New Director Chris Wilson to represent District 3
Auburn, Calif. – The Placer County Water Agency (PCWA) Board of Directors officially welcomed new Director Chris Wilson, representing District 3. Sworn in on December 6, Wilson was elected in November to a four-year term and fills the seat formerly held by Mike Lee for 26 years.
With the highest concentration of PCWA customers, District 3 encompasses the communities of Rocklin, Loomis, Penryn, Newcastle, and Ophir. District 3 includes the $24 million Rocklin Pipeline Replacement Project, funded by PCWA ratepayers and the City of Rocklin, which aims to modernize water infrastructure in the growing community.
Chris Wilson, Rocklin
A Rocklin resident, Wilson brings a background in capital infrastructure. For the past 27 years, he has worked for a global technology company where he is responsible for maintaining and replacing capital infrastructure that supports office buildings, manufacturing facilities, and data centers.
Wilson also serves as a Board Member for the Rocklin Area Chamber of Commerce, supporting and advocating for small businesses. As his company's corporate community liaison, he has supported community partners including the Rocklin Public Safety Foundation and the Red Cross.
"I am honored to serve on the PCWA Board," Wilson said. "Water is one of our most vital resources, and I look forward to working with my fellow board members and the talented PCWA staff to continue delivering some of the best water in the country to our customers."
"PCWA has a long history of responsible water management," Wilson added. "I'm committed to supporting initiatives that protect our senior water rights, ensure reliable and sustainable infrastructure, and secure ample water supplies for future generations of Placer County residents and businesses."
Infrastructure Improvements Moving Forward
At the same meeting, the PCWA board approved contracts for two major projects: the $35.5 million Colfax Water Treatment Plant replacement and the Shady Glen Community consolidation efforts.
Colfax Water Treatment Plant
For the Colfax plant, the board approved an additional $1.6 million for a Design Professional Services Agreement with HDR Engineering, Inc., increasing the total agreement limit to $2.4 million. PCWA has been working with HDR Engineering on the design of the Colfax plant since 2021. Design plans and specifications were completed in October 2024, with the project expected to go to bid in December.
Built in 1958, the current Colfax plant has the capacity to treat 1.58 million gallons of water per day (MGD). The new treatment plant will enhance reliability and increase drinking water capacity to 2.0 MGD, expandable to 3.0 MGD for the central Placer County area.
The Colfax Water Treatment Plant replacement is the largest capital improvement project (CIP) in PCWA's current budget, which allocates a record amount of investment primarily to CIP initiatives. Funding sources for this project include the Water Division's rates for treatment projects, Agency-wide reserves, and PCWA stewardship funds outlined in the County-Wide Master Plan.
Shady Glen Community Consolidation
The Shady Glen Community Consolidation project took a big step forward with the approval of a $1.5 million construction contract with Lorang Brothers Construction, Inc. Shady Glen Estates is a mobile home park located west of the intersection of Highway 174 and Rollins Lake Road near Colfax. With 200 residents, Shady Glen Estates has been served by its own community water system, which is reaching the end of its useful life.
"PCWA is committed to improving access to our reliable water system along the Interstate 80 corridor," said Josh Alpine, Director of District 5. "We have made significant progress in extending our service to new communities, including Dutch Flat and Weimar in recent years, and now, Shady Glen. PCWA's ongoing investments in water infrastructure make this possible, ensuring safe and dependable water service for more Placer County residents."
In March 2024, the board approved a $4.5 million funding agreement to help consolidate the Shady Glen Community Water System into PCWA's Colfax water system. The move is part of PCWA's long-running stewardship effort to bring safe, reliable water to underserved areas of the county. The project is also in line with the State Water Resources Control Board's (SWRCB) goal to help small water systems merge with larger ones when they need assistance meeting water quality standards or providing sustainable and affordable service. PCWA applied for and received a SWRCB grant to pay for the consolidation.
The Shady Glen Community Consolidation project requires the installation of a 1,700-foot pipeline to connect the community water system to an existing PCWA water distribution line along Highway 174. In addition to this construction work, the SWRCB grant funding would cover PCWA's administrative costs to design and oversee the construction as well as the community water system's water connection charge to tie into PCWA's Colfax water system.
"Funding for this project has been provided in full or in part under the Budget Act of 2021 through an agreement with the State Water Resources Control Board. The contents of this document do not necessarily reflect the views and policies of the foregoing, nor does mention of trade names or commercial products constitute endorsement or recommendation for use."