Former City Worker Questions Feds' $6 Million Award to Healdsburg For Water Pipeline

A Healdsburg civic volunteer questioned Saturday whether a newly announced $6 million boost from the federal government for a recycled water piperline project will result in higher city water and sewer rates.

"Before the city jumps up and cheers, our city staff needs to clearly answer each question (about the costs)," said former "It should be disclosed to the community and all utility ratepayers before any action is taken to accept the grant and loan."

On Thursday, U.S. Rep. Rep. Mike Thompson, D-St. Helena, announced that he had helped secure $6 million in grants and loans for .

Thompson, in a news release, said the $6 million will help construct a pipeline distribution system to allow the city to discharge water to agriculture and urban irrigation users during the dry months of May through September.

“I am pleased that the City of Healdsburg has received federal funding to help improve the infrastructure of their water management system,” Thompson said. “Healdsburg is laying important groundwork for a sustainable and progressive water system that will benefit generations to come.”

According to Thompson's release, Healdsburg has been awarded a $1 million U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Rural Development grant to construct a pipeline to help deliver recycled water for agricultural and urban irrigation in the city.  

In addition to the grant, the city was also approved for a $5 million low-interest loan through USDA to help complete the project.

"The City of Healdsburg will use the Rural Development funding for Phase 1 of construction for their recycled water distribution system," Thompson said.

But Hahn questioned Saturday whether it might not be cheaper to city utility ratepayers to just connect with Santa Rosa's pipeline to the Geysers -- which uses recycled water to support geothermal energy generation -- rather than proceed with Healdsburg's irrigation pipeline.

"Local agencies sometimes change priorities when federal funded is dangled out there and this might be an example," Hahn said. "We have a problem already with high utility rates."

Hahn called on the city to disclose the impact on city utility ratepayers for the future wastewater pipeline.

"High current sewer and water rates deter new businesses that might locate here, and are forcing an increasing number of residents to let the lawns and landscaping die which is a blight on our neighborhoods and decreases everyone home values even more," Hahn said Saturday.

City staff were not available to answer Hahn's questions since city offices are closed for the Labor Day weekend and the holiday Monday. A Healdsburg City Council meeting, where the issue could next be raised, is set for 6 p.m. Tuesday at

In the news release, Mike Kirn, Healdsburg's Public Works Department director, said planned after Healdsburg's recycled water irrigation pipeline is completed.

Kirn is quoted in the news release praising the federal contribution and thanking Thompson for his support.

 “This grant was made possible through the tremendous assistance of Congressman Thompson, who offered his support for this wonderful funding opportunity through Rural Utility Services,” Kirn said.

Kirn said the funding will allow construction of the main distribution backbone infrastructure to supply and deliver recycled water from the city’s y for:

-- irrigation of turf areas within the city;

-- irrigation of select agricultural areas south and west of Healdsburg;

---a future connection to Santa Rosa’s of geothermal electricity using recycled water.

Hahn, however, said the Santa Rosa Geysers pipeline option is worth looking at sooner than later.

"In evaluating the differences (between Healdsburg's new pipeline and connecting with Santa Rosa's) one might look at the debt service of the $5 million federal loan each year versus Santa Rosa's charge," Hahn said.

"Next, it seems to me one needs to ask who will pay city residential and business sewer ratepayers or those who receive the treated waste water be they schools, city parks, golf coursse and maybe Mill Creek grape growers," Hahn said.

"If those who receive the treated wastewater pay the full bill, what then happens to city water rates? Hahn added. "Do they go up to make up for lost revenue?"