5.1 INTRODUCTION

This chapter describes private and public infrastructure in Sutter County for the following facilities:

public water supply (community water systems)
well supply (individual systems)
public wastewater systems (community systems)
on-site wastewater systems (individual systems)
drainage and flood control systems
solid waste management systems

For each of the principal public facilities, the chapter describes the facility in terms of location, size, principal system components, ability to meet existing demand, ability to comply with regulatory permits, regulations and requirements, excess capacity or deficiency, expansion potential, and overall system capability including identification of limitations to growth.

5.2 COMMUNITY WATER SYSTEMS

This section describes the existing conditions of public water systems throughout Sutter County and assesses their ability to meet existing and future demands. Discussions are directed toward:

1) describing the purveyors in an overview
2) identifying the water system type
3) describing major water system components
4) discussing recent production capacities
5) outlining treatment practices
6) identifying system deficiencies and limitations
7) identifying existing planned, proposed or required improvements

OVERVIEW OF EXISTING PUBLIC WATER SYSTEMS

This section reviews the four public water systems in Sutter County that are classified as large water systems (200 connections or more), as defined by the water code. They are as follows:

The City of Yuba City Hillcrest Water Company
The City of Live Oak Sutter Community Services District
In addition to the large water systems, there are over 100 small systems that provide domestic water to individual projects and small outlying communities. For the purpose of this report these systems were not considered to be viable sources of domestic water for future urban development.

Table 5.2-1 summarizes the four systems reviewed for this report, including descriptions of the planned, proposed, or required improvements for each of the systems.

TABLE 5.2-1
PLANNED PUBLIC WATER SYSTEM IMPROVEMENTS

Of the four systems reviewed, only the City of Yuba City relies on surface water as the primary source of water for their system. The other three water purveyors rely solely on groundwater. These four systems served over 45,000 County residents and delivered over 4,610.6 million gallons of water to residential, commercial, and industrial users in 1992. A total of 11.115 million gallons of storage capacity is currently available within the water systems and chlorination is the primary method of disinfection for both groundwater and surface water systems. Table 5.2-2 notes the water sources and capacities for the four primary public water systems in Sutter County.

TABLE 5.2-2
WATER SYSTEM SUMMARY SUTTER COUNTY

* Sutter CSD estimates reflect usage for July 1, 1994 through June 30, 1995. PLANNED, PROPOSED OR REQUIRED IMPROVEMENTS

Improvements to public water systems in Sutter County can be made in response to regulatory mandate, user needs and operational requirements. Community growth is, however, the primary driving force behind major water system improvements and upgrades. Improvements might include the construction of distribution lines, development of new raw water sources, installation of new pump stations or the construction of new treatment and storage facilities. Upgrades to existing systems include the replacement and/or repair of system components to correct identified or potential problems.

COORDINATION WITH LOCAL WATER PROVIDERS

Senate Bill 901 (SB 901), enacted in October of 1995, requires that the conservation element of the general plan be developed in coordination with water agencies that have developed, served, controlled, or conserved water for any purpose for the county or city for which the plan is prepared.

Additionally, SB 901 requires cities and counties to coordinate with affected local water agencies when considering development proposals that require the preparation of an environmental impact report. This coordination includes identifying the water systems and sources of water to serve the proposed development. Projects which exceed the limits described in Table 5.2-3 are subject to the requirements of this legislation.

TABLE 5.2-3
SENATE BILL 901 THRESHOLDS

The requirements discussed within this section apply to coordination with "public water systems". For purposes of complying with SB 901 legislation, public water systems are defined as "a system for the provision of piped water to the public for human consumption that has 3,000 or more service connections".

The provisions of SB 901 have limited impact upon the Sutter County Comprehensive General Plan Revision since no major new development is proposed within the service area of an existing water agency with more than 3,000 service connections. However, future specific development proposals requiring environmental impact reports will be subject to requirements for identifying the source of water and the water service provider. Additionally, the County is required to request the public water system make an assessment of the capacity to meet the water use demands of the proposed development, and the water provider is required to present such an assessment within thirty days of request from the County.

