FALLBROOK -- By a 4-1 vote Friday, the Rainbow Municipal Water District board hired Hilts Consulting Group to design a floating cover for Morro Reservoir.

The reservoir is one of four uncovered storage facilities in the district that were cited last year by the state for violations, after inspectors found dead animals and debris floating in some.

The $766,700 contract calls for Hilts to design a cover to shield the drinking water from weather and animals, officials said. The floating shield will be akin to a swimming pool cover.

Board members have said the district must work quickly to cover the reservoirs, after the state issued two citations last year, with fines totaling $15,000, for problems at the reservoir.

In the citations, state health department officials said the open reservoirs could lead to contamination. Rainbow officials have said that water stored in uncovered reservoirs is treated before it is delivered to customers, and that it is safe to drink.

The contract awarded Friday deals only with Morro Reservoir; district directors and staff members said they were looking at all available options regarding the other three reservoirs: North, Beck and Northside.

In a staff report, Rainbow engineer Brian Lee said the district is working to cover Morro quickly because of its proximity to a pipeline that carries raw, untreated water.

Before voting in favor of the Hilts contract, Division 5 Director Rua Petty questioned the price tag.

"We're not talking rocket science here," Petty said, adding that "$766,600 (to design) a … piece of fabric to be put over water is excessive."

Still, he said, "if this is the best way we can, I may have to vote for it."

Construction and installation of the cover is not included in the contract.

Casting the dissenting vote was Division 2 Director Jack Griffiths, who said the board should take more time in researching solutions.

"I'm not at all happy with this rush to get a contract," Griffiths said, pointing out that water agencies have until April 1, 2009, to come into compliance with new federal regulations about uncovered reservoirs. "We have three years to complete this."

In December, Rainbow Municipal directors approved a plan to cover all of the of the district's reservoirs at an estimated cost of $28 million. The district has studied other options -- such as building tanks or improving filtration -- but floating covers seem to be the least expensive way to comply with the state's demands, a district engineering report says.

The state is also requiring the district to survey Rainbow customers on which method to use to come into compliance, and how to pay for it.

Rainbow directors on Friday approved questions for the survey that will be mailed -- along with background information -- to customers, possibly within a month, according to Division 4 Director Russ Hatfield. The survey will include a stamped envelope.

Contact staff writer Lorell Fleming at (760) 731-5798 or lfleming@nctimes.com.