Fort Bragg has embarked on an ambitious $72 million overhaul of its water infrastructure, targeting decades-old systems and pioneering new technology to secure the city’s water future. Key projects include remodeling the water treatment plant, replacing ancient pipelines, constructing three new reservoirs, and piloting a desalination project using wave energy.
John Smith, Fort Bragg’s director of public works, confirmed that the long-awaited upgrades are finally taking shape. The upgrade of the water treatment plant, untouched since the early 1980s, is approximately 20% complete. “Design and planning are done, grant money has been released, and construction is underway,” Smith said. He highlighted the project’s role in upgrading water treatment and storage systems to prevent losses and improve energy efficiency.
Another significant endeavor is the $8.8 million replacement of a raw water line that runs through Jackson State Demonstration Forest and crosses Hare Creek, a habitat for endangered Coho salmon and steelhead trout. Smith described the environmental challenges of working in this sensitive area and coordinating with agencies like Fish and Wildlife and the Coastal Commission to ensure all requirements are met. This project has also begun and a portion of the new water line is already in the ground.
A third project to boost water storage with three new reservoirs is still in the planning stages. “We’ve issued a request for proposals for both engineering and environmental assessments,” Smith said, noting that contracts have been signed and progress is expected within the next month.
Meanwhile, the city’s innovative desalination project, utilizing wave power, has faced delays. Partnered with Onika Technologies, Fort Bragg hopes to deploy an offshore platform for desalination, but regulatory hurdles have slowed progress. "We meet with agencies every two months, but we’re still waiting on the necessary permits before we can move forward," Smith explained.
Coincidentally, the first public drought engagement meeting was held the same day Smith met with KZYX to discuss Fort Bragg’s projects. Andree Lee, a vice president at EKI Environment and Water, which has been hired to help the county prepare a drought resilience plan, said data shows the County of Mendocino has an above average vulnerability to droughts. “Most of the county is considered to have medium to high physical vulnerability to droughts and with the highest physical vulnerability in the northeastern and the southeastern portions of the county, the lowest physical vulnerability is east of the city of Ukiah and in the central coastal portion of the county,” Lee said.