5.3 GROUNDWATER AND WELL USE

HYDROGEOLOGY

Sutter County is located in the upper one third of the Central Valley, known as the Sacramento Valley. The Sacramento Valley drains south through the Sacramento River to its confluence with the San Joaquin River, then west through San Francisco Bay to the Pacific Ocean. Sutter County contains all four of the Geomorphic units found in the Sacramento Valley. These include:

1. Dissected Uplands: Dissected uplands are low hills and rolling topography that are comprised of alluvium (sand, silt, and mud). These deposits surround and form the base of the Sutter Buttes.

2. Low Alluvial Plains and Fans: Low Alluvial Plains and Fans are generally flat to gently undulant and are underlain by older alluvium consisting of silt, sand, gravel, and clay. These deposits originated in the Sierra Nevada and Cascade ranges and were transported by rivers and streams from these mountain ranges. These deposits make up a major portion of the County, and are found generally east of the Sutter Buttes.

3. Floodplain Deposits and Channels: The major floodplain deposits and channels lie along the Sacramento and Feather Rivers which comprise major portions of the County boundaries. These deposits are composed primarily of silt, gravel and small amounts of clay. This material was deposited along the river and in low lying areas during periods of flooding.

4. Overflow Lands: Overflow lands, also known as flood basins, are low, poorly drained areas that lie between the low alluvial plains and the natural levees of the Sacramento River. These areas are comprised primarily of clays and silt.

GROUNDWATER STORAGE AND RECHARGE

Groundwater is generally classified in two categories. Confined groundwater consists of deeper groundwater aquifers which are separated from the surface by some impermeable layer. In this condition, water is under greater than atmospheric pressure. Unconfined groundwater consists of seasonal or shallow groundwater which is found in sufficiently porous material to permit contact with the atmosphere.
Both groundwater conditions occur throughout Sutter County. Generally unconfined waters are found in alluvial fans, flood plains and stream channel deposits, while confined waters are found at greater depths generally separated by impervious clay layers. Figure 5.3-1 depicts the areas of the County that are subject to shallow groundwater conditions and seasonal flooding during the winter months.

Well yields in the County generally increase toward the rivers which border the County due to large deposits of coarse-grained alluvial deposits and flood plain deposits. However, other variables to well production include pump size, well construction, and the amount of groundwater replenishment. As shown on Figure 5.3-2, well yields are moderately high to high throughout the County.

Replenishment of groundwater occurs through percolation of stream flows, precipitation, and through the application of irrigation water. According to the Department of Water Resources, stream percolation and deep percolation of rain water are the principal sources of groundwater recharge in the Sacramento Valley.

GROUNDWATER STORAGE

In 1992 the California Department of Water Resources updated the California Water Plan. The plan contains estimates of groundwater storage by county, for the entire state. The estimates are for the storage potential up to a depth of 200 feet.

For Sutter County, the state has estimated a useable storage potential of five million acre feet. This storage potential should not be equated to usable water. As discussed later in this chapter, there are a variety of water quality issues which affect the ultimate useability of groundwater in the County.
WELL USAGE WITHIN THE COUNTY

According to the 1990 census there are 8,380 households which obtain their domestic water from individual wells. Table 5.3-1 shows the general distribution of domestic wells throughout the County.

In addition to the domestic wells there are other wells throughout the County that support a variety of uses including: agriculture, industrial, fire protection and monitoring purposes. Unfortunately, complete information regarding the total number, production and type of wells located throughout the County is not readily available. However, according to the Department of Water Resources, annual groundwater withdrawal is estimated to be 295,000 acre feet per year. This is equivalent to 96 billion gallons.

FIGURE 5.3-1
SHALLOW GROUNDWATER AND SEASONAL FLOODING

FIGURE 5.3-2
WATER WELL YIELDS

TABLE 5.3-1
SOURCES OF DOMESTIC WATER IN SUTTER COUNTY

Source:1990 Census

1 The data for the "Tierra Buena area is included within the "YCUA Unincorp." figure. The data was derived from the 1990 Census' [Census Designated Place (CDP) for Tierra Buena].

