Buyers should be aware that there are three primary sources of water within the greater Yuba City area.

Surface Water - This is clearly the most desirable water in the area. It comes from the Feather River and is naturally soft. It is then treated at the Yuba City water treatment plant before distribution.

Hillcrest Water - The Hillcrest Water Company was a privately held water company. It was purchased by the City of Yuba City which now operates and maintains it. The system is divided into two sub systems. Hillcrest 1 serves those residents East of Highway 99. Hillcrest 2/3 serves those residents West of Highway 99. The water comes from several wells located throughout the community. This water is inferior to surface water in at least a couple of respects. First, the water is very hard. Most recipients of this water treat it through the use of individual water softeners.

A second problem is that water from the old Hillcrest system does not meet the new Federal safety standard which mandates that drinking water contain less than 10 parts per billion (ppb) of arsenic. This new standard became effective January 23, 2006. It does meet the old safety standard which mandated that the arsenic level had to be less than 50 ppb.

For it's part, the City has been able to get the water to meet the new arsenic standards by chemically treating it with ferric chloride and potassium permanganate. However, this treatment is corrosive and will reduce the effective life of the pipes and other components in the system. It also reduces system capacity by approximately 20% because of the extra load this places on the system's filters. This, then, is considered to be a temporary fix.

A third problem is that the nitrate levels in the Hillcrest 2/3 system exceed safe standards. A short term fix to the nitrate problem was to abandon one well (well #14) and to supplement the system with water from the surface water system. As a result, the water is currently in compliance with applicable nitrate standards.

On July 1, 2008, the City Council proposed connecting all HWS customers to the City's surface water system as a long term solution. This was not only the least expensive option to the HWS problems but was the option that would provide the highest quality water to the HWS customers. For various reasons, there was significant opposition from residents to the option proposed by the City. As of this writing, the City's proposal was rejected in the Hillcrest 2/3 area but was supported by customers in the Hillcrest 1 area. The City is studying the feasibility of delivering surface water to the residents of Hillcrest 1 and is in the process of studying the following options in the Hillcrest 2/3 area:

1. Selling the system to a private operator who will be able to make the necessary repairs and will be able to get rate increases through the P.U.C.

2. Examine Hillcrest's financial deficit with an eye to a rate increase (the HWS currently operates at a loss).

3. Discontinue adding surface water to the system. This will likely result in having to bring well #14 on line and sending notices to at least some water customers advising them not to drink the water.

Home buyers should be aware that the Multiple Listing Service (MLS) makes no distinction between the surface water system and the ground water (HWS) systems. As a buyer, it is important that you investigate the source of water for any home you are considering purchasing. You should also keep in mind that there are a lot of very knowledgeable real estate agents who can help you in this process. However, there are also a lot of agents who are unfamiliar with this issue. We suggest that you take a few simple steps to find an honest and knowledgeable real estate agent.

Private Wells - Private wells are another source of water for homes in the greater Yuba City area. Water quality and safety can vary dramatically from property to property. Buyers considering the purchase of property served by a private well should insist that the seller provide, at a minimum, a well clearance for potability. High nitrate levels have also been a problem in some areas and we now know about the revised arsenic standards. Nitrate and arsenic levels can be tested for and we recommend that the water test should include these as well.

Make sure you know where your water will be coming from. You should contact the City of Yuba City if you want more information on this issue. You can visit the Utility Department's web site, view their web page that deals with the HWS, view the 2007 Water Consumer Confidence Report, or contact John Westhouse, Water Treatment Plant Supervisor at (530) 822-4636.

Last Updated September 11, 2008