North Davis Meadows Water Consolidation Project

This page is dedicated to the water quality information for North Davis Meadows. Currently, water service is provided by two wells, maintained and operated by the City of Davis. Here you will find updates related to the Water System Consolidation Project as well as water quality analysis results, Annual Consumer Confidence Reports, public notifications for water quality violations and compliance orders, all of which can be found at the bottom of the page.

Project Background

For several years, we have been working on a way to address significant water quality issues in North Davis Meadows (NDM). The current NDM water system has two ground water wells that have nitrate, aluminum, and iron above the maximum contaminant level (MCL). Compliance Order No.12-09 was issued in 2009 from the Yolo County Health Department, Environmental Health Division for noncompliance with the nitrate MCL. In 2016, the Yolo County Health Department, Environmental Health Division issued Compliance Order No. CC0001261 for violation of Nitrate, Aluminum, and Iron MCLs.

In June of 2015, a survey of residents showed strong support for a water system consolidation project with the City of Davis, which would connect indoor uses to the City’s system while maintaining irrigation and fire flow uses on the community’s well system. Proposition 218 proceedings were conducted in May of 2016 and rates were ultimately raised to pay for design of the project. The engineering work commenced in December of 2016.

As with many projects of this nature, circumstances changed since the design was initiated and new information compelled us to re-evaluate the path we were on and consider alternatives. Most notably, the City of Davis Fire Chief had a strong recommendation that water for fire protection come from the City of Davis water system. In addition we had new information related to costs to maintain/upgrade the wells. Finally, the City of Davis water usage rate structure had been revised to reduce rates below those considered in the past.

Water use in NDM consists of indoor use, landscape irrigation and fire protection. The three paths (scenarios) considered were: 1) staying the course; 2) connecting all three water uses to the City; or 3) connecting indoor and fire protection uses to the City system. The pros and cons, rough estimates of costs and benefits to all three scenarios can be found here: Water Project Options (updated 09/25/17) along with related Frequently Asked Questions (02/27/18).

Water Options Survey (June 2015) / Water Options Survey Results (06/2015)

In late September-early October 2017, the community was surveyed on their new desired path. The survey was completed by a majority of households in the community with the majority of respondents favoring Scenario 2 – connecting to the City of Davis for all water uses. Results of that survey can be found here: Water Project Survey Results 10-11-17.

In 2018, the County of Yolo applied for construction financing through the State Water Resources Control Board’s Drinking Water State Revolving Fund (DWSRF) to consolidate the NDM County Service Area water demands into the City of Davis municipal water system. The additional engineering that was required to connect to the City of Davis for all water uses was completed and best estimates on all costs of the project were considered in determining increases to NDM residents' water fee in order to repay a State Revolving Fund loan (see above). However, the financing process was delayed due to NDM residents challenging the Prop 218 rate increase to afford the DWSRF loan for this project. The Prop 218 process increased the annual water rate bill for each NDM resident from $2,129 to $6,021 per year; this additional fee is expected to last until the project is completed and billing is finalized and submitted to the State. NDM residents challenged the Prop 218 increase by filing a Petition for Writ of Mandate on October 4, 2018. The Superior Court entered judgment denying the residents’ petition on February 18, 2020, and the Third District Court of Appeal affirmed the judgment in a published opinion on August 30, 2021. See Wolstoncroft v. County of Yolo, 68 Cal. App. 5th 327 (2021). As a result, the County of Yolo resumed discussion about proceeding with the DWSRF application in summer 2021 and successfully secured grant funding of approximately $7.6 million.

The project went out to bid during Spring 2024. The County received a total of five bids, with Soracco, Inc. providing the lowest responsive and responsible bid t approximately $3.6 million. The Board of Supervisors approved award of the construction contract to Soracco, Inc. on August 27, 2024, and the County issued the Notice to Proceed on September 30, 2024. Construction is anticipated to begin in October 2024 and last through Summer 2025.

