USDA Rural Development Nevada (USDA RD) and the residents of Topaz Ranch Estates General Improvement District (TRE-GID) today celebrated the approval of $3.8 million in loan and $2.7 million in grant funds to replace TRE-GID’s outdated water distribution system. Rural Development loan and grant funds will be used to construct reliable water service system for the 1,501 residents in TRE-GID.
“It is a pleasure to again partner with Topaz Ranch Estates to create an efficient water system and improve fire flow” said USDA RD Nevada State Director Sarah Adler. “This is our fourth loan and grant combination with Topaz Ranch Estates, and they have shown great initiative towards investing in water system improvements.”
Constructed in the early 1970’s with poor quality pipe, TRE-GID’s current water system suffers from leaks and cannot run properly for fear that higher pressures in some areas will result in a complete failure of the piping. Measured by the difference between metered usage by homes and metered production by wells, TRE-GID’s water distribution system is experiencing a 15-25 percent loss. Typical and acceptable losses in a water system are in the range of 8-10 percent.
This project will replace 53,000 linear feet of 2 and 4 inch diameter aged and undersized water mains, update the system layout to eliminate dead ends through pipe looping, improve two of the system’s wells and increase the number of fire hydrants throughout the service area. Additional fire hydrants will also bring TRE-GID up to safety and code requirements for the International Fire Code and National Regulatory Services.
“This project will bring greater fire protection to our community with more fire hydrants spread around some previously unserved areas. It is time for these improvements, if the winds hadn’t shift during the 2012 fire, more homes would have been lost” says TRE-GID Operations Supervisor and Volunteer Firefighter, Joe Pomeroy.
This project is still under design and is anticipated to go out to bid early next spring.
USDA, through its Rural Development mission area, has an active portfolio of more than $212 billion in loans and loan guarantees. These programs are designed to improve the economic stability of rural communities, businesses, residents, farmers and ranchers and to improve the quality of life in rural America.