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Extracted from Consolidated Report
This investigation was originally published as part of a larger consolidated report containing multiple investigations. View the consolidated PDF for the complete document.
⚠️ Translation Notice: This content has been automatically translated. The original English text is the official version. Translation may contain errors.
⚠️ Este contenido ha sido traducido automáticamente. El texto original en inglés es la versión oficial. La traducción puede contener errores.
Findings and Recommendations 10 findings
F1
Page 149
There are many benefits to solar energy such as lower energy costs, environmental, renewal resources and clean energy.
No recommendations for this finding
F2
Page 149
The schools are doing their part to become more energy efficient. TULARE COUNTY GRAND JURY REPORT 2013-2014
No recommendations for this finding
F3
Page 152
The drinking water for the City of Visalia is obtained solely from groundwater wells. Groundwater for Visalia is obtained from the Kaweah basin, in which the city is located.
No recommendations for this finding
F4
Page 152
In Tulare County, more than ninety percent of the groundwater is utilized by agriculture.
No recommendations for this finding
F5
Page 152
Water conservation provides a one-to-one direct benefit. An acre-foot not pumped is an acre-foot saved. The Visalia City Council enacted Visalia’s Water Conservation Ordinance in 1989. Because the majority of the city’s water was being used for landscape irrigation and because of the decline in water levels, the City Council in 2000 implemented Stage 3 which restricted outdoor irrigation, daily watering and other outside water use.
No recommendations for this finding
F6
Page 152
The City of Visalia is undertaking a $140 million upgrade of its Water Conservation Plant to produce advanced treated recycled water which can be used with restriction for agricultural irrigation. A portion will be utilized to irrigate facilities on the west side of Visalia, but a majority will be traded with the Tulare Irrigation District for surface water to be used for recharge on the east side of Visalia. A new piping infrastructure will deliver recycled water to irrigate Plaza Park, Valley Oaks Golf Course and the Visalia Municipal Airport so that wells can be turned off at these facilities. The City and Kaweah Delta Water Conservation District are working together to install structures in the Packwood Creek area, which will enable the pooling of water into nearby basins and channels to increase recharge.
No recommendations for this finding
F7
Page 152
Visalia has 4.5 miles of aging pipelines that are over one hundred years of age. Replacing these pipelines could cost in excess of $6 million.
No recommendations for this finding
F8
Page 152
In the City of Tulare, which has thirty networked wells, the water table has dropped more than seventy feet since January 2013. When Tulare has a wet year, excess water flows into groundwater recharge basins. Tulare’s goal is to accumulate 10,000 acre-feet per year in the groundwater recharge basins. Unfortunately, the City is using 17,000 acre-feet of groundwater recharge per year. Consequently 7,000 acre-feet of reserve is being depleted each year.
No recommendations for this finding
F9
Page 152
The City of Tulare has two wastewater treatment plants: one for people and another for dairies. Three thousand two hundred acres are watered with treated waste water in Tulare.
No recommendations for this finding
F10
Page 152
The City of Tulare added water meters in 2006 and the water use decreased fifteen percent, but when the rates were increased gradually to increase the water fund, the residents reduced the amount of water they were using, which reduced the amount of revenue for the water fund. Currently, approximately 150 meters have been placed throughout the city parks. 148
No recommendations for this finding