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El Paso County Regional Loop Water Authority Articles

El Paso County Regional Loop Water Authority, Jan. 15 – Board hears updates from Merrick and SpencerFane

Highlights

  • The Loop board heard progress on design review for the Burns & McDonnell lift stations and pipelines, with a change order cut to $37,000 after noting an initial $70,000 demand was unjustified.
  • Geotech reduced bore holes and cost for soil analysis at Calhan Reservoir expansion from 12 holes at $119,000 to 8 or fewer holes at $55,000, and the board approved a change order for the lower cost.
  • Negotiations to buy the Sundance Pipeline from Cherokee Metropolitan District were ongoing, with expectations of a response from CMD soon.
  • Invoices totaling $156,000 from December were approved for payment, and the Loop reported $1.3 million in third-quarter expenses submitted for county reimbursement, with ongoing financial contributions from participating districts.
  • The Loop currently has about $510,000 in the bank, and the next regular meeting is set for Feb. 19 at 9 a.m. at Monument Town Hall.

By James Howald

At a brief meeting in January, the El Paso County Regional Loop Water Authority (EPCRLWA, or the Loop) board heard progress reports from Rebecca Hutchinson, a civil design engineer with Merrick and Co., who is acting as the Loop’s workflow manager, and from Mallory Craig, a lawyer with SpencerFane, the Loop’s legal adviser. Corben Fromm, of Fromm & Co. LLC, the Loop’s accounting firm, gave the board a financial report.

Change orders scrutinized

Hutchinson told the board that Burns & McDonnell, the company designing the lift stations and pipelines for the Loop, was expected to have its design available for review soon. Hutchinson said the plan would be reviewed by Merrick and then would be available to the Loop board. She said that a change order to the contract now stood at $37,000, an increase from the original cost.

Board President Jessie Shaffer noted that the change order had been reduced from $70,000. He said that Burns & McDonnell had done some additional work beyond what was specified in the contract, but an increase of $70,000 was unjustified. The board voted to approve a change order for the lower amount.

A cost decrease in regard to the expansion of the Calhan Reservoir was also reviewed. At the previous meeting, there was discussion about the number of bore holes required to categorize the soils at the reservoir and at the Chilcott Ditch. Geotech, the company analyzing the soils, originally proposed drilling 12 holes at a cost of $119,000. Shaffer said Geotech had agreed to reduce the number of bores and lower the cost to $55,000. Board member Dan LaFontane made a motion to draft a change order at the lower cost; his motion was approved by the board.

Craig told the board that negotiations for the Loop to buy the Sundance Pipeline from Cherokee Metropolitan District (CMD) were still underway, and she expected to hear from CMD soon.

Financial report

Fromm told the board that invoices totaling $156,000 had been received in December. The invoices were from accounting, legal, and engineering companies. The board approved payment of the invoices.

He noted that the Loop had received reimbursement from the El Paso Board of County Commissioners for the Loop’s expenses during the first and second quarters of 2025. Fromm said $1.3 million in expenses for the third quarter had been submitted to the county for reimbursement, and the Loop had received financial contributions from the participating districts.

Fromm said the Loop had $510,000 in the bank.

The board voted unanimously to accept Fromm’s financial report.

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The next regular meeting is scheduled for Feb. 19 at 9 a.m. Regular meetings are held on the third Thursday of each month at 9 a.m. at the Monument Town Hall at 645 Beacon Lite Road. 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

El Paso County Regional Loop Water Authority, Dec.18 – Board considers hiring executive director

Highlights

  • The El Paso County Regional Loop Water Authority board discussed the possibility of hiring an executive director to handle day-to-day operations, with plans to relieve directors who already balance full-time district roles.
  • The idea envisions the executive director as the Loop's first employee to manage coordination of contractors, calls, and meetings for a busy 2026.
  • Several directors supported the move, while one member suggested keeping design committees staffed for continuity.
  • A draft job posting and salary range of $145,000 to $185,000 were discussed, with a note to avoid using American Recovery Plan Act funds to prevent added regulatory burdens.
  • William George was welcomed as the replacement for Jeff Hodge on the Loop board, representing the Donala Water and Sanitation District, though he was excused from the December meeting due to travel.
  • Hutchinson provided updates on the Geotech drilling plan and Burns & McDonnell designs, noting a $119,000 addition for 12 soil bores and a 30% completion milestone for the pumps and pipelines design by January 22.
  • Fromm reported November invoices totaling $123,000 and a $138,000 reimbursement from the El Paso County Board of Commissioners, with 21% of the 2025 budget spent to date.
  • The board unanimously approved posting the executive director position and accepted Fromm's financial report, with the next meeting scheduled for January 25 at 9 a.m. at Monument Town Hall.

