Herlong Public Utility District’s journey from a non-profit to a thriving special district highlights the vital role CRWA played in securing funding, upgrading infrastructure, and educating staff to serve the needs of a small Northeastern California community
By Sandy A. Seifert-Raffelson
Herlong Public Utility District (HPUD) became a special district on February 14, 2008, after having been a non-profit and a cooperative since 1999. Being designated a special district opens more doors for the small, disadvantaged community. HPUD could now qualify for state, local and federal grants to improve the community drinking water and sewer system.
HPUD water tower. Photo courtesy HPUD.
HPUD is in Northeastern California, 50 miles from Reno, Nev., and 40 miles from Susanville, Calif. Herlong is an old Army base with housing from the 50s and 70s. HPUD services 301 connections, including a federal prison, army base, school district, Indian ranchera housing, mobile park, and 154 residential homes.
HPUD was first established to provide water and sewer for the prison. With the Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC), the Army no longer wanted to service anything outside its gates. HPUD completed two USDA loan/grants to bring water and sewer to most of the community. HPUD then lobbied with CRWA in Washington, D.C., to write our own RFP and answer the RFP for the remaining $6.8 million that the Army base left on the table after their restructuring. This was awarded to HPUD to complete a third project to service the community water needs, which included adding an elevated 250,000-gallon water tank. Without CRWA’s help, the $6.8 million that was allotted for the community would have gone back to the Army and the community would have missed out.
Royce Shields recognized for 5 years of service. Photo courtesy of HPUD.
CRWA has been instrumental in helping a small district with 3 to 5 employees become educated and receive certificates for both water and wastewater licenses. Over the past 16 years as a District, HPUD has benefited from CRWA’s help with educating our first lead operator (who retired in 2020) as well as our second lead operator, Royce Shields. CRWA has also helped with several intern operators who have moved on after being certified to other locations in California. The CRWA apprenticeship program, along with CRWA staff visits, education classes at HPUD’s office and classes available on-line and at annual conference, have been instrumental in educating our plant employees. Royce Shields, our lead operator, has completed both the wastewater apprenticeship program and taken classes to pass his T1 and D2 for water with continuing education to keep his licenses. Royce came to HPUD with large-equipment experience and with CRWA help and HPUD experience is now a lead operator. This is a major accomplishment for both Royce and the District that could not have been achieved without CRWA staff and their top-rated programs.
The project replaced 70-year-old water and sewer pipes to bring clean water and sewer to 148 homes. Photo courtesy of HPUD.
HPUD completed a nearly $13 million SRF grant infrastructure in 2023, replacing 70-year-old water and sewer pipes to bring clean water and sewer to 148 homes. This was a major project and took several years to push the paperwork through state channels, with both HPUD’s past and present general managers reaching out to CRWA for guidance and help to move past all the obstacles to get this project to bid.
As the general manager and previous finance manager for HPUD, I appreciate all the help CRWA gives to small districts! HPUD would not have accomplished these projects, or the certification needed to run a District in California, without CRWA staff and programs.
Mrs. Raffelson is the General Manager for Herlong Public Utility District and has been involved with the District since the beginning of its conception as Herlong Utility Cooperative, later changing to Herlong Utility Incorporated, and finally to a Public Utility District. Mrs. Raffelson has strong business, community and family values.