Timeline

Construction on the NDM Water Consolidation Project began in October 2024 and is anticipated to finish in Summer 2025. As with all construction projects, delays are sometimes unavoidable. Below is the anticipated construction schedule:

Late October 2024	Mobilization
November – December 2024	John Jones Road Waterline
December – January 2025	Golf Course Waterlines
January – April 2025	Residential Streets Waterlines
January 2025	Residential Services Conversion
February – April 2025	Residential Services, Backflows, and Meters
April – May 2025	Disconnect from Wells and Construction Closeout

For more information, please see:

Project Updates

Update as of August 19, 2025:

By way of an update on the Water Consolidation Project, the City of Davis has been working on increasing water pressure to their system. The City is planning on doing some pressure testing in NDM 1 & 2 to assess the results of these efforts. Below is a map with the homes the City plans to test highlighted in yellow. The testing is scheduled to take place on Tuesday, August 26, 2025 (tentatively starting at 8 a.m.) and will not require any water shut-offs. The testing will be completed at the backflow and hose bib for each parcel and should be finished within 2-3 hours. Thank you for your patience and understanding.

Status Update as of July 17, 2025:

Dear NDM Residents,

Below are highlights from county staff that were shared at the NDM CSA Advisory Committee meeting on July 15, 2025:

Water Consolidation Project Update

As communicated in the letter on July 3^rd, just before the planned tie-in date with the City of Davis for the Water Consolidation Project, the City of Davis raised concerns about the adequacy of the water pressure based on updated model results by the City.
The City and County teams have met with West Yost and design engineers and are brainstorming potential solutions.
We hope to have a solution for water pressure identified in approximately a month and will communicate the proposed solution to the community when it is known. At that time, we will have a better idea of the estimated time to final connection to the City’s water supply.
Cost of the solution and the delay – The team is reviewing the agreements with county legal counsel and is actively working to seek a solution that does not result in additional charges to NDM residents.
Soracco did not anticipate this delay and has other projects under construction throughout the state. Our water project is 90% complete; Soracco has a checklist of items to complete prior to a pause in the project while we await a solution. We anticipate Soracco will complete the checklist in the next month, which includes landscape restoration work and finishing the back flow pads and cages at the remaining handful of residences.
1. Of note, while the original plan was for residents to have the option of a green cover OR a cage, some have received both. Soracco has been asked to provide covers to residents with cages.
Due to the delay of the final connection, NDM residents will not be paying city water rates this summer. Since meters have been installed, the City has the ability to share with residents their water usage, to allow time to make adjustments prior to the connection to the City water.
1. Within the next two weeks the City of Davis anticipates sending out individual letters with manual readings of actual water usage for about a month period since the meters have been installed. This won’t show daily totals but does give a sense of water use for a month. (Note five homes did not have the meters right away and won’t receive letters at this time.
2. The City of Davis is working to get the meters available in AquaHawk, the City’s water use portal. You can use AquaHawk to monitor hourly water usage and set and receive usage alerts. It is quite a bit of work for the City team to install the reading devices on every meter but they have been asked to prioritize this work. They anticipate sending information in August regarding how to sign up.
The Water Project charge on NDM property taxes of $4,157 will NOT be on the 2025-26 tax roll. This will be a savings to residents.

2. Potential Landscape Irrigation Project

A contract has been signed with Bartle Wells to conduct a rate study, that is anticipated to take approximately 4-5 months to complete.
The NDM Irrigation Ad Hoc Committee hopes to host a community discussion when additional information is available from the rate study to discuss as a community topics such as meters, what will be funded by a bond vs individual homeowners, and preferred use of the remaining funds that were collected for the water project.
The Ad Hoc is currently estimating early 2026 for a Proposition 218 proceeding on the potential irrigation project. This would be a “majority protest” proceeding similar to the Water Consolidation Project process. Additional communication about the process will be shared with residents if/when the proceeding is initiated.

3. Action: The NDM CSA Advisory Committee voted to remove the broken fence between the NDM1 “park” and the golf course. Following the removal of the broken fence, NDM will continue to engage with the golf course to consider if a fence is desired and if/how to cost share for it.

As more information is available regarding the water consolidation project next steps and timing we will share it with the community. Staff captured a list of follow up items from the meeting on July 15^th and will share the responses to those items in a future update.

As a reminder about the Road Pavement Preservation Project, the County contractor is scheduled to start work on the project on portions of the NDM streets. The first seal was pushed out and is now expected to begin on July 21^st and is expected to take four days. The contactor has committed to placing door hangers at homes 48 hours before the treatment happens. The first of two pavement treatments on CR99D will likely occur one to two weeks after NDM work is completed.

