In an effort to improve water quality and storage for two rural communities in Lake County California, Winzler & Kelly was selected as the prime consultant to design and manage the construction of the Kelseyville-Finley Water System Improvement project. In order to fund the project, Winzler & Kelly assisted Lake County in obtaining low interest loans and grants from the United States Department of Agriculture, Rural Utilities Service.

The project was designed to tie together two rural water systems in Kelseyville and Finley, located adjacent to Clear Lake. In order to improve the water storage capacity of the systems  and to improve the water quality of the Finley system, the project constructed a new 1 million-gallon welded steel water storage tank, two new 500-gpm water wells, an equipment building which contains the motor control center and chlorination equipment, 8-, 10- and 12-inch diameter water mains, valves, fire hydrants, service connections, creek crossings, demolition of an existing storage tank and piping, grading, and paving. As a favorable bidding climate led to lower than estimated construction costs, Winzler & Kelly was able to recommend and implement the construction of two additional project phases, which added production facilities and enlarged a distribution main, and the eventual total construction cost remained below the original program budget estimate.

This project has brought much needed improvements to the rural communities, including high quality water, increased storage, and upgraded fire protection. Winzler & Kelly is proud of our efforts to obtain financing and manage the construction of a project that has improved the water system infrastructure of the rural communities of Kelseyville and Finley.