News

Rio Dell’s boil advisory was lifted this morning, according to City Manager Kyle Knopp, who said in a news release that residents may start safely drinking the city’s water.

The advisory had been in effect since the Dec. 20 earthquake, which struck the Eel River Valley especially hard.

“If your water pressure is low, please clean the screens on your faucets,” Randy Jensen, Rio Dell water superintendent, said in the release. “Everybody should have water except red tagged houses. If your water is turbid, flush it through an exterior hose bib until it’s clear. If you have no water, check your water shut off on the street as many volunteers turned off water to homes immediately after the earthquake.”

Meanwhile, Jensen said address water leaks on city streets is a priority and anyone who notices leaks or other issues should contact Rio Dell’s City Hall at (707) 764-3532.

Knopp is also asking residents who are having difficulties getting ahead of their landlords about needed repairs to reach out. According to the latest information, 25 homes in the city have been red tagged, meaning they are uninhabitable, while another 69 received yellow tags, meaning repairs are needed.

In addition, volunteers who have been helping out in the quake’s aftermath are being asked to fill out forms that will help the “city as it works with state agencies for disaster assistance funding,” which are available at the Rio Dell Volunteer Fire Department, Rio Dell City Hall or online at cityofriodell.ca.gov.

“Rio Dell and other members of the greater community stepped up out of a love of community with no anticipation of reward,” Knopp said in the release. “Nevertheless, it is essential that we record and document all volunteer hours spent in the community. We ask everyone to do this as another act of service to the community.”

Mayor Debra Garnes also offered thanks to those who helped and will continue to do so as the city takes the steps of moving forward.

“The city would like to thank the many organizations, individuals and agencies who selflessly stepped to offer help and services,” she said. “Rio Dell is a community of neighbors who help neighbors, but we are also part of a wider community that takes care of one another in times of great need. In many ways we are still learning the full extent of this disaster’s impact on our small town, and we know that there is much more work to be done.”

The Rio Dell Fire Department has started a Go Fund Me campaign to assist those impacted by the earthquake, with more information is available at https://gofund.me/3036e4ec.

In addition, the release notes the Humboldt Area Foundation is also awarding grants to agencies aiding in relief efforts and accepting donations to their Disaster Response and Resilience Fund. To find out more, visit https://www.hafoundation.org/Giving/DisasterFund.

“The Rio Dell Chamber of Commerce and Rio Dell Community Resource Center have offered to step in to facilitate donation and distribution of resources later this week from their location at 406 Wildwood Avenue,” the release states. “The city is asking at this time that anyone interested in donating items please refer to the Pay It Forward Humboldt Facebook page, which has a current list of requested items. Please do not bring items that are not requested to the donation center, as this can create a secondary emergency of sorting through donations and disposing of them.”

Read the full release below:

The boil water advisory for Rio Dell has been lifted as of 8:30 a.m. Wednesday, Dec. 28. Residents in the city’s water district are advised that they may safely drink city water at this point.

“If your water pressure is low, please clean the screens on your faucets,” says Randy Jensen, Rio Dell water superintendent. “Everybody should have water except red tagged houses. If your water is turbid, flush it through an exterior hose bib until it’s clear. If you have no water, check your water shut off on the street as many volunteers turned off waters to homes immediately after the earthquake.”

Jensen added that addressing water leaks on city streets are a priority at this time and that if anyone notices this issue they should call Rio Dell City Hall at 707-764-3532.

Rio Dell City Manager Kyle Knopp adds that the city would like to hear from anyone in the city who is having trouble getting in touch with their landlords regarding repairs to rented dwellings.

A local assistance center is tentatively scheduled for this Friday, Dec. 30 and Saturday, Dec. 31 at Monument Middle School. The center will include resources to help residents who have been displaced by the earthquake. As of Dec. 28, 25 homes have been red tagged as uninhabitable and 69 have been yellow-tagged, meaning they need minor repairs.

Knopp encourages residents to stay tuned to information from the California and Humboldt County Offices of Emergency Services. The Rio Dell Chamber of Commerce and Rio Dell Community Resource Center have offered to step in to facilitate donation and distribution of resources later this week from their location at 406 Wildwood Avenue.

The city is asking at this time that anyone interested in donating items please refer to the Pay It Forward Humboldt Facebook page, which has a current list of requested items. Please do not bring items that are not requested to the donation center, as this can create a secondary emergency of sorting through donations and disposing of them.

The city is also asking anyone who volunteered during the emergency, whether their service was small or large, to please fill out an ICS-214 form documenting their volunteer time. This documentation will help the city as it works with state agencies for disaster assistance funding. Forms are available at the Rio Dell Volunteer Fire Department and at Rio Dell City Hall, or online at the City’s Website cityofriodell.ca.gov.

“Rio Dell and other members of the greater community stepped up out of a love of community with no anticipation of reward,” says City Manager Kyle Knopp. “Nevertheless it is essential that we record and document all volunteer hours spent in the community. We ask everyone to do this as another act of service to the community.”

“The city would like to thank the many organizations, individuals and agencies who selflessly stepped to offer help and services,” says Mayor Debra Garnes. “Rio Dell is a community of neighbors who help neighbors, but we are also part of a wider community that takes care of one another in times of great need. In many ways we are still learning the full extent of this disaster’s impact on our small town, and we know that there is much more work to be done.”

A Go Fund Me campaign to assist families affected by the Dec. 20 earthquake has been established by the Rio Dell Volunteer Fire Department. More information is available at https://gofund.me/3036e4ec.

The Humboldt Area Foundation is also awarding grants to agencies aiding in relief efforts and accepting donations to their Disaster Response and Resilience Fund. More information is available at https://www.hafoundation.org/Giving/DisasterFund.