Lake County approves three test-well contracts totaling $506,500 for Spring Valley and North Lakeport water districts

The Lake County Board of Supervisors on Tuesday approved three construction contracts with Weeks Drilling and Pump Company to drill test wells for local special districts, totaling $506,500.

Robin Borre, special district administrator, told the board the projects are grant-funded and that the county plans to drill one test well in Spring Valley and two in North Lakeport. “We have a grant funded project to drill 3 new wells, 1 in Spring Valley and 2 in North Lakeport,” Borre said, explaining the county will drill a test well first at each site and then, if the test wells produce sufficient water, proceed with competitive bids to retrofit and commission the production wells.

The board approved: a $151,500 contract for a test well for the Spring Valley CSA 2 Water District (Pueblo Trail); a $177,500 contract for a test well for the North Lakeport CSA 21 Water District (Crystal Lakeway); and a $177,500 contract for a test well for the North Lakeport CSA 21 Water District (Worley Drive). Each contract was awarded to Weeks Drilling and Pump Company after Weeks submitted the lowest bids on all three items. The motions carried unanimously, 5-0.

County staff said Weeks was the low bidder among two respondents; the other bidder was Will Peterson. A board member noted the Spring Valley bid difference between Weeks and Peterson was about $9,400. Board members also asked whether the county’s local hiring preference could affect award decisions. Supervisors and staff discussed Lake County Municipal Code section 2-54.2 and related sections describing local workforce preference and discounts; staff said the municipal code provides for a local workforce participation discount (cited in discussion as a maximum around 5% in some provisions) but that applicability depends on whether the project qualifies as a public works project and on grant restrictions.

Staff advised the board that the Spring Valley test well will be drilled first because the Spring Valley funding window expires sooner. They also said the Crystal Lakeway site acquisition was still pending; if the county does not acquire the Crystal Lakeway property in time, staff would instead start a second test well at the water plant and return with an amendment to the contract. Staff noted the county cannot spend grant money on a site it does not own and that a tax-sale process is ongoing for the property owner who has since died.

Weeks Drilling and Pump Company (identified in the agenda) and Will Peterson (a second bidder, described in discussion as operating from Kelseyville) were named during the debate. Staff said if test wells hit water and produce adequate yield, the county will enter a separate competitive process to retrofit and place the new wells into service.

The contracts are part of a grant-funded program to expand water production capacity for the Spring Valley and North Lakeport community service areas. Next steps include starting the Spring Valley test well and returning to the board with contract amendments or retrofit contracts as appropriate depending on the test results and property acquisition outcomes.