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Allen Alchian

Woodmoor Water and Sanitation District, Nov. 13 – Budget hearing opened; fee and rate increases proposed

By James Howald

At its November meeting, the Woodmoor Water and Sanitation District (WWSD) board held a public hearing on its proposed 2024 budget. It also scheduled a public hearing on water and sewer tap fees and usage rates, to be held at its Dec. 18 board meeting. The board also heard financial and operational reports.

Budget hearing opened

Board President Brian Bush opened the public hearing on the proposed budget for 2024. District Manager Jessie Shaffer said he had made three small changes to the draft budget presented at the previous meeting:

  • Field investigation showed that a sewer line at Jackson Creek Parkway and Higby Road does not need replacement as expected; the $103,000 estimated for that work will be moved to reserves.
  • An upcoming meeting with Mountain View Electric Association may require a higher amount to be budgeted for electrical costs.
  • Approval of the final budget for the Chilcott Ditch Co., of which WWSD is the largest shareholder, may require small changes to the WWSD budget.

Shaffer said a copy of the proposed budget was available to the public at the WWSD office.

There were no comments on the budget from the public. The board voted unanimously to keep the public hearing open until the next board meeting, which is scheduled for 1 p.m. on Dec. 18.

Increases to water tap fees and some rates announced

The board scheduled a public hearing on proposed tap fee and usage rate increases for its Dec. 18 meeting.

The proposed tap fees and usage rates are published on the WWSD web page.

Water tap fees, which are one-time fees used to fund infrastructure improvements required by new development, will increase significantly in 2024. The most common water tap fee, for a three-fourths-inch water tap for a single-family residence, will increase from $29,788 to $37,235. A three-fourths-inch water tap for a multi-family residence will increase from $22,341 to $27,927.

The fee for supplemental water service will remain unchanged at $29,000 per acre-foot.

The water service base fee for a three-fourths-inch meter, the size used for most residences, will increase from $10.59 per month to $11.01.

Monthly water volume charges will also increase:

  • Block 1, for 0 to 6,000 gallons, will increase from $6.71 to $6.98.
  • Block 2, for 6001 to 25,000 gallons, will increase from $11.06 to $11.27.
  • Block 3, over 25,000 gallons, will increase from $17.68 to $18.39.

The Renewable Water Investment Fee will remain unchanged at $40 per month.

The monthly base rate for residential sewer service will increase from $34.32 per month to $35.69, and the monthly sewer volume charge for each 1,000 gallons over 6,000 gallons per month will increase from $4.47 per month to $4.65.

A complete list of proposed rate and fee increases is published on the WWSD web page at: https://www.woodmoorwater.com/. Scroll down to find attachments A and B.

Financial, operational and engineering reports

Board Treasurer Roy Martinez said water use returned to normal in October, compared to lower usage in the unusually rainy spring and summer months. Water sales were down for the year, he said; at the end of October water sales stood at 76% of the annual budgeted amount with only two months remaining in the year. Repair and maintenance costs were also down by about $50,000, he said. Operations Superintendent Dan LaFontaine explained that some projects would wrap up by the end of the year and some of that difference would even out.

In his operational report, LaFontaine told the board that the Chilcott Ditch operations were winding down for the year and the staff at Woodmoor Ranch was focusing on vehicle maintenance.

LaFontaine reported five line breaks in October, resulting in about 1.25 million gallons of lost water. In response to a request from Martinez, LaFontaine calculated the costs of some of the leaks. The largest leak, in which 397,000 gallons of water was lost, cost the district around $12,000, which includes costs for water treatment, road base and asphalt, and labor. The second largest leak cost the district just under $10,000, he said.

LaFontaine said that by the end of the year, 1,708 water meters will have been replaced with newer, more capable models. The meter replacement project will take another two years to complete, he said.

District Engineer Ariel Hacker told the board that El Paso County wants the district’s design for the second phase of the Highway 105 expansion project to be submitted by the end of December. The district’s portion of the first phase is on schedule, she said; work on the non-potable water line at the Monument Creek Exchange will start the third week of November.