Status Update as of June 9, 2025:

The County and City had an emergency meeting on Friday. Due to concerns about water pressure, the tie-in to the City water system will be postponed by approximately one month. The July City water billing date will also be postponed.

The County and City are working on a joint letter that will be sent to the community.

There may be other (non tie-in) water shut offs in the meantime and Soracco will be posting door notices about those. Please reach out to YoloCSA@yolocounty.gov with any questions or comments.

Status Update as of June 6, 2025:

As a clarification on the water shut off today – this shut off is not due to a tie-in with the City water system. The shut off is for connecting new mains on Spyglass, Lupine, and Silverado, to the distribution system. Affected properties should have received advanced door hanger notices. Please let me know if you did not. The tie-in with the City water system is tentatively rescheduled for next Wednesday, June 11, and may be postponed further if unanticipated events occur.

As of 9:39 pm:

Construction crews are working really hard to restore water in NDM as soon as possible. Water in NDM1 is on but it needs to pressure so it will be approximately half an hour or so before it can run. Water in NDM2 is estimated to take a bit longer, as the crew has yet to pour the blocks that hold the pipes together and then pressurize the water. We appreciate your patience. We apologize for any inconvenience you are experiencing and hope the water will be on in the very near future. Thank you.

As of 10:48 pm:

Water is restored to the NDM community.

Status Update as of May 29, 2025:

The water tie-in scheduled for today has been postponed due to a delay caused by the City of Davis. Water will not be shut off today as originally planned. Tie-in will be rescheduled and is anticipated to take place within 1-2 weeks. Residents will receive a new notice at least 24 hours in advance.

We sincerely apologize for the inconvenience this has caused. Please reach out to YoloCSA@yolocounty.gov with any questions or comments.

Status Update as of May 9, 2025:

Dear North Davis Meadows Residents:

Thank you for taking the time to complete the survey regarding the backflow device concrete pad. The contractor's estimate that the concrete pads should be installed by the end of next week for homeowners who requested or defaulted to the metal enclosures and concrete pad.

The majority of the meter boxes should be installed this week.
The schedule that was shared in the community’s Google group is the Soracco’s look-ahead schedule that was provided on April 28^th, 2025. With delays due to the backflows and weather, the projected timeline is now outdated. The Contractor has prepared a connection and flushing plan to the City of Davis that needs to be approved by the State before the connection can be performed. This is projected to occur in the next week or two. This is subject to change and the County will provide updates as the connection date approaches. Our contractors will provide residents with a 48-hour notice for water shutdown due to the tie in.
Yolo Flood will be removing stumps and mowing the buffer area on the west side of CA-113 next week due to the potential fire hazard.
The City of Davis is preparing informational materials to provide an overview of their water system. Homeowners can expect correspondence from the City beginning the week of May 19^th.

Status Update as of April 25, 2025:

Dear North Davis Meadows Residents:

If you haven’t already, please review and fill out the survey on whether you would like a cover and concrete pad for your backflow: https://tinyurl.com/NDMSurvey. The deadline for the survey is May 2, 2025 at 5:00 pm PST.
Frequently asked questions (FAQs) we have received about the backflows, water meters, and water meter boxes have been answered in the FAQ section below and can also be viewed here.

A construction schedule is also available above in the Timeline section.

The project update letter (here), FAQs, and survey are being mailed to each NDM home.
Please continue to send questions and comments to the YoloCSA@yolocounty.gov email.

Status Update as of April 24, 2025:

Dear North Davis Meadows Residents:

Yesterday, we mentioned circulating a survey to assess homeowners’ preferences on whether you would like a cover and concrete pad for your backflow. The survey is now available here: https://tinyurl.com/NDMSurvey. The deadline for the survey is May 2, 2025 at 5:00 pm PST.

We are able to provide two options:

Option (1) (Default): A backflow device with a concrete pad and metal enclosure. This is the backflow device under the current design plan, which is the most protective of the backflow (against theft or damage), and is the default option. If you do not complete the survey, your backflow device will be installed per the design plan under this default option.
Option (2): A backflow device without a concrete pad, without a metal enclosure, and with the option of a green cover.
The survey includes photos of each option for you to consider.

Please note that after the Water Project construction is completed, the backflows will be the responsibility of the homeowner and as such, future theft or damage to the backflows (including future damage due to a lack of concrete pad and/or metal enclosures) would be the responsibility of the homeowner to address or repair.

