The Nevada Irrigation District held its first in a planned series of Lincoln area public meetings on a multi-phase regional water supply project on March 4 at Mt. Pleasant Hall.

A joint effort between the irrigation district and the city of Lincoln, the project involves constructing a local water treatment plant to serve the growing northeastern portion of the city within the district’s boundaries.

“The idea is to start out with a smaller plant – about 10 million gallons a day – and ultimately at buildout have a peak flow of about 40 million gallons a day,” said Brian Powell, NID’s project manager.

The first phase – planning and pre-design – began in December 2007, Powell said.

Planning could take as long as 18 months, with the following California Environmental Quality Act public review process tacking on an additional 12 to18 months. Construction is anticipated to wrap up in 2015.

“We’re literally just starting off right now,” Powell said.

Numbers are based on 2005 data and could need adjustment as the project proceeds, he said.

The plant will be sited at above 500 feet in northeast Lincoln “outside city boundaries, in the hills,” said John Pedri, Lincoln’s public works director.

“Locating the plant at 500 feet allows for a gravity feed system, so we don’t have to use pumps,” he said.

Raw water supplied from Combie Reservoir, north of Auburn, would be conveyed through canals and pipelines to new plant.

Villages 1, 2 and 3 – developments proposed by the city’s general plan update – will be the plant’s primary users.

Pedri said a common misconception is that NID is taking on new territory.

“The irrigation district, under law, serves Placer and Nevada counties,” he said. “The boundaries are fixed. All we are asking is that they provide to parts of the city (within NID boundaries) as the city develops in the future.”

Lincoln currently has four water sources. In addition to NID, Placer County Water Agency provides treated water for wholesale and resale, Lincoln’s new wastewater treatment plant supplies recycled water for irrigating landscaped parks and medians, and lastly, well water – mostly used for pipe maintenance or emergencies such as drought or power outages – makes up 10 percent or less of the city’s supply.

NID and Lincoln aim to keep costs for the first phase at less than $100 million, Pedri said.

The project will be funded solely by new development – similar to Lincoln’s wastewater treatment plant on Moore Road, he said.

Jones & Stokes Associates will provide environmental consulting services while Eco:Logic Engineering will serve as the construction consultant.

Powell, the project manager, said NID will hold more public meetings, though none have been scheduled in the near future.

“We want to be transparent and upfront with the public throughout the process,” he said.

For more information, go online to the project’s Web site at www.nidregionalwtp.org.