 Reeves St. and is open to the public.