Rio del Rio water system rebuilds after quake damage – Times Standard

The Rio Del's dilapidated, more than 75-year-old water system — which was in poor condition even before the earthquakes in late 2022 and early 2023 — will be almost entirely rebuilt at the state's expense.

Local elected officials and North Shore Sen. Mike McGuire on Wednesday hailed a $12.9 million state grant that will allow the city to build nearly three miles of new water mains, create a new water tank, install 30 new fire hydrants, upgrade 279 service lines and build five new highway crossings.

“This community came together like never before to care for neighbors in need in the wake of the devastating earthquake of 2022,” McGuire said. “No need went unmet. If a neighbor needed food or water, needed emergency shelter, or needed comfort, this community, Humboldt County, stood strong, responded, and provided assistance to those most in need.”

On December 20, 2022, a 6.4 magnitude earthquake killed two people and destroyed dozens of homes across the city. Some were repaired, but many were left unrepaired, and residents opened their wallets to book a hotel, stayed with friends or family, or lived in a local temporary shelter. Weeks later, on January 2, a 5.4 magnitude earthquake struck the city.

After receiving a huge check from McGuire, Rio Del Mayor Deborah Garnes — who noted that the city could never have afforded to fix the water system on its own — thanked communities across the county, which she said rallied for their city by donating supplies and volunteering to help survivors. She also thanked the city’s Public Works Department, which has cauterized the city’s most pressing wounds and restored water and electricity.

“The staff moved away from their shock and horror and went out to their community,” Garnes said. “They plugged leaks to save the water we had left in our tanks to contain the inevitable fire after the incident. They asked for drinking water, they asked for bulk water, they asked for bottled water, they asked for outdoor toilets, they asked for showers, they asked for a shower block. The neighbors of Rio Del came together and distributed water, they helped each other, they helped get water to those who couldn’t get to the distribution sites.”

Rio del Mayor Debora Garnes speaks in front of her city's leaking water tanks, which will be replaced with state money. (Jackson Guilfoyle/Times Standard)

Since the state is paying for the new water system, McGuire said the new system would ultimately save Rio Del water customers about $35 a month.

Despite the destruction of dozens of homes and extensive damage to the city’s infrastructure—most notably a leaky water tank that has yet to be fully repaired—FEMA did not declare a disaster. Perhaps if Rio Del were a wealthier city with higher home values, it would have met the financial damage thresholds that would prompt FEMA to declare a disaster and unlock federal aid, City Manager Kyle Knopp said at a City Council meeting.

McGuire said that without District 2 Supervisor Michelle Bushnell, who represents Rio Del, the city would not have an emergency shelter program to house the hardest-hit quake victims. Bushnell noted that the Dec. 22 quake was her first natural disaster as supervisor, and she thanked the rest of the council for their quick approval of nearly $1 million to help quake victims find housing.

“Small communities like this are resilient and depend on their neighbors, their friends and their neighboring towns, and if you have to deal with a natural disaster, this is the best place to be,” Bushnell said.

Jackson Guilfoyle can be reached at 707-441-0506.

Originally published: July 18, 2024 at 11:45 am

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