Hacker also addressed an error in JVA Inc.’s bid for the first phase of the Highway 105 expansion. She said JVA had not included costs for asphalt removal and replacement of pipeline at the intersection of Morning Canyon Road and Highway 105. Those items will add $110,000 to the cost of the district’s portion of the expansion, she said.

Hacker updated the board on work related to new wells. Well 22, which is south of County Line Road just east of I-25, is waiting on a permit from the county. Well 19, which is adjacent to the Southern Water Treatment Plant and was taken out of service for economic reasons a few years ago, will be reconnected to the district’s infrastructure once water quality testing is complete. Well 19 is expected to produce 35 gallons per minute when it is back in production, she said.

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The next meeting is scheduled for Mon., Dec. 18 at 1 p.m. Meetings are usually held on the second Monday of each month at 1 p.m. at the district office at 1845 Woodmoor Drive; please see www.woodmoorwater.com or call 719-488-2525 to verify meeting times and locations.

James Howald can be reached at jameshowald@ocn.me.

Other Woodmoor Water and Sanitation District articles

Monument Sanitation District, Nov. 15 – Board approves budget, leaves rates unchanged

By Jackie Burhans and James Howald

At its November meeting, the Monument Sanitation District (MSD) board held a public hearing on its 2024 budget and voted on two related resolutions.

Budget approved; funds appropriated

District Manager Mark Parker opened a public hearing in consideration of the 2024 budget and told the board that he had made only minor changes since the last board meeting. The amount budgeted for contingencies had been increased, he said. He made a conservative estimate of the revenue the district would receive from sewer tap fees, pointing out that phase two of the Willow Springs development would require 32 new taps. Parker explained the tap fees could only be used to fund infrastructure maintenance and improvement. User fees fund administrative and operational costs, he said. The 2024 budget anticipates $945,000 in user fees, an increase of $80,000 over the amount budgeted in 2023.

Parker said he anticipated two more years of substantial revenue from tap fees, as the Monument Ridge North development along Beacon Lite Road and the RAO Investment’s development on Rickenbacker Avenue proceed.

Parker closed the hearing on the 2024 budget and the board voted unanimously in favor of Resolution 11152023-2, which adopts the budget and appropriates $2.27 million from the General Fund to operate the district.

Rates remain unchanged

The board voted unanimously in favor of Resolution 11152023-1, which adopts wastewater service and tap fees for 2024. The monthly residential use fee remains unchanged at $40 per month. Parker said rates and fees have not been increased since 2020.

The complete schedule of fees can be found on the MSD web page here: https://monumentsd.colorado.gov/schedule-of-fees.

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Monument Sanitation District meetings are normally held at 9 a.m. on the third Wednesday of the month in the district conference room at 130 Second St., Monument. The next regular meeting is scheduled for Dec. 20. See https://colorado.gov/msd. For a district service map, see https://colorado.gov/pacific/msd/district-map-0. Information: 719-481-4886.

Jackie Burhans can be reached at jackieburhans@ocn.me. James Howald can be reached at jameshowald@ocn.me.

Other Monument Sanitation District articles

Donala Water and Sanitation District, Nov. 16 – District ends 2023 under budget

By James Howald and Jackie Burhans

At its November meeting, the Donala Water and Sanitation District (DWSD) board heard a financial report from General Manager Jeff Hodge and operational reports from Water Operator Ronny Wright and Waste Plant Operator Aaron Tolman.

2023 finances in the black

Hodge told the board that at the end of October, the district was about $400,000 under budget. Lower than usual water sales due to the rainy weather were offset by the fact that DWSD spent less than expected—about $300,000—on having Colorado Springs Utilities convey, treat, and deliver water from the district’s Willow Creek Ranch to DWSD customers. Hodge said the district would not need to spend more this year on “The Loop” water re-use project, in which it participates with the Cherokee Metro District, the Town of Monument, and Woodmoor Water and Sanitation District. The Loop may refund $100,000 to DWSD, Hodge said. Higher interest rates benefited the district in 2023, Hodge said.

