Humboldt Bay Municipal Water District - HCSD's Wholesale Water Provider - Begins Second Phase of Seismic Upgrades to Water Storage Infrastructure

Contact:
Contessa Dickson
Humboldt Bay Municipal Water District
Phone: 707-443-5018
Email: Contessa@HBMWD.com

Humboldt Bay Municipal Water District (HBMWD) has successfully completed the first phase of
the seismic retrofit of its domestic water storage tanks, a critical component of its ongoing
commitment to infrastructure resilience. The second phase of the retrofit is set to begin Friday,
May 23, 2025, and will focus on upgrades to the District’s 2-million gallon storage tank.
To maintain water quality during this next phase, HBMWD will temporarily increase the chlorine
residual in the water supply. This proactive measure ensures continued compliance with state
and federal drinking water standards throughout the duration of the retrofit, which is scheduled
for completion in Fall 2025.
“The increased chlorine residual should not be noticeable at the tap and will support
completion of the seismic upgrades to our water storage tanks,” said Dale Davidsen,
Superintendent at HBMWD. “These upgrades are needed to protect our infrastructure and
improve our seismic resiliency.”
Chlorine is routinely added to drinking water to eliminate bacteria and harmful microorganisms
during the treatment process. A chlorine residual—a small, safe amount of chlorine—remains in
the water as it travels through distribution pipelines to ensure that water reaching customers’
faucets remains clean and safe to drink.
HBMWD provides high-quality drinking water to much of Humboldt County, including the Cities
of Arcata, Blue Lake, and Eureka, as well as the Community Services Districts of Humboldt,
Manila, McKinleyville, and Fieldbrook.