The Walker Lake Fire Station hosted an informative presentation on Friday, June 12 with Mark Nixon, who currently manages the Walker Lake Water Board.

A predominant emphasis was toward the fire fighters that attended, advising them to properly use the hydrants to avoid a pressure break on aging pipes and he availed himself to review the initial flushing of the hydrant system, with a mapping of each location and the offer to come back out to physically show them.

“Due to the continued drought and the need to be water sensible, water saving procedures will be crucial to this unique community. Summer brings the peak demand on our systems, so it’s important to be cautionary in the overall use.” Nixon said.

Nixon showed an overhead visual of the actual pipes within Walker Lake and the layout of the flow. Several residents commented about the overall condition of the water being better than ever, which Nixon confirmed was the latest well water.

A legal breakdown was shown, with Nixon being quite transparent in explaining why with 525 accounts and only 150 actively using water, there still had to be a minimum service fee from each account.

“In 2008 the Walker Lake General Improvement District (WLGID) had to raise money to meet their operating needs, which includes on-going repairs and maintenance, water ratios to meet the required amounts and many wouldn’t know the history that brought us to today’s status,” Nixon said.

“At one point in time, people in California owned this water district and it was in disrepair with leaks, dead lines and tanks that were overly contaminated and improperly built layouts. Nevada State condemned it. Residents formed the WLGID and borrowed money to build it up properly and comply with the regulated infrastructure required to keep it viable for the future of every property holder. This includes maintaining a fund to pay back capital funds and hold reserves that guarantee the future repairs and replacements this water system needs. There was an obligation through the USDA to hold restricted funds, as they were involved in the money to rebuild the system. There are many residents that should be acknowledged for their endless volunteer efforts in making this come about, because it wasn’t easy. A board decided to keep the costs as low as possible for the residents, accounting for income ratio and need, which is why the service fee is as low as $25 on a lot and the monthly rates remain fairly low in comparison to the surrounding areas.”

With the obligation of the water district reviewed with questions answered the residents that attended seemed satisfied to know the details of the water system is secure for the future and being run with full accountability.