By CRAIG CASSIDY
The Union Democrat
Tuolumne Utilities District directors will hold an emergency meeting tonight to discuss an agreement to temporarily provide water to the Del Oro Water Company, which serves Strawberry.
The board will consider two resolutions. One is an agreement with the Pacific Gas and Electric Company allowing TUD to draw water out of the South Fork Stanislaus River, upstream of the district's normal diversion point below Lyons Reservoir. TUD receives its water from PG&E under a 1983 pact.
The second resolution is an emergency water-sale agreement with Del Oro.
PG&E, in a July 31 memo, agreed to the sale of up to 100 acre-feet of water to Del Oro through the end of 2008, albeit with some reservations, as Del Oro required a similar bailout last year.
"We understand the dire nature of this year's water conditions on existing Del Oro customers and accept TUD providing emergency water supply to these customers this year," the letter from PG&E said.
"At the same time, PG&E fully expected that last year's emergency water supply agreement would be a one-time accommodation and we continue to be concerned that Del Oro has not perfected a long-term water supply solution for its water customers in the Strawberry District."
Del Oro is in a bind because it's only source of water, Herring Creek, is running extremely low due to a low snowpack last year. It's so low, in fact, the company's water intake pipes are almost completely out of the water, according to company spokeswoman Susan Howard.
Company officials say they have attempted to find, to no avail, a permanent, additional source of water. The company has examined drilling a well, but two test sites showed insufficient water supplies. It has also been unable to secure a deal to buy water elsewhere.
Del Oro Water Company officials last week issued an emergency rationing order affecting the Chico-based company's 378 Strawberry households.
The company purchased the utility in 2006. It was formerly the Conlin-Strawberry Water Company.
Del Oro's customers consume, on average, 8,555 gallons of water per month, about 285 gallons a day, per household, according to the company.
