Letter: Surface water best bet for Hillcrest

I keep hearing about blended water as a solution for the Hillcrest water problem. The city looked into blending and it cost more to blend the water than to deliver surface water. The cheapest and best solution is still getting the surface water at a maximum of $19.80 a month.

If blending becomes necessary because of a drought, the city is capable of doing that with its well at the north Yuba City water treatment plant. That can provide 70 percent f what all the wells in the Hillcrest area can produce. That well also has better quality water than wells in the Hillcrest water system area. If the city needs to use the ground water, they can use that well and can process it cheaper through the treatment plant. Surface water is soft and does not have the nitrates, manganese, and arsenic that the ground water has and so is by far the cheapest and best solution.

Surface water also will increase the value of our homes, cost less in maintenance expense as water softeners will not be necessary, pipes and fixtures will not corrode, and use of less chemicals to keep our homes clean. The city has offered the lowest-priced solution and has looked at all options. Surface water is still the best solution.

Cheryl Dahlman

Yuba City