Hodge said the proposed budget for 2024 would be voted on at the Dec. 7 board meeting and a public hearing on rates would also be held. The December meeting will be held a week earlier than usual so that the budget can be submitted to the state by Dec. 15.

Highlights of operational reports

In his report on water delivery, Wright told the board about electrical problems at the R. Hull treatment plant. Motor starters failed, he said, requiring the replacement of a circuit board. The age of the circuit board made it difficult to find a replacement. Hodge asked whether the district should upgrade it or instead convey the water to the Holbein plant for treatment. There were no comments from the board, and no action was taken.

Wright also updated the board on the district’s test study of hydrous manganese oxide (HMO) technology to reduce radium in water delivered to customers. Three days of water samples treated with HMO have been sent to the state for evaluation, he said. Wright said the study is going well and he expected results from the state in April.

On the wastewater side, Tolman told the board that cracks in the walls of one of the sequential batch reactors at the Upper Monument Creek Waste Water Treatment Plant had been repaired. Board President Wayne Vanderschuere commented on the high efficiency of the plant, and Hodge said the effluent from the plant was cleaner than Monument Creek, into which the effluent is discharged.

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The next meeting is scheduled for Dec. 7 at 1:30 p.m. Generally, board meetings are held the third Thursday of the month at 1:30 p.m. and include online access; call (719) 488-3603 or access www.donalawater.org to receive up-to-date meeting information. The district office is located at 15850 Holbein Drive, Colorado Springs.

James Howald can be reached at jameshowald@ocn.me. Jackie Burhans can be reached at jackieburhans@ocn.me.

Other Donala Water and Sanitation District articles

El Paso County Regional Loop Water Authority, Nov. 16 – Board expands contract with consultants

By James Howald

At its November meeting, the El Paso County Regional Loop Water Authority (EPCRLWA) board added to the range of services to be provided by specialized consulting companies. It also discussed the proposed 2024 budget.

Consultants take on larger role

The board heard an update from John Kuosman, a water practice leader with Merrick and Co. serving as the authority’s Project Planning and Workflow manager, regarding the role of consulting engineers. JVA Inc. was initially hired to test water quality and to design water treatment processes when it was assumed that the EPCRLWA would be responsible for all aspects of the project. In recent months, however, Colorado Springs Utilities (CSU) has opened the door to partnering with EPCRLWA by providing water treatment at its Edward Bailey Water Treatment Plant (EBWTP), which would lower the cost of the loop water reuse project significantly by eliminating the need for EPCRLWA to build its own treatment facility. The EBWTP currently treats water for CSU’s Southern Delivery System (SDS) and has about 35 million gallons per day of excess treatment capacity, Kuosman said.

Kuosman told the board that the next step for the loop was a conceptual treatment evaluation for water diverted from Fountain Creek through the Chilcott Ditch to the EBWTP. Most of the tasks required for that evaluation are already included in EPCRLWA’s contract with Merrick. He proposed that the EPCRLWA’s contract with JVA be expanded to cover some of the tasks required to develop this evaluation.

Kuosman outlined the six tasks required by the evaluation:

  • General project management.
  • A request for technical data such as process flow diagrams, operating and maintenance manuals, and water quality treatment data from CSU.
  • From JVA, an interim summary memo assessing Chilcott Ditch current raw water quality, development of water quality targets for Chilcott Ditch water, and an additional three months of water quality testing. Kuosman estimated this step would add $58,500 to JVA’s current contract costs.
  • A decision on whether it is necessary to separate water from Fountain Creek from SDS water at the EBWTP. Kuosman recommended the EPCRLWA contract with Carollo Engineers to assist with this decision, at a cost not to exceed $10,000.
  • Development of conceptual treatment alternatives at the EBWTP. Alternatives that assume separation of Chilcott Ditch water from SDS water include: pre-treatment of Chilcott Ditch water by the EPCRLWA; pre-treatment done by the EBWTP and post-treatment done by the EPCRLWA; and both pre- and post-treatment done by EPCRLWA. A fourth option involves blending raw water.
  • A final report and memorandum that will be used by CSU to determine pricing for the services it will provide.

