PWD’s primary water tank back online after servicing

PALMDALE — After nearly a month, Palmdale Water District has its primary water storage tank back in service.

The six-million-gallon water tank at Avenue S and Sierra Highway, where treated water is stored before being distributed to district customers, was shut down at the end of October in order to remove baffle curtains inside, at the request of the State Water Resources Control Board, Division of Drinking Water. The tank is the district’s primary water storage tank.

The tank was fully disinfected before being refilled following the maintenance shutdown. The water was tested for contaminants over a four-day period before it was once again allowed to flow to homes and businesses, district officials reported.

“The district is pleased to have the 6M thoroughly cleaned and back to serving our customers,” General Manager Dennis D. LaMoreaux said. “We want to reassure everyone that all the baffle curtains were removed, and the tank was completely cleaned of debris. To accomplish this complicated task, we had to shut down the 6M and adjust our water distribution plan. We thank everyone for their patience and understanding.”

The baffle curtains are used in tanks of treated water in order to improve water treatment performance. Suspended in the tank, they direct water flow to increase contact time for chlorine-treated water.

The district was asked by state water regulators to remove the baffle curtains in October after debris, including pieces of the curtain, was found in water flushed from a transmission main, district officials reported. This transmission main is not connected to water services for homes or businesses, and it continued to be flushed for any signs of additional debris.

To remove the curtains, commercial divers specializing in water tank cleaning entered the tank to cut down the 30-foot-tall hanging baffle curtains that were deteriorating. Their work was followed by PWD staff draining the water into the area’s detention basin before vacuuming and cleaning debris from the tank floor. The final step was spraying a heavy dose of chlorine to disinfect the entire tank.

The 2022 Annual Consumer Confidence Report, which details the district’s water quality and is required by state and federal regulators, showed the district is in compliance with state drinking water standards. The district tested for more than 80 regulated contaminants in more than 18,000 tests and found 10 primary standard contaminants, which were all below maximum levels as set by state regulations.