A PDF version of the survey will be mailed to all properties and can be found here.

Status Update as of April 23, 2025:

Below is today’s backflow update:

Today, County/City/TRC/Soracco staff continued to meet with residents about backflow installations. We reiterate our appreciation for residents’ patience for those homes that have not yet had a chance for a meeting. Additional meetings will occur throughout the week. Backflows will continue to be reviewed on a case-by-case basis.
The County is continuing to work with the City on reviewing questions, comments, and concerns about the backflows. Of note, the County and TRC have asked the City for leeway on covers and concrete pads for backflows, to which the City has been amenable. As a result, the County will circulate a survey to residents (within the week) to assess homeowners’ preferences on whether you would like a cover and concrete pad for your backflow. We understand this may not be the ideal solution for everyone to the frustration around backflows; however, we are trying to be as accommodating as possible while following the City’s parameters and keeping construction moving forward.

Thank you and please let us know of any questions: YoloCSA@yolocounty.gov.

Status Update as of April 22, 2025:

Dear North Davis Meadows residents:

As an update on backflows:

Today, TRC (construction manager) and Soracco (construction contractor) continued to post notices and meet with residents about backflows. We appreciate your patience for those who have not yet had a chance for a meeting, as the contractor may not have reached your street yet. Meetings will continue throughout the week.
We understand some residents have expressed concerns about right of entry on properties. With respect to right of entry: the Water Project pipes and facilities, including the backflow devices, are being installed within the existing public utility easements for each North Davis Meadows property.
With regards to comments about the pace of construction: the County previously paused construction for the Water Project on Thursday, April 10 in order to address questions about the backflows and give the community an opportunity to ask questions at the April 15 CSA meeting. As a result, the County has received a notice of potential claim for the missed construction days. While we would like to pause construction in order to address individual concerns regarding backflows, we are also balancing this with the potential risks surrounding increased costs.
We will continue to evaluate questions regarding backflows and working with the City of Davis to address comments on an iterative basis.

Status Update as of April 21, 2025:

Dear North Davis Residents:

By way of update regarding the backflows, we have the following plan in place for the remainder of the installations:

Soracco (construction contractor) will post notices on each property 24 hours before work beginning on the property;
Soracco will knock on the noticed property 24 hours in advance (i.e. at the time of posting) and on the day the work is scheduled to begin;
TRC (construction manager) will be there with Soracco to ensure the door knocks are happening so that homeowners can discuss the backflow placement;
The County/City/TRC will do additional outreach in person to folks who indicated they would like to discuss the backflows further and who have not yet been contacted;
The County will continue to work with the City to evaluate the placement of the backflows to the extent possible and within the construction constraints imposed by the City standard.
Most of the remaining backflow pipe installations will be completed this week.

Status Update as of November 21, 2024: The Water Consolidation Project work started in October, beginning with the south limit of the project. The Contractor began installing a new 14” water main heading north along County Road 99D. To date 3,342 linear feet of pipe have been installed. A good weather window will be necessary before a 15’ deep bore pit can be dug to install the pipeline under existing utilities. Another 2,100 linear feet of pipe will be installed along the frontage road before pipe installation turns to the west through the golf course property. For the time being, work continues along County Road 99D.

Water Project Updates

City of Davis

Final Water System Consolidation Project Plans, Specifications & Estimates

Final Plans for Consolidation Project(11-17-23)
NDM Fire Protection Discussion - Meeting Minutes (revised 9-22-22)
Fire Protection Evaluation (9-9-22)
NDM Source Integration Study (4-13-22)
Updated Hydraulic Modeling (4-18-22)
NDM Water Project Cost Estimate (12-03-21)
NDM Water Project Plans 12-06-18 (Pending Updated Plans)
NDM Water Project Technical Specifications 12-06-18 (Pending Updated Specs)
Addendum to Initial Study/Negative Declaration (03/20/18)
Potable Water Connection Project Initial Study/Negative Declaration (11/23/15)

Water Quality Information

Water Quality Data

Water Quality Data related to Nitrate, Iron, Aluminum (Updated 05/13/23)

Public Notifications Concerning Water Quality

Nitrate Public Notification (03/17/23)

Iron & Aluminum Public Notification(05/09/23)

