Airpoint School Feasibility Study - Milpitas Unified School District, CA
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Located approximately five miles east of Interstate 680 along Calaveras Blvd in the rolling hills of Santa Clara County, the Milpitas Unified School District’s (MUSD) Airpoint School provided a setting like no other for its 40 students and staff. Due to its location, one ground water well provided water to the facility. The well was located downstream from an animal enclosure and it was uncertain if a fifty foot sanitary seal was provided to adequately protect this groundwater supply. Tests on the water supply indicated the presence of total coliform along with high levels of manganese. The California Department of Public Health (CDPH) grew concerned over these elevated levels and informed the MUSD it must secure a more reliable source of water.
The closest potable water main was located several thousand feet away and owned by the City of Milpitas (City). Fortunately, approximately 100 feet away from the school was a private water main owned by Santa Clara County (County) serving the Spring Valley Golf Course and local picnic areas. This private water main had a metered connection to the City’s distribution system. The MUSD contacted the City and requested a connection to the County water main with the intent of using the County’s water main to “wheel” the water to the school while purchasing it directly from the City.
The MUSD retained Pakpour Consulting Group to facilitate this new source of water for the Airpoint School. However, since water would be “wheeled” through a private water main, the City of Milpitas and CDPH required extensive testing to ensure there were no cross connections along this water main.
Pakpour Consulting Group completed an extensive feasibility study and provided a letter report of its findings. Work included developing a testing protocol and subsequent shutdown of the County water main between the City and Airpoint School connection points to locate any cross connections. Facilities tested included known connections such as restrooms and fire hydrants. Fortunately, none of the testing locations had flowing water during the shutdown which indicated no cross connections on the County water main. Following testing, Pakpour Consulting Group prepared plans indicating the connection locations and made recommendations for installation of backflow devices as a redundant safety measure and to prevent stagnant water from entering the Airpoint School’s water supply. Pakpour Consulting Group also prepared plans and specifications for the installation of the backflow devices.
Pakpour Consulting Group assisted in preparation of a complex cooperative agreement between the three agencies which resulted in a new, safe and reliable water supply to the Airpoint School.
