Updated 8/3/26 3:25 pm

Dear Timber Cove Community,

We wanted to provide today's update on our continued efforts to restore the Timber Cove County Water District water system.

Recovery Continues

We continue to make steady progress replenishing the District's water storage system. While we are encouraged by the progress being made each day, we are not yet able to provide an estimated date for returning to full water service.

Restoring a water system that was significantly depleted during an emergency is a careful and deliberate process. It involves much more than simply refilling storage tanks. Water quality, system pressures, treatment processes, sampling and regulatory requirements must all be carefully monitored to ensure the system is restored safely and reliably.

Working with State Regulators

Chief Operator Alfonzo Portugal III continues to work closely with the California State Division of Drinking Water throughout the recovery process.

State regulators have expressed that they are pleased with the District's response and the methodical approach being taken to restore the system. Their guidance has been consistent: take it slow, take it steady, and do it right. That is exactly what we are committed to doing.

Fire Operations Continue

CAL FIRE continues to draw water from the District's reservoir to support ongoing firefighting efforts as crews work to fully contain the Woodside Fire. Supporting these efforts remains one of the District's highest priorities while we continue rebuilding our treated water storage.

Important Reminder – Mandatory No Water Use Order Remains in Effect

The Mandatory No Water Use Order remains in effect for all District customers.

As portions of the system refill, some customers may notice temporary water at their faucets. This is a normal part of the recovery process and does not mean water service has been restored.

Please do not turn on faucets, flush toilets, run appliances, or test your water service.

Every time water is drawn from the system, it slows our ability to rebuild storage and stabilize system pressures for the entire community. Even small amounts of water use across the District can delay recovery.

We understand it is tempting to check whether service has returned. However, the best way to help us restore water to everyone as quickly as possible is to leave all faucets and fixtures off until the District announces that water service has officially been restored.

Premature water use can also create additional operational challenges as we work to safely repressurize the distribution system, which could further delay the return to full service.

Bottled Water Available

Bottled drinking water continues to be available for District customers at the Timber Cove County Water District Plant, 22108 Timber Cove Road. Please stop by if your household needs drinking water.

Mandatory Boil Water Notice Remains in Effect

The Mandatory Boil Water Notice remains fully in effect for all Timber Cove County Water District customers.

The Boil Water Notice will only be lifted by an official notice from the Timber Cove County Water District.

Please do not rely on word of mouth, social media posts, or information from unofficial sources regarding the status of the Boil Water Notice . The District will notify all customers through our official communication channels when testing confirms the water is safe and the notice has been lifted.

Thank You

We know this has been an incredibly difficult for our community. Your patience, understanding, and cooperation continue to make a real difference.

Recovery is happening. It may not be as fast as any of us would like, but we are making steady progress every day. We remain committed to restoring safe, reliable water service as quickly—and as safely—as possible.

Thank you for continuing to work with us.

With appreciation,

Melany Collett
General Manager

 

UPDATED 8.2.26 6:10pm

Dear Timber Cove Community,

We would like to provide you with today's progress report as we continue working to restore the Timber Cove County Water District water system.

First and foremost, we want to thank our community for continuing to comply with the Mandatory No Water Use Order, which remains strictly in effect for all District customers. We understand this is an extraordinary hardship, and we sincerely appreciate your continued patience and cooperation.

Today's Progress

Thanks to the community's commitment to conserving every drop of water, we made measurable progress today.

Our storage system gained approximately three (3) feet of water today. While that is encouraging, there is still work ahead.  Today's  gain represents another important step toward restoring our system.

Recovery is happening—but it is happening slowly and steadily, exactly as expected under these circumstances.

Operations Update

Today, our Chief Operator, Alfonzo Portugal III, focused on replenishing the system, performing the necessary backwashing processes, and restoring communications at Tank 1. These critical operational tasks are essential to ensuring the water system is safely and properly restored while continuing to meet all State drinking water requirements.

Looking Ahead

We know how difficult it is to be without water. Please know that District staff continue working every day to move the recovery process forward as safely and efficiently as possible.

We are also continuing to work with outside agencies and emergency partners to identify any additional resources or assistance that may help accelerate our recovery efforts.

While progress may seem slow, it is progress, and each day brings us one step closer to safely restoring water service to the Timber Cove community.

Bottled Water Available

Bottled drinking water remains available for District customers at the Timber Cove County Water District Plant, 22108 Timber Cove Road. Please stop by if your household is in need of drinking water.

On behalf of the Timber Cove County Water District Board of Directors and Staff, thank you for your continued patience, resilience, and support. Your cooperation is making a real difference, and we remain committed to restoring safe and reliable water service as quickly as possible.