By James Howald

At its meeting in December, the El Paso County Regional Loop Water Authority (EPCRLWA, or the Loop) board discussed hiring an executive director. The board acknowledged a replacement for one of the Donala Water and Sanitation District’s (DWSD) representatives on the Loop’s board. Patricia Hutchinson, a civil design engineer with Merrick and Co., who is acting as the Loop’s workflow manager and coordinating the work being done by the consulting and engineering companies contributing to the project, gave the board an update. The board heard a financial report from Corben Fromm, of Fromm & Co. LLC, the Loop’s accountant.

Executive director to ease workload

Board President Jessie Shaffer asked the board to consider hiring an executive director to take on day-to-day administrative work currently done by the directors, each of whom has a full-time job with one of the participating districts in addition to their responsibilities with the Loop. If the board adds the position, the executive director would be the Loop’s first employee; previously, all Loop tasks have been handled either by the Loop directors, who are appointed by the boards of the participating districts, or by contractors.

Shaffer said 2026 would be a busy year for the project, requiring lots of coordination of contractors, calls, and meetings. He suggested adding a full-time executive director to handle the Loop’s business. Shaffer noted that much of the directors’ time was dedicated to working on the committees overseeing large aspects of the Loop project, such as the design of the water treatment plant and the expansion of the Calhan Reservoir. He said he had discussed the possibility with some of the Loop’s directors and had drafted a job posting. Shaffer said it might take time to find the right candidate.

Directors Christina Hawker and Madeline VanDenHoek, who represent DWSD and the Town of Monument, respectively, agreed with Shaffer’s suggestion.

Director Dan LaFontaine, who represents the Woodmoor Water and Sanitation District, said, for the sake of continuity, the staffing of the design committees should remain unchanged.

Tom Tharnish, who represents the Town of Monument, asked Shaffer to send his draft of the job responsibilities to all the directors. Shaffer said he would do so, adding that he thought a salary of $145,000 to $185,000 would be appropriate.

Attorney Nicole Peykov suggested that the executive director not be paid with funds from the American Recovery Plan Act, as doing so would add a regulatory burden.

The board voted unanimously to authorize Shaffer to post the position.

DWSD’s William George to succeed Jeff Hodge

The board welcomed William George as the replacement for Jeff Hodge, who, until recently, had represented DWSD on the Loop’s board. George, who was traveling, was excused from the December meeting.

Merrick update

Hutchinson told the board that she had received an update to the Loop’s agreement with Geotech that included drilling 12 bores to categorize the soils at the site of the water treatment facility, at the Calhan Reservoir, and at the Chilcott Ditch, at an additional cost of $119,000. Shaffer questioned the need for 12 bores and asked Hutchinson to ask Geotech why so many were needed.

Hutchinson said the design for the water treatment facility being done by Burns & McDonnell had been reviewed the previous week, and changes were being considered based on the feedback from that review.

The design for required pumps and pipelines, also being done by Burns & McDonnell, was planned to be 30% complete by Jan. 22, Hutchinson said.

Financial report

Fromm told the board that invoices totaling $123,000 had been received in November. The invoices were from accounting, legal, and engineering companies, with Burns & McDonnell being the primary service provider. The board approved payment of the invoices.

He noted that the Loop had received a check for $138,000 from the El Paso Board of County Commissioners, as reimbursement for the Loop’s expenses during the first quarter of 2025. Fromm expected reimbursement checks for the second and third quarters to be received soon.

Fromm said the Loop had spent 21% of its budget for 2025.

The board voted unanimously to accept Fromm’s financial report.

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The next regular meeting is scheduled for Jan. 25 at 9 a.m. Regular meetings are held on the third Thursday of each month at 9 a.m. at the Monument Town Hall at 645 Beacon Lite Road. 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

El Paso County Regional Loop Water Authority, Nov.20 – 2025 budget reviewed; 2026 budget adopted

El Paso County Regional Loop Water Authority, Nov.20 – 2025 budget reviewed; 2026 budget adopted

By James Howald

In November, the El Paso County Regional Loop Water Authority (EPCRLWA, or the Loop) board reviewed its 2025 budget and held a public hearing on its 2026 budget. Patricia Hutchinson, a civil design engineer with Merrick and Co., who is acting as the Loop’s workflow manager and coordinating the work being done by the consulting and engineering companies contributing to the project, gave the board an update. The board heard a financial report from board President Jessie Shaffer, who stood in for Corben Fromm, the Loop’s accountant. Nicole Peykov, the Loop’s attorney, helped the board address three minor issues with procedures, contracts, and agreements. The meeting ended with an executive session.

