Board extends deadline for private fire-lateral single-check upgrades to 2034; staff told to coordinate with fire agencies

The Sweetwater Authority Board of Directors voted April 23 to extend the compliance deadline for private fire-service lateral single-check upgrades and to align the authority's deadline with the State Water Resources Control Board requirement of July 1, 2034.

The item addressed private fire laterals and single check valves that staff said may present cross-contamination risk to the public water system. The general manager explained that the authority and the state have been working on the issue since 2018 after identifying about 380 private fire laterals built with single check valves that do not meet current backflow-prevention expectations.

Why it matters: Single check valves on private fire laterals can be inaccessible and may fail with age, creating a risk of backflow into the public distribution system. The State Water Resources Control Board set a statewide requirement for double check backflow devices on such laterals with a compliance date of July 1, 2034; Sweetwater staff recommended aligning the authority's deadline with the state.

Board discussion and vote

Staff noted the board initially set an upgrade program and that a prior board extension had moved the compliance date from 2023 to 2025. The general manager described outreach already conducted: customers identified as needing upgrades have been sent postcards and letters over several years.

Hector Castaneda, a director who moved the measure, argued for alignment with state requirements and for stronger outreach. He told the board, "I go ahead and make a motion that we, support the the, the general manager's recommendation to align our policy with, state law." The motion included direction that staff coordinate with local fire agencies and refer strategy and outreach to the Water Quality Committee for further development. The motion was seconded.

Roll-call voting produced the following record: Director Castaneda: yes; Director Cox: abstain (Cox said she preferred additional consultation with partner fire agencies before final action); Director Delgado: aye; Director Martinez: aye; Director Martinez Perez: aye; Director Morrison: absent; Director Yamani: aye. The motion passed with five yes votes, one abstention and one absence.

Staff clarified enforcement and consequences

Staff said as of the report they had identified about 380 at-risk laterals and that approximately 276 remained outstanding as of the previous week. If property owners do not compliantly upgrade, staff said the authority would isolate the private fire lateral from the main system, which means private hydrants would not be available for suppression (fire departments would rely on public hydrants). The general manager emphasized that private owners are financially responsible for upgrades and that the authority has not been informed of state reimbursement funds for the work. "It doesn't mean the state might, between now and 2034, make money available, but that is pure speculation at this point," staff said.

Clarifying details

- Number affected: staff identified about 380 private laterals initially; about 276 remained outstanding as of the week prior to the meeting.

- Notifications: staff has been sending postcards and letters to affected customers since the board's earlier actions; postcards were sent twice a year during the initial outreach and updated when the board previously extended the deadline.

- Cost responsibility: staff said the lateral and hydrant equipment are privately owned and the property owner, not the authority, is responsible for paying for upgrades; staff characterized the retrofit as "not a low cost" and said it could be "tens of thousands of dollars" for some properties.

- Consequence for noncompliance: authority staff said noncompliant laterals would be isolated from the system, and the fire department would be notified that private hydrant access would not be available.

Next steps and direction to staff

The approved motion directs staff to align the authority's compliance date with the State Water Resources Control Board (07/01/2034), coordinate outreach and messaging with local fire agencies, and refer the development of an outreach strategy to the Water Quality Committee for next steps. The general manager will prepare committee materials and pursue consultation with partner agencies. No immediate mandatory shutoffs were taken at the meeting; staff noted that if the board had not acted, the previously set deadline (the upcoming Friday) would have required the authority to begin isolation procedures for noncompliant laterals.

Ending: The board action aligns local policy with state requirements and adds a directed outreach and interagency coordination component; Director Cox recorded an abstention citing a desire for additional fire-agency consultation prior to final alignment.