Baker golf course staff told the commission they measured elevated total coliform bacteria in irrigation discharge and had raised the chlorine dose from about 40 pounds per 24 hours to higher levels to try to lower counts. The most recent tests showed total coliforms around 20,000 colony-forming units per milliliter while the county’s numeric target in conversation with regulators was about 23 (units reported in transcript as a regulatory threshold), prompting staff to plan additional short-term interventions and further testing.

Public works and golf‑course staff discussed a stepped response: increasing chlorination dosage to see whether total coliforms drop, conducting mass chlorination (holding chlorinated water in the line overnight or in tablets) and flushing the line. Commissioners and staff considered installing a ‘‘duck‑bill’’ check valve or similar backflow device at the end of the main irrigation line to trap chlorinated water inside the pipe overnight, enabling contact time for disinfection. They also outlined the operational issue of air locking, and discussed adding an automatic air‑relief or ball valve at the air relief location so crews could consistently break trapped air and manage pressures safely. Staff warned a duck‑bill would need to hold against the head differential; the elevation between the pump and the outlet may be 15–50 feet, and a 4–5 psi duck‑bill might not hold at that head.

Commissioners and staff agreed to try a controlled mass chlorination or raise the gas chlorine dose, have on‑site testing run within hours to measure results, and add valves or temporary measures (manual ball valves and coordinated pump shut‑off) to allow holding treated water if tests indicate improvements. Longer‑term technical fixes discussed included adding an aerator at the golf course reservoir and installing an automatic vent/air relief to reduce siphoning and foaming at the end of the pipe. No formal votes were taken; staff were directed to test after increased dosing, evaluate the duck‑bill/valve options and report back with lab results and cost estimates.

Ending: The commission instructed staff to perform step‑up chlorine trials, take immediate retests, and return quickly with results so the board can authorize either short‑term mass chlorination or more durable piping fixes if necessary.