2025 budget reviewed; 2026 budget adopted

Shaffer told the board that its 2025 budget requires no amendments, so there was no need to consider the resolution to amend it.

He opened a public hearing on the proposed 2026 budget. Shaffer said the budget anticipated $4.86 million in revenue, including $2.4 million from the American Recovery Plan Act (ARPA), and contributions paid by the participating water districts, and expenditures totaling $4.9 million, mostly for professional fees. The 2026 budget was based on bringing the Loop’s design work on water treatment, conveyance, and reservoir expansion to 60% completion. Shaffer said he expected the project to have about $350,000 in the bank at the end of 2026.

There were no comments from the public, and Shaffer closed the hearing. The board voted unanimously to approve a resolution authorizing the 2026 budget and appropriating the necessary funds.

Merrick update

Hutchinson told the board that CDM Smith, the engineering company that was awarded the contract to expand the Calhan Reservoir to accommodate the additional water generated by the Loop’s reuse design, had held a check-in meeting the previous day and expected to have its design completed by Feb. 13, 2026.

Hutchinson said Burns & McDonnell projected its design work on the pumps and pipelines would be complete in February. It was currently working on the northern portion of the system, choosing sites, doing title work, and talking to owners.

Hutchinson said the design for the advanced water treatment facility, which is also being done by Burns & McDonnell, would have a package for the Loop board to review on Friday, Nov. 21. A final workshop on the topic was scheduled for Dec. 4.

Financial report

Shaffer told the board that invoices totaling $228,000 had been received in October. The invoices were from engineering companies, with Burns & McDonnell being the primary service provider.

He noted that after payment of the invoices, the Loop would have $57,000 in the bank. The cash crunch resulted from the El Paso Board of County Commissioners (BOCC) taking much longer than expected to reimburse the Loop for its expenses from the American Recovery Plan Act funds that the BOCC administers.

The board approved payment of the invoices.

Peykov asked the board to approve an Annual Administrative Matters Resolution for 2026 that authorizes the board’s actions, schedules officers, and ensures statutory compliance. There were no changes from the previous year’s resolution, Peykov said. The board voted unanimously to approve the resolution.

Peykov also presented minor changes to the Loop’s contract with Merrick & Co. and Spencer Fane LLC. These were approved by the board.

Executive session

An executive session was held for the board to receive legal advice regarding its negotiations related to financing the project, including a possible public-private partnership proposal. No actions were taken following the executive session.

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The next regular meeting is scheduled for Dec. 18 at 9 a.m. Regular meetings are held on the third Thursday of each month at 9 a.m. at the Monument Town Hall at 645 Beacon Lite Road. 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

El Paso County Regional Loop Water Authority, Oct. 15 – Board of County Commissioners slow to reimburse

By James Howald

At a brief meeting in October, the El Paso County Regional Loop Water Authority (EPCRLWA, or the Loop) board heard a financial report from Corben Fromm of Fromm and Co. LLC. Patricia Hutchinson, a civil design engineer with Merrick and Co. who is acting as the Loop’s workflow manager and coordinating the work being done by the consulting and engineering companies contributing to the project, gave the board an update. The meeting ended with an executive session.

Financial report

Fromm told the board that invoices totaling $253,157 had been received in September. The invoices were from engineering companies, his company, and the SpencerFane law firm, which serves as the Loop’s attorney. The board approved payment of the invoices.

In his financial statement, Fromm said the El Paso Board of County Commissioners (BOCC) had not yet reimbursed the Loop for its Q1 and Q2 expenses. The Loop received $4 million in startup funding from President Biden’s American Recovery Plan Act (ARPA). The Loop’s expenses are reimbursed by the BOCC from those ARPA funds, which are administered by the BOCC. Fromm said the BOCC is making its final review of the Loop’s expenses for Q1 and Q2. Board President Jessie Shaffer said the Loop’s finances “will be lean” until the BOCC completes its review and reimburses the Loop for the money it has spent.

