Recent water tests show nitrate level unchanged in Soap Mine Road area

BARSTOW— December results of groundwater tested in the Soap Mine Road neighborhood show that water levels still contain an unsafe level of nitrates.

On Dec. 3 and 4, the city’s consultant, DPRA, took samples from 40 private wells in the area and found that the water in 19 of them contained nitrate levels in excess of the 5 milligrams per liter level mandated by the regional water board. The Lahontan Regional Water Quality Control board required the quarterly water testing after it found the city responsible for the nitrate contamination.

Mark Murphy, project manager for the city, said that the previous quarter’s results showed 18 of the 40 wells to contain high nitrate levels.

“It’s aa jump of one but nothing significant,” he said.

He said the city continues to provide 27 families in the Soap Mine Road area with bottled water.

In May, groundwater tests of 11 private wells in the Soap Mine area found nitrate levels in excess of the 10 mg/L safe levels. Earlier this year, Lahontan found the city partially responsible for the contamination and ordered them to provide bottled water to 23 well owners in the Soap Mine Road area. Before 2004, the city sprayed 1.2 million gallons of treated sewage a day from the wastewater-treatment plant on a field located near Soap Mine Road and the Interstate 15. The waste contained nitrates as well as compounds known to create nitrates, according to water board documents.

$11,000 given for new sign in Newberry Springs

NEWBERRY SPRINGS - Newberry Springs seniors are getting a new sign for Christmas.

The Newberry Springs Senior Center will receive an additional $11,000 in county funding to construct an informational sign to advertise its activities. The money will come from a county grant, according to a statement from the office of First District Supervisor Brad Mitzelfelt.

The center had previously been awarded a $6,000 grant for the sign but the estimated construction cost of $17,000 had put the project on hold.

Yermo raises more than $800 for Christmas give-away

At last Tuesday’s Yermo Community Service District meeting, citizens of Yermo presented the Yermo Volunteer Fire Department with a check for $829 to help fund the community’s Christmas toy give-away.

In past years, the community has held a swap meet to raise money and collect gifts that the fire department distributes to the town. This year, in a fund raising blitz, the community raised all the money in a matter of hours by hosting a dinner and bake sale.

On Christmas morning, Santa, riding in the town’s fire engine, will deliver the toys on Christmas morning. Listen for the siren!

Newberry Springs Fire Department gets Homeland Security grant

The federal office of Homeland Security awarded the Newberry Springs Fire Department around a computer package worth around $3,000.

Stephen Miller, the assistant fire chief in Newberry Springs, said the laptop computer and software will better help the town deal with a emergencies.

“It’s essentially the beginning of equipping an emergency operations center out here,” Miller said.

The Department of Homeland Security awarded $785,453 to 48 small communities in California to fund equipment and train first responders.