Compliance Order for North Davis Meadows Community Water System (10/28/16)

CSA Response (01/25/21)

CSA Response (01/31/19)

CSA Response (12/12/17)

CSA Response (11/07/16)

Consumer Confidence Reports

Well Information

NDM 2 Well Video Report Following May 22, 2018 Failure
Presentation from May 3, 2018 Community Conversation (05/04/18)
Notes summarizing May 3 conversation (05/18/18)
Wood Rodgers Groundwater and Well Assessments (03/02/10)
Wood Rodgers System Improvement Recommendations (12/16/10)
Wood Rodgers Well Replacement Technical Memorandum/Engineers Report (03/05/12)
City Memo re North Davis Meadows Wells (05/26/15)
Exploratory Well Process
Below are the water quality reports the City of Davis and UC Davis submit to the State for compliance reporting purposes of those closest to NDM:
- Historical data for Wells 30 and 31 (closest deep wells to NDM). 30 was off line for a number of years due to high manganese levels but is back in service now (levels dropped back below MCL of 50).
- UC Davis Well 7A. Drilled in 1995, ~850 feet deep with several screen intervals between 740 and 842 feet. Location map view documentation. Water quality results.
- Please reference the following Yolo County Environmental Health Water Well Program webpage for all permitting information related to domestic well and agricultural well.
  
  https://www.yolocounty.gov/government/general-government-departments/community-services/environmental-health-division/land-use-programs/water-well-program

September 25, 2018 Board of Supervisors meeting: Select subject of Agenda Item No. 28 to review staff report and attachments; select green video icon for presentation, public comment and Board deliberation.

Water Well Inspection Report by City of Davis (01/28/25)

Proposition 218 Information

Historic Project Information

Fire Hydrant Testing Results (explanation of fire flow calculations)
Pipe Alignment Map (note: 20-25% of existing pipe will be replaced/upsized)
Community Water Usage

Litigation Documents

Correspondence with Community

February 21, 2019 Operating Deficit, Water Connection Project & Impact of Litigation - letter sent to community
January 11, 2019 Water Connection Project Update - letter sent to community
November 26, 2018 Water Connection Project Update - letter sent to community
October 9, 2018 Water Connection Project Update - letter sent to community

Resolution authorizing the County Chief Financial Officer to Terminate Impound of North Davis Meadows Water Consolidation Project Revenues (02/23/2021 Board of Supervisors Meeting)

Resolution placing CSA water fees dedicated to Water Connection Project into impound until resolution of litigation (04/23/19 Board of Supervisors Meeting)

Frequently Asked Questions

1. What exactly is the NDM Water Consolidation project?

The proposed project is an extension of the City of Davis water distribution system to serve NDM domestic, irrigation¹, and fire flow water demands. The Project will extend the City of Davis distribution system by installing approximately 7,000 linear ft. of 14” pipeline, 2,000 linear ft. of 12” pipeline, and 1,500 linear ft. of 8” pipeline. A majority of the NDM distribution system will remain in use; however, some portions of the NDM distribution system are included for replacement to account for required fire flow volumes. The project consists of the installation of meters and backflows on all service connections and the abandonment of both groundwater wells² and storage tanks within NDM for potable water use. NDM will cease to exist as a public water system upon completion of the project, and all service connections will be customers of the City of Davis.

Residents may view the proposed water system here.

The North Davis Meadows Water Consolidation Project Manual may be viewed here, and the final plans may be viewed here.

2. Does the project use new pipes or existing pipes?

The project will use both brand-new pipes and existing pipes.

3. What is the timeline for completion of the project?

The project started in October 2024, and the target completion is Summer 2025. As with any construction project, delays are to be expected, and the timeline is subject to change due to unforeseen circumstances, supply chain issues, or adverse weather conditions.

4. Will water meters be installed, and if so, when?

Water meters will be installed on all service connections (residences) at the same time as the backflow installations. The water meters will be stored inside water meter boxes which will be flush with the ground and approximately 18" by 31". The water meter boxes will be installed after the backflow installations are completed. Below is a picture of a water meter box top:

The only access needed to the water meter box would be the ability to open the lid in the event the City of Davis Public Works department needs to view the meter. This is expected to occur infrequently, as the water meter system uses Advanced Metering Infrastructure (AMI) to wirelessly transmit meter data (See question no. 14 for more information regarding water billing).

