After almost 10 years, IVGID was successful in obtaining a grant from the US Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) for 75% of the design and construction of the Wastewater Storage Tank.  The estimated costs are $7,601,000 and IVGID will be responsible for $1,900,250.  The grant was assembled from unused funds in the Section 595 program that other municipalities turned back to USACE.   Final design will be completed shortly and environmental clearances are expected in October.  A no-bid contract will be selected next May and construction is anticipated to be complete in October 2024.   TRPA coverage costs remain an outstanding item.

This grant is  a lifesaver, as the original 2018  budget was only $1,000,000. 

The efforts by Marcus Faust, a lobbyist for IVGID, finally proved to be successful after payments to him of over $600,000.

Why should it take 9 years to make a decision on the project and 6 months to build it?

The state of Nevada required a temporary storage area, to contain wastewater in the event of a pipeline break.   In October 2013, the State determined that the two existing storage areas could no longer be used because the ponds were not lined.  Without the lining, the wastewater would seep into the ground and not be captured  for export through a 21-mile pipeline along Hwy 28 to wetlands in the Carson City area.

IVGID, rather than complying with the State order to line the ponds, developed an alternative.  That involved installing a shutoff valve allowing  temporary storage of  wastewater in the 3 miles of pipeline replaced in 2011.  In addition, when the existing 500,000 gallon storage tank was filled,  the wastewater would be pumped using two trailer mounted pumping units into 3 concrete tanks within the processing plant.   The costs were almost $700,000 and it was completed in 2018.   The State allowed this temporary use for 5 years.

IVGID claimed over $788,000 was spent on the pond, but no work was done. Photo from October, 2018.

In 2018, IVGID  Staff budgeted $1,000,000 to line the lower pond by reallocating restricted funds dedicated for the pipeline project.    IVGID claimed $788,137 was spent on the  pond, but  the public later discovered   the money was directed to other items primarily air pressure relief valves having nothing to do with  the pond. This diversion of money was inappropriate.

In  early 2019, IVGID submitted an application to the US Army Corps of Engineers for design and construction assistance for 75% of the $2,710,000 estimated costs.  This application and some Federal funds sat  in limbo[ 1] .

IVGID then decided that in order to  speed construction of  the pipeline project the  larger upper storage area should be lined to provide longer shutdown times of the pipeline.  IVGID then rushed the design only to find that the costs were prohibitive, so $384,000 was wasted[ 2] .

A decision was finally made in 2022 to install a 2,000,000-gallon concrete storage  tank in the lower pond location. This tank will be set  in the lower pond and  the existing earth dam will be demolished.  A roadway must be constructed.

We believe that the stall tactics and diversions were inappropriate and would not have happened if proper capital project management was in place.  

The author, Cliff Dobler, is a long-time resident and property owner of Incline Village and a registered voter. J. Gumz, a long-time resident, owner, and voter of Incline Village, contributed to this article.