Well Project Update, August 2025

Here is the latest news on the Groundwater Well Project.  

As you may or may not know......

• The District’s sole source of water for Domestic Use and Fire Protection is Railroad Springs, located adjacent to Nichols Mill Road, approximately one-half mile west of Old Truckee Road.
• The District received a $970,730 grant in February, 2023 from the State of California Department of Water Resources to drill and equip a new Well as a Secondary or Alternate source of water supply in the event that Railroad Springs were to be contaminated or otherwise, become unusable.
• The new Well is located approximately 100 feet southeast of the Booster Pump Station that conveys water from Railroad Springs to the Storage Tanks located on Randolph Hill.  Water is then delivered to the Community by gravity through the District’s distribution system.  

The State of California requires Water Purveyors, with a primary groundwater source, to have a second, secure source.   The new Well will provide that critical capability.   The new Well is not being drilled to support an expansion of the Water System or to accommodate connection of additional Customers not already being served within, or adjacent to, the existing District Service Boundary.                                                                                                                                        

Specific features of the Well include:                  

• Up to 500-foot depth;
• Eight-inch diameter high strength / low alloy steel casing with perforations/louvers at the depth(s) determined by the District’s Hydrogeologist based upon sampling of water quality and quantity;
• A concrete Sanitary Seal will be installed around the outside of the casing to a minimum depth of 50 feet as required by the State; and
• The Well will be equipped with a submersible pump powered by a variable frequency drive to control the pumping rate potentially up to 150 gallons/minute.  This is the same rate as diversion of the supply from Railroad Springs, which is necessary to meet the Community’s Maximum Day Water Demand. 

The Contractor is Stonehouse Drilling & Construction LLC of Reno. The Contract includes design, engineering, permitting and administration costs.  After the Well drilling is completed, Resource Development Company of Sparks, as a subcontractor, will install the pipeline, associated valves and other components to connect the Well to the recently constructed Booster Pump Station. 

As always, if you have any questions, feel free to call the District phone at 530-414-5994 or send an email to info@sierravillepud.gov