5. Will driveways be affected? If so, will the grant cover the costs associated with this work, or are they the residents’ responsibility?

The County has identified approximately 14 properties with water valves under driveways. The new water service to these properties will incorporate an above-ground backflow device, which cannot be placed in the driveway. The contractor and the construction manager will meet with affected property owners (if they haven't already) to discuss and devise a plan to locate the backflow device outside the driveway.

According to the State Water Board funding agreement, the grant will pay for minor restoration within a driveway’s excavated zone. Property owners may be responsible for the remainder of the costs; however, the County will attempt to have costs covered through the grant to the extent possible.

6. Will backyards be affected? If so, will the grant cover the costs associated with this work, or are they the residents’ responsibility?

Backyards will not be affected by the construction project.

7. Will the water be shut off at any point? If so, will residents receive notification when shut-offs will occur?

Yes, the water will be shut off at certain times during construction, and the contractor will notify affected properties in advance.

8. Do residents need to be present during the construction work?

Residents are not required to be present during the construction work, and the contractor will provide advanced notification otherwise.

9. Who are the companies and agencies involved with construction?

Soracco, Inc. is the contractor, and TRC is the construction management company. Both are under contract with the County of Yolo. The County provides project management and periodic inspections. City of Davis staff coordinates and performs periodic inspections as well, as the City will ultimately take over the new water system in NDM.

10. What is the construction contract amount, and what was the engineer’s estimate? The construction contract amount is $3,661,005. The engineer’s estimate was $4,690,070.

11. Other than Soracco’s bid, what other bids were received?

The County received a total of five bids:

$3,661,005 Soracco
$4,678,910 ARB
$5,094,260 Argonaut
$5,749,250 Teichert
$7,119,435 McGuire Hester

12. Why was Soracco selected over other companies that submitted a bid?

In construction contracts, the County is legally obligated to award to the lowest responsive and responsible bidder. Here, this was Soracco. The County reviewed all bids to ensure they contained the required licenses and forms needed for the bid (i.e., that the contractor’s bid was responsive), which Soracco’s bid satisfied. In addition, the County did a reference check on Soracco, and all references came back positive, including comments that the company could meet contractual obligations under a low budget. Our consulting engineers checked in with Soracco, and Soracco stood by its cost, so Soracco also satisfies the responsible bidder requirement. Moreover, Soracco has provided a performance bond (to protect the County from financial loss) and a payment bond (to ensure Soracco will pay for its materials and labor), as required by law and the contract documents, in the total amount of the contract price ($3,661,005) so Soracco will be legally bound to perform in compliance with its contract.

As with any construction project, we might encounter unexpected issues, increases in cost, or other unforeseen circumstances; we can address those as they arise. No protests came in against Soracco from any other bidder. West Yost and the City of Davis have seen the bid tabulations. The County also has contracted with Ponticello Consulting Engineers and TRC, the construction management company, that oversee the project.

13. How much will the project cost in total, and will the grant cover all project costs?

The budget submitted to the State estimates project costs to be approximately $7.4 million. The grant received from the State is $7.6 million. Project costs incurred before July 2021 are not eligible for grant funding, though, the County is negotiating this with the State Water Board.³

14. What will happen to water billing after the connection project is completed?

After water meters are installed and connected to the City of Davis water supply, water billing will convert from the current flat rate system to metered billing. The City of Davis plans to send water bills to all residents beginning September 2025 for July 2025 water usage. The City bills two months in arrears for water usage. NDM residents are anticipated to have access to the City of Davis water use portal, AquaHawk, beginning in August. More information about AquaHawk can be found here:https://www.cityofdavis.org/city-hall/public-works-utilities-and-operations/water/water-conservation/water-use-portal

15. When will the $4,157 water loan repayment charge be discontinued? The charge was included on the FY 2024-25 property tax roll for the NDM community. It will be discontinued after the water consolidation project is completed and after the billing on the project is finalized and submitted to the State.

16. Could you please explain the difference between water meters and backflow devices? Water meters will be installed at each residence as part of the Water Consolidation Project and the City will read them in order to track water usage. Water meters will be enclosed in boxes (please see question no. 4). Backflows, which will also be installed, prevent potential contamination of the public water supply by the accidental backflow of contaminated water into the water mains.

