Pumps fail, tank bursts and Alpine Village left dry

Santa Claus must have been a very thirsty fellow on Christmas Eve, when he was flying with his reindeer around the Woodfords enclave of Alpine Village, because all of the residents were waterless.

Woodfords Mutual Water Co. President Skip Veatch explained the sequence of the holiday snafu.

"We have two wells that pump water into one tank to service the homes in Alpine Village," he said. "First, one pump stopped working; followed shortly by the other one."

"One thing led to another," declared Alpine Village resident Rita Lovell. The Woodfords volunteer firemen procured permission from the Markleeville Water Company and Hung A Lel Ti Community to pump water from their reserves and transport it to Alpine Village the day after Christmas, so that residents would have water.

The firemen sanitized the water and pumped it into the 15,000 gallon tank, which proceeded to burst open, and onlookers helplessly watched the newly-obtained water as it flowed over a field and into a drainage ditch.

Why did the water tank rupture? In Alpine Village, there is new meaning for the impolite expression, "Put a sock in it." Evidently, someone had stuffed a sock into the vent years ago, to insure that "varmints" would stay out of the water tank. As the fire truck was pumping water into the tank, the air pressure was not able to escape through the vent, resulting in the tank's breakage.

"The community spirit remained high, and many people volunteered to help, but a professional engineer was hired to install the two new pumps," said Edie Veatch.

Everyone displayed good humor in a bad situation; behavior that is typical for small-community citizens. The folks at the Mountain and Garden Bed & Breakfast encouraged those without water to fill up their containers with their spring water.

Two brand new pumps and a patched-up water tank later, residents of Alpine Village have survived their minor catastrophe and once more have water flowing, albeit heavily chlorinated.

"Right now, our family smells like we've just been to a swimming pool, so it makes me appreciate our normal clear and pure mountain water even more," Lovell said on Dec. 30.

Members of the Woodfords Mutual Water Co. soon will be holding a meeting to decide how to pay for the pumps and the prospective new tank.

Residents of Markleeville and Markleevillage (District 1) are invited to a meeting 9 a.m. Saturday in the Alpine County Administration Building to discuss issues of local concern. District 1 Supervisor Don Jardine and Sheriff John Crawford will answer any questions that constituents may ask. Along with interesting information, refreshments will be offered.

n Gina Gigli is a Markleeville resident. Reach her at ginagigli@villagigli.com.