Nearly 50M gallons of water lost after dam is vandalized

FREMONT, Calif. (AP) - Officials say an inflatable dam in Alameda County has been vandalized and nearly 50 million gallons of water have been lost.

Alameda County Water District general manager Robert Shaver said Friday the water lost was enough to serve 500 families for an entire year.

Shaver tells the Contra Costa Times (https://bayareane.ws/1FEMEikwill ) it will cost $3 million to replace the dam in Alameda Creek.

Fremont police says vandals accessed a restricted area early Thursday and intentionally damaged the barrier holding back the water, which was supposed to go into the Niles Cone Groundwater Basin.

That water supply serves residents and businesses in Newark, Union City and Fremont. Instead, the water flowed into the San Francisco Bay.

While the water loss was substantial, district officials say it will not have a long-term impact on its water supply operations.

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Information from: The Contra Costa Times, https://www.contracostatimes.com