Fromm said the Loop had spent 12% of its budget for the year and was currently spending about $250,000 per month. Shaffer recommended invoicing the three participating water districts—Donala Water and Sanitation District, the Town of Monument, and Woodmoor Water and Sanitation District—for $200,000 each to cover their financial obligations to the project. The board voted unanimously to authorize Fromm to send those invoices.

Workflow update

Hutchinson told the board that Western States Land Services LLC was doing the final title work on two large portions of the easements required to accommodate the pipelines that are needed to convey water from the Calhan Reservoir to customers in the participating water districts. She said she was discussing access to the north side of Higby Road with the Triview Metropolitan District and the Lewis-Palmer School District. The water treatment plant design team at Burns & McDonnell was working through design issues, she said. A special meeting to discuss pipelines was scheduled for Oct. 30, she said, and would be announced on the Loop’s webpage at https://loopwater.org.

Executive session

An executive session was held for the board to receive legal advice regarding its negotiations to purchase the Sundance Pipeline from the Cherokee Metropolitan District and on land acquisition, project financing, and project development. No actions were taken following the executive session.

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The next regular meeting is scheduled for Nov. 20 at 9 a.m. Regular meetings are held on the third Thursday of each month at 9 a.m. at the Monument Town Hall at 645 Beacon Lite Road. 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 Loop articles

El Paso County Regional Loop Water Authority, Sept. 25 – Contract for reservoir expansion design awarded

By James Howald

At its September meeting, the El Paso County Regional Loop Water Authority (EPCRLWA, or the Loop) board awarded a contract to design the expansion of the Calhan Reservoir. Corben Fromm, of Fromm and Co. LLC, reported on the Loop’s finances. Finally, the board decided to discontinue their monthly workshop meetings.

CDM Smith to design reservoir expansion

Patricia Hutchinson, a civil design engineer with Merrick and Co., who is acting as the Loop’s workflow manager and coordinating the work being done by the consulting and engineering companies contributing to the project, told the board that two companies had been interviewed on Oct. 10 for the role of designing the expansion of the Calhan Reservoir, where water diverted from Fountain Creek will be stored before being delivered to customers in the participating water districts. She recommended the board award the contract to CDM Smith, which had proposed to do the design work for $426,000. CDM Smith’s proposal included a geotechnical survey, she said.

Board President Jessie Shaffer moved to award the contract to CDM Smith, and the board voted unanimously in favor.

Financial matters

Fromm told the board that invoices totaling $199,000 had been received in September. The board approved paying the invoices.

In his financial statement, Fromm said his company was waiting to receive reimbursement from the El Paso County Board of Commissioners (EPBOCC) for the Loop’s first-quarter expenses. A reimbursement request for second-quarter expenses had been submitted to the EPBOCC. The Loop had spent 9% of its budget for 2025, Fromm said. Fromm told the board he expected to have a draft of the 2026 budget ready by Oct. 15.

Workshop meetings discontinued

Shaffer asked the board if the monthly work sessions were still needed. Assistant Secretary Dan LaFontaine said there were too many meetings, and some regularly scheduled meetings were less effective because the attendees from the consulting and engineering companies varied from meeting to meeting. The board decided to discontinue the meetings.

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The next regular meeting is scheduled for Oct. 16 at 9 a.m. Regular meetings are held on the third Thursday of each month at 9 a.m. at the Monument Town Hall at 645 Beacon Lite Road. 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 Loop articles

El Paso County Regional Loop Water Authority, Aug. 28 – Board considers public-private partnership financing

By James Howald

At the August meeting of the El Paso County Regional Loop Water Authority (EPCRLWA, or the Loop), board President Jessie Shaffer amended the agenda to add a discussion of a potential public-private partnership framework that could be used to finance the infrastructure for the water re-use project.

The board heard a progress report from Rebecca Hutchinson, a civil design engineer with Merrick and Co., who is acting as the Loop’s Workflow Manager and coordinating the work being done by the consulting and engineering companies contributing to the project. Corben Fromm, of Fromm and Co. LLC, reported on the Loop’s finances.

Tallgrass Water interested in financing the Loop

Shaffer told the board he had received an indication of interest (IOI) from Tallgrass Water, a Colorado-based company established in 2012, that funds water infrastructure projects.

Tallgrass Water uses a public-private partnership (PPP) approach. PPPs are collaborations between governments and private enterprises in which the private side provides initial funding to build a project in return for a share of the operating revenue from that project.