An example of how backflows work would be if you have a garden hose with a nozzle on it while you're washing your car. When you have the nozzle turned off, if for some reason the pressure on the supply side coming from the City dropped, the water in the hose could flow back into the City water supply and contaminate it. With a backflow device, if this were to happen, the water would instead drain out of the backflow.

Backflows will be installed within a few feet of water meter boxes according to the City standard in the design plans.

17. Will backflow devices be installed on all NDM properties? Yes. All NDM properties will have backflow devices and water meters (in water meter boxes, see question no. 4) as part of the Water Consolidation Project. The reason behind the backflows is that older fire systems hold stagnant water that under a loss of pressure can back-siphon into the distribution system if not protected by a backflow, which would result in a contamination of the potable drinking water system.

18. The backflows are ugly. Can I paint them to make them more aesthetically pleasing? Yes, residents can paint the backflows if they wish. Residents may also landscape around the backflows or use decorative covers.

19. Will the backflows be covered? Under the Water Consolidation Project design plans, adopting the City standard for backflows, the default option is for backflows to have a metal enclosure and an approximately 2' x 4' concrete pad support. The County has collaborated with the City to approve an option where the metal enclosures and concrete pads may be omitted. The County prepared a survey for NDM residents explaining the options, which can be found here and is due on May 2, 2025 at 5:00 p.m. PST: tinyurl.com/NDMSurvey

Picture of a backflow device, metal enclosure, and concrete pad support:

Covered backflow

Picture of a backflow device without a concrete pad, without a metal enclosure, and without a cover:

Backflow without cover

Picture of a backflow device without a concrete pad, without a metal enclosure, and with a green cover:

Backflow with cover

20. Are the backflows the homeowner's responsibility? What is the extent of the responsibility? After the Water Consolidation Project is completed, the backflows will become the responsibility of the homeowner. Homeowners will be responsible for annual testing of their backflow device. More information about the annual testing requirements from the City of Davis, including a list of certified backflow testers, can be found here: https://www.cityofdavis.org/city-hall/public-works-utilities-and-operations/water/backflow

21. Can I move the location of my backflow? County/City/TRC/Soracco staff have met with residents who have expressed a desire to review the location of their backflow during the week of April 21. We will try to accommodate homeowners' preferences on backflows to the extent possible but please keep in mind that the backflow location is determined by the City standard (i.e., the backflow must be located within a few feet of the water meter), so we cannot make any promises on whether a homeowner's preferred location will be accepted. We will continue to review backflow placements on a case-by-case basis. If the project team has not met with you yet, and you would like to schedule a meeting about your backflow, please email YoloCSA@yolocounty.gov.

22. Can backflows be placed underground? Can residents install DCDA backflows? Unfortunately, backflows in NDM cannot be placed underground.

According to the City of Davis, a DCDA is a double check detector assembly. These are required on dedicated fire systems only. The required backflow for protection for the Water Consolidation Project in NDM is a RP. The same backflows are being installed on all parcels at the City of Davis Bretton Woods development as well.

23. What can I do if I want to remove my backflow? The City has provided a comment that if homeowners do not wish to have the backflow, they could explore a modification of their fire suppression system, which would entail obtaining approvals from the fire marshal. However, if the NDM Irrigation Project moves forward, and if a non-potable water source is introduced through use of the existing wells for irrigation, then each property would have to reinstall a new backflow and test annually.

24. Does the construction contractor have right of entry for NDM properties? Yes. The Water Consolidation Project pipes and facilities, including the backflow devices, water meters, and water meter boxes, are being installed within the existing Public Utility Easements for each North Davis Meadows property.

¹Please note that NDM residents have inquired about the possibility of using the existing NDM1 and NDM2 wells for irrigation (the “Irrigation Project”) after the completion of the City of Davis connection project. The CSA Advisory Committee has created an ad hoc to explore the possibility of pursuing the Irrigation Project. It is uncertain at this time if or when the Irrigation Project would be completed. At least initially, the community would receive irrigation water from the City of Davis.

² Decommissioning of the NDM1 and NDM2 wells was included in the cost proposal and bid package. If the Irrigation Project moves forward, the wells would need to be put back into production, incurring additional costs.

³The grant will not pay for any costs associated with the Irrigation Project.