The Elsinore Valley Municipal Water District awarded a contract to upgrade the chemical pipelines at the Back Basin Groundwater Treatment Plant.A 5-0 EVMWD board vote May 8 authorized a $349,737 public works contract with Tharsos, Inc., whose office is in La Mesa, for the work. Ardurra, which has a Temecula office, performed the design of the upgrades and the board action also authorized a $34,000 expenditure for Ardurra staff time during the construction phase. The total $404,952 authorized expenditure amount also covers $19,296 for EVMWD staff time and $1,919 for overhead, and the board action also found the replacement or reconstruction of an existing facility to be categorically exempt from California Environmental Quality Act review.