Water supply: pipe dream or nightmare?

I only hope the local news media reports in great detail just how poorly maintained Cave Creek Water Company's infrastructure (pipes and pumps) was and is, now that we have had the opportunity to begin to examine it. “Rotten” was the choice of words of one former official, and “very critical” was the notation from the chief of Rural/Metro Fire Department.

The truly concerning quotation was about the “total lack of records of where the pipes actually are and the lack of any maintenance records,” even though we have employed the very same engineering firm used by Global Water. 

Having been an early supporter of this purchase, I sat there during this presentation wondering a couple of things. The first was how any building permits for homes or businesses could be

issued without assurance that the fire safety issue (sufficient water supply being available via fire hydrants) is satisfied, which seemingly is not the case without draining the town's water supply, according to the fire chief. Even our mayor commented, “No wonder the former Cave Creek Water Company never let us inspect the hydrants.”

It is interesting, with all the recent voices shouting “Health, Safety and Welfare” priorities, that they never, long ago, demanded the town require tests on the fire “safety” issues and, if necessary, take legal action–or at least protest before the Arizona Corporation Commission– about the town's concern. Since when is not having sufficient water to fight fires not a “welfare” issue?

The second revelation was why the legal documents on the sale of this water company to the town did not spell out in great detail the requirement for all infrastructure maps and maintenance details. Town staff, and even many citizens, knew that we had not been able to inspect the physical condition of the water company prior to the sale, so the town staff  knew (or should have known) this information was a vital starting point in the renovation process. Hundreds of thousands of dollars were invested in legal fees, yet we seem to have missed this detail.

Clearly, I personally suspected the water company system was poor–I just had no idea how

critically poor it really is. Now I am very concerned, and all of us in Cave Creek should be. That fire plug out in front of your home is little more than a decoration for dogs to use. This is going to be a very expensive renovation process for Cave Creek and all of us; to think otherwise is indeed a “pipe dream.”

Bob Moore
Cave Creek