HIDDEN VALLEY LAKE, Calif. — The Hidden Valley Lake Community Services District is moving forward with key infrastructure projects.

On Monday, Oct. 30, local state and federal officials all gathered together to congratulate the district on the launching of the water tank replacement project.

The water tank being replaced was original to when the Hidden Valley Lake community was developed, back in the late 1960s. While this tank has certainly done its job well, it is now at the end of its useful life.

With the help from the Federal Emergency Management AGency’s Hazard Mitigation Grant Program, the California Department of Water Resources and the community’s ratepayers, staff with the Hidden Valley Lake Community Services District, or HVLCSD, was able to make this significant project happen.

Congressman Mike Thompson, Assembly Speaker Pro Tem Cecilia Aguiar-Curry and District 1 Supervisor Moke Simon, along with Hidden Valley Lake Association Board President Kathy Maynor and CSD Board President Claude Brown were all present to break ground on the project.

With the aging redwood tank in the background, it was clear to the elected officials the urgency of this infrastructure improvement project.

“This improvement project is incredibly important to the residents of Hidden Valley Lake,” Thompson said. “Access to clean water is essential to the health and safety of our community —and it’s clear that this water tank is weathered and in need of improvement. I am proud that funding from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and Inflation Reduction Act are helping to make this project and others like it a reality. The groundbreaking on the new water tank is a welcome step to ensure we maintain access to clean water.”

The tank is the first in a series of infrastructure improvements HVLCSD has planned.

In the upcoming months, the district will replace another redwood tank and install backup generators at water pumping stations.

Aguiar-Curry also acknowledged the challenges that small water purveyors face. “This is a project that I love. This brings me back to the time [as mayor of Winters] when I was on similar projects, and how important those projects were.”

“We need infrastructure projects but they are not cheap and we know that. Every small community battles these infrastructure challenges, but they often don’t have the funding to make it happen. This is a fabulous project, thank you to everyone that helped make this happen, thank you for being here,” she said.

The effort to right-size the tank could not have been accomplished without the cooperation of the homeowner’s association, HVLA.

The newly established HVLA easement will make it possible to build larger tanks at this location.

Board President Claude Brown pointed out that “everything starts and ends with our clients and our customers,” which was appreciated by Board President Kathy Maynor.

Mindful of the fact that District 1 of Lake County is the gateway from the Bay Area, Supervisor Simon expressed pride in his district for these continuing improvements.

“I’m proud to be here with Hidden Valley Lake CSD, a great partner and one of the largest communities in Lake County. Thank you for the great project that’s going to be put together here, and as Congressman Thompson said, it is just the beginning,” Simon said.

“I know that the local community, as they look out their doors, and look at this infrastructure being replaced, will know that every step taken will make their lives better and a little bit safer,” he added.

The current tank replacement project is expected to be complete by late 2024.