Big Basin Water Company Facing Challenges

By Jayme Ackemann

“Water, water everywhere; nor a drop to drink.” The Rime of the Ancient Mariner, written by Samuel Taylor Coleridge, depicts the plight of an Irish sailor adrift at sea, surrounded by undrinkable saltwater. For Big Basin Water Company (BBWC) customers, this old idiom may seem especially prophetic as questions are raised about the utility’s fate.

Until January 2021, according to the BBWC website, most of its customers were under a “Do Not Drink” order following damage from the CZU Lightning Complex Fire, which caused contamination to parts of its system. For months, some Boulder Creek residents made the trek into town each week to retrieve potable water. BBWC customer Joan Mongetta said, “I moved to what I consider ‘the country’ 20 years ago. I came from the East Coast. I knew it wouldn’t be like living in a city, but I didn’t expect this.” Mongetta is referring to the many months it took BBWC to recover its system and restore drinkable water to its customers.

One might have empathy for the tiny water utility because the Moore family owner-operators sustained heavy losses. The fire wiped out several of the company’s storage tanks, its filtration and sewage treatment facilities, myriad pipes, and electrical systems along with much of the administrative infrastructure.

The utility had its challenges before the massive wildfire. According to customers, days-long outages weren’t uncommon. In one such occurrence, Mongetta recalled being out of water for three days as the result of a broken main.

The Moore family has indicated its interest in selling the property. Meetings with potential investors have been held. Unfortunately, even before the fire, potential buyers balked at the high infrastructure investment costs the system would require to continue safe and reliable service. Private sector operators have indicated Big Basin’s owners would need to make substantial investments before the system could be purchased.

The utility operators are a “Mom and Pop shop.” As locals, there’s a great deal of affection for the Moore family – a feeling that may stem from the utility’s low rates and high-quality water. Residents say it is the best tasting water in the county.

But low rates may be part of the reason Big Basin finds itself in the situation it now faces. NARUC, the National Association of Regulatory Utility Commissioners, suggests water providers structure their rates to include their long-term capital repair and upgrade costs. Paying an artificially low water rate is a bit like paying the minimum on your credit card bill every month. It might feel good to make a small monthly payment, but eventually, the entire bill comes due. Consumers rely on the utility provider, which is overseen by the California Public Utilities Commission, to set rates in a way that is sustainable for consumer wallets and for the long-term survival of the system.

With only 500 connections, ensuring the company is properly collecting all proceeds owed would be a priority. One BBWC customer in the West Hilton neighborhood has been using the water for years without paying a single bill. It’s not for lack of trying, according to Mongetta. The neighbor called the company repeatedly to tell them that her home did not have a functioning water meter. It was never corrected and is just one example of lost revenue.

How many other issues might there be? Limited transparency into the private company’s records makes it difficult to know. For the purposes of this column, the author reached out to Big Basin management by text, phone, and email with no response. Lack of communication is one of the reasons some residents are worried.

In 2019, the State Water Resources Control Board cited BBWC management for failing to test its backflow preventers. Backflow preventers are placed in areas where there is concern that sewage water could flow back into the clean-water pipe causing contamination. From 2008 to 2017 Big Basin failed to properly test and report those findings to the Water Quality Control Board, according to a February 2019 letter sent to the company’s owners. Lacking an oversight body and robust communication, customers may not even be aware when issues like these arise.

Should its customers decide to take their water system’s fate into their own hands as FLOW did in Felton in 2008, they would need the support of County Supervisor Bruce McPherson. If they follow a similar path – organizing the 500 customers to vote to merge with SLVWD – that would allow Big Basin customers to become part of a long-term solution.

Taking that next step may seem daunting. But like the Irish sailor in Coleridge’s poem, when you’re surrounded by undrinkable water, you may need to grab an oar and row.

Jayme Ackemann is a public affairs consultant and freelance writer. Ackemann has worked on major capital investments and water infrastructure capital construction projects in the Bay Area. Jayme has been a resident of Ben Lomond for more than 15 years.

Photo by Julie Horner