We will continue providing daily updates as recovery progresses.

With appreciation,

Melany Collett
General Manager

 

 

UPDATED 8.1.26 9:15 pm

Dear Timber Cove Community,

I wanted to provide you with an important update on our recovery efforts following the Woodside Fire and to sincerely thank every member of our community for your patience, understanding, and commitment during this unprecedented event.

Your Conservation Efforts Are Working

Since temporarily shutting down the District's water distribution system, we have finally begun to see some change.

For the first time since the fire, our storage tanks are beginning to recover. This progress would not have been possible without the cooperation and sacrifice of our community.

We recognize that living without water is incredibly difficult.  We do not take your patience or your sacrifices for granted.

Please know that every gallon of water not used is helping restore the entire Timber Cove water system . Your commitment is ensuring that our community will have a stronger and more reliable water system as we recover from this emergency.

Support from Sonoma County

I am grateful to share some positive news.

I reached out to Sonoma County Supervisor Lynda Hopkins, who immediately shared our commitment to the Timber Cove community. Through Supervisor Hopkins' assistance, I was connected with Jeff at the Sonoma County Department of Emergency Management, who quickly coordinated the delivery of four pallets of bottled drinking water for our residents.

We are deeply grateful to Supervisor Hopkins, Jeff, and the Sonoma County Department of Emergency Management for their swift response and support during this difficult time.

Bottled Water Available

Bottled drinking water is now available for customers to pick up at the Timber Cove County Water District Plant, 22108 Timber Cove Road. We encourage those in need of drinking water to stop by and pick it up.

A Community Coming Together

One of the most encouraging things to witness during this emergency has been the kindness and generosity of our Timber Cove community.

Alfonzo and I  would like to extend a heartfelt thank you to the Timber Cove County Water District Board of Directors for their continued support throughout this emergency.

A special thank you also goes to Timber Cove resident Akasha Barickman and Justin Altman, who worked tirelessly—and incredibly fast, we might add—alongside Jeff's team to unload all four pallets of bottled water for our community.

Thank you to Jay Kvapil for transporting additional bottled water to Timber Cove this morning, ensuring more supplies were available for our residents.

And to Jess Weber, thank you for offering snacks, coffee, encouragement, and support to Alfonzo and I working through this emergency.

Jess...we're still going to take you up on that coffee. 😊

Acts of kindness like these remind us what makes Timber Cove such a special place.

Recovery Continues

District staff continue working around the clock to rebuild our water storage, maintain system integrity, and prepare for the safe restoration of water service.

 A very special thank you goes to our Chief Operator, Alfonzo Portugal III, whose dedication throughout this emergency has been nothing short of extraordinary. Working around the clock under incredibly difficult conditions, Alfonzo has balanced the immense responsibility of meeting stringent State drinking water regulations while leading the effort to restore water service to our community. His tireless commitment, expertise, and perseverance have been instrumental in moving Timber Cove toward recover

While we still have work ahead of us, but we are seeing measurable progress. 

Together, we will get through this.

We will continue providing updates as recovery progresses and will notify everyone as soon as we are able to safely begin restoring water service.

On behalf of the Timber Cove County Water District Board of Directors and Staff,

Thank you for standing together as neighbors, friends, and one community.

With sincere appreciation,

Melany Collett
General Manager
 

 

 

 

 

UPDATED 8.1.26 2:20 PM

 

⚠️ EMERGENCY WATER SERVICE SHUTDOWN⚠️

Effective Saturday, August 1, 2026

Timber Cove County Water District

TEMPORARY WATER SERVICE INTERRUPTION

Due to the ongoing impacts of the Woodside Fire, Timber Cove County Water District will temporarily shut down water service to the entire distribution system effective today, August 1, 2026.

Why is this necessary?

Over the past several days, firefighters have relied on the District's water system to protect our community. While these efforts helped save homes and property, they also depleted much of our treated water storage.

Although our treatment plant is now operating on emergency generator power, the system is currently producing only enough water to keep the distribution lines full. Our storage tanks are not recovering.

Unless we temporarily stop water use throughout the District, our tanks cannot refill and water service cannot be reliably restored.

What this means for customers

• There will be NO WATER SERVICE while the system recovers.
• Please do NOT attempt to use water during this shutdown.
• Water service will be restored as soon as our storage tanks have recovered sufficiently, and system pressure can be safely re-established.
• At this time, we do not have a date on which the water service would be restored

Boil Water Notice Remains in Effect

When water service is restored, all water must continue to be boiled before drinking, cooking, brushing teeth, making ice, or preparing food until the District officially lifts the Boil Water Notice. Please continue to follow the instructions provided in the Boil Water Notice.

