Rainbow approves easement purchase agreement for Afton Farms pipeline

The Rainbow Municipal Water District's future activities include the Afton Farms water line which will loop the pipeline system from Afton Farms to Calle de Talar. The actual construction of the 1,400 feet of eight-inch water line will occur in the future, but the prerequisite of acquiring an easement was approved by the Rainbow board Aug. 25.

The 5-0 vote authorizes Rainbow general manager Tom Kennedy to execute the purchase agreement of an easement over two properties, both of which are owned by the John K. Haskett Living Trust, for $10,000. Rainbow will also pay for road and culvert improvements during construction.

"This easement will allow us to construct a proper pipeline to connect two pieces of pipe," Kennedy said.

The Afton Farms pipeline would eliminate two dead ends in the Rainbow infrastructure system. "There's a loop that needs to be completed in the southern part of our district," Kennedy said. "This pipeline is essential to provide service."

Currently the Rainbow district installs temporary pipe when the San Diego County Water Authority (CWA) performs maintenance activity and shuts down the portion of the CWA aqueduct system serving the area, so the permanent looping would allow the area to be served from either end of the Rainbow pipeline system and thus improve reliability for those customers.

"It also provides redundancy of supply even in normal operations," Kennedy said. "We'll have a redundant source of supply to this particular zone in our system."