Kuosman said he thought tasks three through six could be completed in three months.

Kuosman added he was also working on the easement issues required by the project and recommended hiring Kimley-Horn to help with easements in the northern part of the project and Western States Land Services for easements to the south.

Following Kuosman’s presentation, the board voted unanimously to amend its contract with JVA as requested and to authorize Kuosman to continue negotiations with Carollo Engineering.

Budget discussion

Board President Jessie Shaffer said he had made some minor adjustments to the proposed 2024 budget following the October board meeting. Reimbursements to participating agencies were reduced to $100,000. Shaffer asked the board if the amount budgeted for professional fees should be increased. Kuosman recommended an increase from $350,000 to $500,000 and the board concurred. Shaffer estimated the project would have a fund balance of $444,000 at the end of 2024.

A public hearing on the budget will be held at the next board meeting on Dec. 12.

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The next regular meeting is scheduled for Tue., Dec. 12 at 9 a.m. Regular meetings are usually held on the third Thursday of each month at 9 a.m. at the Monument Town Hall at 645 Beacon Lite Road. Workshop meetings are held the first Thursday of each month at 9 a.m. at the Cherokee Metropolitan District offices at 6250 Palmer Park Blvd., Colorado Springs. Please see loopwater.org or call 719-488-3603 to verify meeting times and locations.

James Howald can be reached at jameshowald@ocn.me.

Other El Paso County Regional Loop Water Authority articles

Northern El Paso County Coalition of Community Associations (NEPCO), Nov. 11 – County Commissioners and staff visit NEPCO

By Marlene Brown

The Northern El Paso County Coalition of Community Associations (NEPCO) annual membership meeting was held Nov. 11 for general elections of board members. The purpose of NEPCO is to promote an economic, ecological, and sociological community environment in which a high quality of life can be sustained for member homeowners associations (HOAs)

There was a quorum present, and the board was voted in by acclamation, an overwhelming affirmative vote by cheers and applause rather than by ballot. The board was affirmed for another year. The decision of who would hold each office will be decided at the next board meeting. Several board positions are available to members of member HOAs. Those who are interested can email board members at position@nepco.org.

The Treasurer’s report was given by the President Mike Aspenson, who reported that membership included 51 active HOAs representing 10,000-plus homes and 20,000-plus registered voters. Reports were given by committee chairs: retiring Bob Mooney (West Oak Ridge HOA), Transportation, and Beth Lonnquist (Red Rock Ranch HOA), Land Use.

Guest speakers

Several people from El Paso County spoke to the membership, including Holly Williams, District 1 county commissioner; Kevin Mastin, Department of Public Works; Meggan Harrington, director of the Department of Planning and Community Development; and Brandi Williams, representing District 3.

Holly Williams said the county is one the most populated counties in the country. It has over 737,000 residents, a larger landmass than the state of Delaware, and more veterans than the total population of 53 counties in the state. The top 10 services and budget priorities that are provided by the county include: human services, public health, veteran services, clerk and recorder, assessor, elections, pretrial services, jail, district attorney, and coroner. The strategic objectives of the county are infrastructure, including roads, stormwater, and parks; service quality with a qualified workforce dedicated to continuous improvement; and community trust, health, and safety.

The Pikes Peak Promise published Oct. 11 represents a comprehensive initiative to bring together elected officials, law enforcement, and community partners, uniting their efforts to tackle critical issues of the county. The initiative hopes to cultivate a safer, more affordable community through legislative action and community engagement. For more information, go to www.elpasoco.com/transformative-pikes-peak-promise-initiative-unveiled-local-leaders

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NEPCO normally meets at the Woodmoor Barn every other month on the second Saturday. The next regular member meeting will be on Jan. 13, 2024, from 10 a.m.-noon. For more information, go to nepco.org

Marlene Brown can be reached at marlenebrown@ocn.me.

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