What the District is doing

Our operators and staff are working continuously to restore service as quickly and safely as possible. Current efforts include:

• Operating the treatment plant using emergency generator power.
• Rebuilding treated water storage in the District's tanks.
• Coordinating with CAL FIRE and state agencies to support ongoing firefighting efforts.
• Exploring every available option, including assistance from outside agencies and additional water supply resources, to accelerate recovery.

Thank You

We understand this is an extraordinary hardship for our customers, and we sincerely appreciate your patience and cooperation.

Our first priority is protecting lives, supporting firefighters defending our community, and restoring a safe, reliable water system for everyone.

Updates will be provided as conditions change and all updates are on our website at https://www.timbercovecountywaterdistrict.org/ under TCCWD updates and important info.

Please contact admin at 707-847-3880 or 707-694-6074 for any questions.

CRITICAL UPDATE BELOW

 

Dear Timber Cove Water District Customers,

As many of you know, our community continues to face an active wildfire emergency.

During firefighting operations, fire crews relied heavily on Timber Cove County Water District hydrants to protect homes, lives, and critical infrastructure. This extraordinary demand completely depleted two of the District's largest treated water storage tanks.

To help preserve our treated water supply, firefighters are now drawing water directly from the District's reservoir . Our treatment plant has also been successfully restarted using emergency generator power after the wildfire-related power outage. However, it will take several days for the treatment plant to replenish our storage tanks and restore the system to normal operating levels.

Our highest priority during this emergency is maintaining water supplies necessary for firefighting and restoring the District's water system for the benefit of the entire community.

As a result, customers in some areas may experience little to no water service, while others may see intermittent service as tanks slowly refill. Water availability may change throughout the day depending on system demand and firefighting activities. 

Mandatory Boil Water Notice

Due to the significant loss of system pressure caused by the wildfire emergency, a Mandatory Boil Water Notice has been issued for all addresses within Timber Cove Subdivision Units 1 and 2. Please do not drink tap water without first boiling it for one minute or using bottled water until the notice is lifted. Additional instructions are provided in the attached Boil Water Notice. 

Water Conservation

The District is also implementing Stage 2 Water Conservation, requesting that all customers reduce water use by at least 20% while the system recovers. Every gallon conserved helps restore storage levels and ensures water remains available for emergency response. 

Evacuation Reminder

Many portions of our service area remain under Mandatory Evacuation Orders issued by emergency officials. We strongly urge everyone to comply with these orders. Returning to evacuated areas not only places individuals at risk but also creates additional demands on emergency resources and utility operations during a critical time.

We understand how difficult and frustrating these circumstances are. Our operators are working around the clock under challenging conditions to restore the water system as quickly and safely as possible. We appreciate your patience, cooperation, and understanding as we focus on protecting our community and rebuilding the District's water reserves.

We will continue to provide updates as conditions change.

 

Boil Water Notice (BWN) 7.31.26.pdfStage 2 Water Conservation Notice.pdf

 

 

 

Emergency Stage 1 Water Conservation Notice

Effective Immediately

Due to the ongoing wildfire emergency impacting the Timber Cove community, Timber Cove County Water District is implementing a Stage 1 Water Conservation Notice for all customers within the affected service area.

The District's water system is currently supporting active fire suppression efforts. Fire personnel are utilizing District hydrants to protect lives, homes, and critical infrastructure. This extraordinary demand, combined with current operational challenges caused by the wildfire and power outages, has significantly impacted available water supplies in portions of the system.

At this time, the District's water treatment plant is without commercial power. District staff are working diligently to safely access the facility and restore operations using emergency generator power as soon as conditions allow.

Mandatory Water Conservation

All customers are asked to immediately reduce water use by at least 10%.

Please:

• Use water only for essential indoor needs.
• Do not irrigate landscaping or wash vehicles.
• Avoid any unnecessary outdoor water use.
• Postpone any non-essential water-consuming activities until the emergency has passed.

Evacuation Reminder

The affected area remains under a Mandatory Evacuation Order issued by emergency authorities.

Conserving water allows firefighters to maintain the water supply needed to protect the community.

The District appreciates your cooperation, patience, and understanding as our operators and emergency responders work under extremely challenging conditions.

If conditions change or additional conservation measures become necessary, updated information will be provided as soon as possible.

For questions, please contact Melany Collett at 707-694-6074 

Thank you for helping conserve water and supporting our firefighters during this emergency.

 

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