FAQs • Fernley • CivicEngage

Will there be any arsenic dust that will migrate to adjacent property owners?: No. The City’s primary concern is the health and safety of its residents, and as a result the City has and will continue to have, best management practices to mitigate all potential for arsenic to migrate beyond the water treatment plant.

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1. Why do we need the water treatment plant?: To provide clean water for the City of Fernley residents.

Few things are more important to our community than ensuring that our drinking water is clean, safe, and reliable. In addition to meeting the requirements of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Safe Drinking Water Act, the construction and completion of Fernley’s groundwater treatment plant is the most important issue facing our community. Treating our water with care is an important community investment. This investment pays off in dividends to our health, well-being, and the quality of life we enjoy here in our high desert home.

On January 22, 2001, the EPA set a new maximum standard for arsenic in drinking water. This new standard dropped the maximum level from 50 parts per billion to 10 parts per billion. This regulation required that all public drinking water systems comply with the new standard by January 23, 2006. The City and the Nevada Division of Environmental Protection have agreed that the City will deliver compliant water from the water treatment plant by July 23, 2009, and the final completion by December 23, 2009.

2. Will there be any arsenic dust that will migrate to adjacent property owners?: No. The City’s primary concern is the health and safety of its residents, and as a result the City has and will continue to have, best management practices to mitigate all potential for arsenic to migrate beyond the water treatment plant.

3. Will there be any groundwater contamination from the solids drying basins?: No. Due to time limited circumstances associated with obtaining the groundwater discharge permit for the solids drying basins, the City Council approved the staff’s recommendation for the redesign of the water treatment plant's solid handling facilities from the solid drying basins to a closed loop tank storage system. This system will alleviate any possibility for groundwater contamination.

4. Will there be a production well at the water treatment plant?: No. The City investigated, through the means of a test well, whether or not it was economically feasible to provide a production well at the water treatment plant. The City Engineer determined that a test well was not feasible. The City currently operates and maintains six main production wells located throughout the City.

5. Will the water treatment plant be used for vehicle and / or equipment storage?: No. Personnel vehicles will be on site during plant operation, but there will not be a large amount of equipment storage as the public works shop houses all major equipment. Any personnel vehicles that are on-site will be screened as much as possible either by a masonry wall or landscaping.

6. The surrounding zoning is rural residential two acre, can a water treatment plant be included within this zoning?: Yes. Section 28.040 of the City of Fernley development code, states that a water tank, water treatment facility, or sewer lift station is acceptable within a rural residential two acre zoning district, with a design review.

Section 28.070.090 of the City of Fernley development code, states that a water facility is defined as, a water facility for purifying, supplying, and holding water, or a sewer lift station facility, each including appurtenant wells, pumps, and control buildings.

7. What is the truck traffic impact to the neighborhood?: Very limited. We expect, depending on truck delivery time schedules, that there will be a potential to have two deliveries every month, or four deliveries every two months.

8. Are the chemicals used in the water treatment plant process highly hazardous?

No. The chemicals used for the water treatment plant are not listed within the Bureau of Air Pollution Control;s (BAPC) Chemical Accident Prevention Program (CAPP) because they are not highly hazardous. As a result, BAPC does not require the City to prepare and execute a CAPP for these chemicals. The four types of chemicals to be used on site are the following:

Citric acid

Ferric chloride

Sodium hydroxide

Sodium hypochlorite

9. Is there going to be chlorine stored on-site?: No. Disinfection shall be provided through sodium hypochlorite, not chlorine.

10. Will site lighting from the water treatment plant be a problem to the surrounding neighborhood?: No. The City Public Works and Community Development departments has been working together to ensure that all outside lighting conforms to the full cut-off criteria set forth in Section 40.040 of the City of Fernley development code. This code states that, all light fixtures shall be installed or be designed to project light downward and away from adjoining properties. As a result, no site lighting is allowed to penetrate onto adjacent properties. If additional property light shielding is necessary, the City will install it.

11. Does the water treatment plant conform to the City of Fernley development code Section 44.020 for minimum road widths for non-residential use?: No. The minimum right of way width for non-residential use is 60 feet. Mesa Drive consists of both 50 feet and 60 feet right of ways. The City is aware of the requirements set forth by the development code, and is currently working to comply with this requirement.

In approving the civil improvement plans, Community Development Director Robert “Terry” Gilbert, set a condition on the City that the right of way has to be in compliance with the development code prior to certification of occupancy.

12. Where can we get more information about the water treatment plant?