Shaffer emphasized signing the IOI was not a commitment to Tallgrass Water but was an agreement to negotiate exclusively with that company for a 90-day period to begin when all the Loop’s design work has reached 30% completion. The design work underway includes engineering the water treatment facility, the lift stations, and the pipelines, and expansion of the Calhan Reservoir. Shaffer said discussions had been held with Meridiam and EPCOR, two other companies that provide PPP agreements.

Shaffer recommended approving the IOI, and the board voted unanimously to move forward with Tallgrass Water.

Progress report

Hutchinson told the board that work by Burns & McDonnell on the design of the water treatment facility and the pumps and pipelines was proceeding on schedule, and a tour of a water treatment facility and pump station in Castle Rock had been scheduled for Sept. 4. Alignment of pipelines along Higby Road was being discussed with Mountain View Electric Association, and Western States Land Services LLC will begin discussions with landowners regarding easements for the pipelines in the southern portion of the Loop. Hutchinson said she had scheduled a meeting for Sept. 2 with Cherokee Metropolitan District to discuss the purchase of that district’s Sundance Pipeline. Hutchinson said four companies had responded to the Loop’s Request for Proposal to expand the capacity of the Calhan Reservoir, and two of those companies would be interviewed before making a final decision.

Financial report

Fromm told the board that invoices totaling $94,548 had been received for July, and the board authorized Fromm to pay them. He reported that the Loop had spent 7% of its $5.5 million budget for 2025.

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The next regular meeting is scheduled for Sept. 18 at 9 a.m. Regular meetings are 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 Monument Town Hall. 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 Loop articles

El Paso County Regional Loop Water Authority, July 17 – 2024 finances receive clean audit opinion

By James Howald

The El Paso County Regional Loop Water Authority (EPCRLWA, or the Loop) board met in July to hear an audit report on its 2024 finances and a monthly financial report. Rebecca Hutchinson, a Civil Design Engineer with Merrick and Co., gave the board a progress report on work being done by the consulting and engineering companies that are contributing to the project. Hutchinson has replaced Mark Valentine as the Loop’s Interim Workflow Manager, who coordinates the work being done by the several specialists working on water quality, water treatment, easement acquisition and other aspects of the water reuse project. Valentine announced he has taken a job with Colorado Springs Utilities.

2024 finances get highest possible rating

Courtney Vance, an auditor with Sorren, Inc., told the board her audit report found “nothing negative to express.” The audit went well, she said. Vance complemented the work done by Fromm and Co., LLC, the Loop’s accountants, and said she had an open line of communication with the Loop’s board as she performed the audit.

The Loop’s assets increased by $497,000 in 2024 due to funding received from the American Recovery Plan Act and increased capital assets. These increases were offset by a slight decrease in cash. The Loop’s liabilities decreased by $58,000 due to quicker payment of vendors. The Loop’s net position increased by $497,000.

The board voted unanimously to accept Vance’s audit report.

Monthly financial report

Corbin Fromm told the board that invoices totaling $82,128 had been received in July, with $51,975 in services from Merrick being the largest cost. The board voted unanimously to authorize Fromm to pay the invoices.

Fromm said the Loop had spent just over $295,000 in 2025 to date, or about 5% of its budget for the year.

Progress report

Hutchinson told the board that a contract had been signed with Burns & McDonnell for that company to design the lift stations and pipelines needed to convey water from Fountain Creek to customers in the participating water districts. Another round of water quality data was received from JVA, Inc. Hutchinson said she was organizing a meeting between Burns & McDonnell and Western States Land Services LLC, the company acquiring the easements needed by the lift stations and pipelines. Hutchinson said she was ensuring the easements in northern El Paso County were coordinated with the plan to widen Higby Road. Finally, Hutchinson said a Request for Proposal (RFP) to expand the Calhan Reservoir so that it can store water diverted from Fountain Creek had been published. Merrick will evaluate the responses to the RFP and will advise the board, Hutchinson said.

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The next regular meeting is scheduled for Aug. 21 at 9 a.m. Regular meetings are 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 Monument Town Hall. 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 Loop articles

El Paso County Regional Loop Water Authority, June 26 – Board hears progress report

By James Howald

At a brief meeting in June, the El Paso County Regional Loop Water Authority (EPCRLWA, or the Loop) board heard a progress report from its interim Workflow Manager Mark Valentine. Valentine coordinates the work of the consulting and engineering firms the Loop has contracted with, which include: JVA Consulting Engineers, the company responsible for water quality testing; Burns & McDonnell, responsible for the design of lift stations, pipelines and the water treatment facility; BBA Water Consultants Inc., which provides water resource modeling and reservoir sizing analysis; Western States Land Services LLC, which acquires easements and other land as required; and Merrick and Co., where Valentine is a project manager.

