NID looks at loans for water hookups

Getting water to customers is the Nevada Irrigation District's mandate, but that doesn't mean it's cheap to do so. A proposed loan program could lessen the pain.

Many who have built homes in the areas surrounding Grass Valley and Nevada City where wells can be problematic have had to pay thousands to hook up to NID's drinking water.

Those fortunate enough to have a main water line fronting their property pay a connection fee of $5,980 and the cost for a plumber to bring the line into the home, often about $1,000, said NID engineer Vern Smith.

Mike Swain, owner of the Plumb-Rite plumbing service that serves Grass Valley and the Beale Air Force Base area, said a typical hookup job runs from $800 to $1,200 depending on the terrain.

But those who did not have the 8-inch water main nearby have to have it bought down a street or country lane at $50 to $55 a foot, and pay for the hookup and the plumber, Smith said. It's a scenario that gets expensive quickly.

To address the situation, NID has been working on a loan plan for several months. Earlier this week, the district administration committee played with several formulas, with the total bill coming to $30,000 to be paid over 20 years. More discussion is planned for the future.