2 The data for the "Community of Sutter" area is included within the "Remaining Unincorp." figure. The data was derived from the 1909 Census' [Census Designated Place (CDP) for the Community of Sutter].


GROUNDWATER QUALITY

Data collection is currently in progress by the State Department of Water Resources and by the Environmental Health Program in the Community Services Department that will provide more information about the quality of well water in the County. Preliminary data shows that some wells drilled to various depths contain chemical elements and compounds in amounts that exceed drinking water quality safety and aesthetic standards. Additional groundwater studies are necessary to better define areas of contamination and the sources of the contaminants.

Water Quality Maps for Chemicals

Five water quality maps (Figures 5.3-3 through 5.3-7) give a general indication of amounts and locations of various chemicals of interest in well water. Chemicals noted on the maps include:

• Arsenic, chloride, iron and manganese, which are natural constituents of some rocks and soil. Arsenic was also a constituent of some pesticides used many years ago.
  
  
• Bentazon and DBCP are pesticides. The data used was derived from a single testing series on a small number of wells from 1983 and may or may not be indicative of current conditions.
  
  
• Nitrate is applied as a fertilizer and is also produced from on-site sewage disposal systems.
  

The MCL to which the map legends refer is the Maximum Contaminant Level established by US-EPA and State Department of Health Services for drinking water. The primary MCL reflects a health standard, whereas the secondary MCL reflects an aesthetic and taste standard for the average healthy person.

Of the chemicals shown on the following water quality maps, nitrate has the most documented adverse health effects: when water with high nitrate is given to infants, the so-called "blue-baby" syndrome can be a fatal result. Nitrate may also react in the intestine of people of any age, to form carcinogenic nitrosamine compounds, and present a cancer hazard.

After analyzing well samples from the Tierra Buena area in 1988 and 1991, Department of Health Services Office of Drinking Water concluded that "...the high nitrate results appear to be caused by wastewater discharge to septic tank leach field systems...". Numerous high nitrate wells have also been reported in the community of Sutter. As a result, the community has established the Sutter Community Services District with three new wells and a water distribution system, in order to deliver water that meets public water system standards.

When a well is drilled into an aquifer that has naturally high concentrations of objectionable or hazardous elements, the water may be treated after it is pumped to the surface in order to reduce the concentration of those elements. The procedure can be expensive, depending on the element. An emerging problem is the downward movement of nitrate contamination. The investigation in progress may help to define the depths and locations at which water may be found that has neither high levels of nitrate nor arsenic.

FIGURE 5.3-3
WATER QUALITY

FIGURE 5.3-4
WATER QUALITY

FIGURE 5.3-5
WATER QUALITY NITRATE

FIGURE 5.3-6
WATER QUALITY MANGANESE

FIGURE 5.3-7
WATER QUALITY IRON

Bacteria and viruses may occur in well water as contaminants. Testing for viruses is a lengthy and expensive procedure that is generally considered appropriate only when investigating a particular disease outbreak. Testing for coliform bacteria is commonly done to provide an indication of contamination of potentially harmful bacteria. When coliform bacteria, which may be normal inhabitants of soil, are found in a well, additional tests for fecal coliform bacteria may be conducted. Fecal bacteria contamination could originate from human or animal waste.

Groundwater contamination is a preventable condition. Table 5.3-5 presents measures that can be taken to provide more protection for well water than now exists. No single strategy will be adequate; groundwater protection is multifaceted and will need a combination of strategies to accomplish. Three reports were issued recently by the Environmental Health Program of the Community Services Department that present groundwater quality data and methods to reduce further contamination from septic systems and individual wells. These reports are included in the bibliography at the end of this chapter. Comprehensive groundwater studies based upon the quality data now being collected at the local level may be appropriate in the future.

As part of its program to protect water quality, the Central Valley Regional Water Quality Control Board (CVRWQCB) is working on a revision of its Basin Plan, which is expected to establish new regulations for a) minimum lot sizes when sewage disposal will be on site and b) other aspects of septic system design and installation. Basin Plan revision may also deal with pesticide use, agricultural commodities, storm water, agricultural drainage, etc. which would affect water quality.