Following a water main break that occurred on Scenic Drive (near the intersection with Cuesta Real) on June 25, the Guild’s new Grade 4 licensed water operator, John Chapin, requested that water samples be collected at several nearby downstream residences and sent to our water quality laboratory for bacteriological analysis. According to Chapin, this is a standard protocol in most water systems, designed to ensure the safety of the water supply, but one that has not been consistently practiced by the Guild until now.
We expected to hear if coliform was present in any of the test samples within 24 hours; however, the lab did not inform the Guild of the positive bacterial result until the morning of July 10 (eleven days after the samples were drawn). Upon receipt of this information, John Chapin advised our Public Works staff to immediately flush the water system (by releasing water from the hydrants around town) to ensure that all parts of the system had levels of chlorine adequate to prevent contamination. This system-wide flushing occurred the evening of July 10, and tests of chlorine levels throughout the system exceeded the satisfactory level of 0.5 ppm. As an additional precaution, the chlorine level in our treated water storage tanks is being raised to 2.0 ppm today (July 12). (NOTE: This may result in a more noticeable chlorine order or taste to the water. As long as this situation continues, you may choose to drink bottled water or leave the water sit in an open container for a short time to dissipate before drinking.)
Despite these steps, officials from the state Department of Health Services (DHS) require that a “Boil Water Order” (see previous posting) be posted at all homes downstream of the leak as an advisory and precaution until we obtain contaminant-free laboratory test results from various locations throughout the distribution system for two consecutive days. A retest of the sites near the Scenic leak (samples taken on July 10) shows no signs of contamination. If we receive clear results on samples drawn July 11 and 12 throughout the distribution system, you should receive another notice that the “Boil Water Order” has been lifted by Friday.
We recognize and apologize for the inconvenience this situation may have caused, but hope you will understand that increased post-leak testing—along with prompt notification, more regular system maintenance, and infrastructure improvements—is an important step in modernizing our water operation and ensuring the safety of the water you receive.

Cuesta La Honda Guild Board of Directors