The board voted on an amendment to its contract with BBA and heard a financial report from Corbin Fromm of Fromm and Co. LLC, the Loop’s accounting firm.

The meeting ended with an executive session.

Progress report

Valentine told the board that JVA had sampled the water in the Chilcott Ditch, which diverts water from Fountain Creek to the Calhan reservoir, the previous day. Dan LaFontaine, who represents the Woodmoor Water and Sanitation District (WWSD) on the Loop’s board, said that a blockage on the Chilcott Ditch required the water sample to be taken from a different location than previous samples. LaFontaine is WWSD’s Operations superintendent. Valentine said that water testing costs have risen temporarily due to more frequent testing. He said he had attended several meetings with Burns & McDonnell to discuss water treatment requirements. The first meeting to discuss lift stations and pipelines was scheduled for early July, Valentine said.

Rebecca Hutchinson, an engineer with Merrick, told the board that the survey control network, a system of land survey markers used by all the consultants to ensure consistent boundaries and locations, was in place and accessible. She said Merrick had circulated a request for proposal regarding reservoir design for comments on behalf of the Loop.

Valentine said he was discussing the potential purchase of the Sundance pipeline with its owner, Cherokee Metropolitan District.

Contract amended

The board voted unanimously to amend its contract with BBA to expand the scope of work that company is responsible for. The contract specifies the new scope of work can be completed for $12,400.

Financial report

Fromm told the board that invoices totaling $98,897 had been received in June, with services from Merrick being the largest cost. The board voted unanimously to authorize Fromm to pay the invoices.

Fromm said the Loop had spent just over $196,000 in 2025 to date, or about 4% of its budget for the year. Shaffer said bringing additional consultants and engineers on board would increase the pace of spending.

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The next regular meeting is scheduled for July 17 at 9 a.m. Regular meetings are 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 Monument Town Hall. 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 Loop articles

El Paso County Regional Loop Water Authority, May 15 – Board officers elected

By James Howald

The May meeting of the El Paso County Regional Loop Water Authority (EPCRLWA, or the Loop) board was the first held following a change to the authority’s charter that requires each participating district to name two representatives to the Loop board when there are three or fewer districts participating in the project.

The Donala Water and Sanitation District is now represented by Jeff Hodge, its general manager, and Christina Hawker, its Accounts Payable specialist; the Town of Monument by Madeline VanDenHoek, its town manager, and Tom Tharnish, its director of Public Works; and the Woodmoor Water and Sanitation District by Jessie Shaffer, its district manager, and Dan La Fontaine, its Operations superintendent.

The board appointed officers and heard financial and operational reports.

Officers elected

The board elected Shaffer to another term as board president. Hawker was elected as treasurer and Tharnish as secretary. At the recommendation of Nicole Peykov, the Loop’s attorney, all board members were elected as assistant secretaries.

Financial report

Corbin Fromm, of Fromm of Fromm and Co. LLC, the Loop’s accountants, told the board that invoices totaling $54,000 had been received in April for engineering, legal and accounting work. The board voted unanimously to authorize Fromm to pay the invoices.

Fromm said he had submitted a request for $138,000 to the El Paso Board of County Commissioners and was preparing another request for $110,000. The requests are being made against the $4 million provided by the Biden administration’s American Recovery Plan Act to get the Loop project through its beginning stages. The Loop had spent about $141,000, or about 3%, of its 2025 budget, Fromm said. Shaffer commented that he expected invoices from the engineering firms with whom the Loop has contracted to arrive soon, at which time expenses will increase.

Operational report

Mark Valentine, the Loop’s interim workflow manager, told the board he met with Burns and McDonnell, the company selected to design and test the Loop’s water treatment plant, to discuss scoping and contracting.

Valentine updated the board on requests for proposal (RFPs) that are out for bid or being written. The RFP to design the 28 miles of pipelines and five pumping stations required to convey water from Fountain Creek to customers in the participating districts has been published and companies are submitting questions to him. Valentine said he expected proposals for the board to review as soon as the next day.

An RFP to study the feasibility of expanding the Calhan Reservoir was being prepared and would be ready for the board to comment on in a week, Valentine said. Western States Land Services LLC was working on acquiring easements, he said.

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The next regular meeting is scheduled for June 19 at 9 a.m. Regular meetings are 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 Monument Town Hall. 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 Loop articles

El Paso County Regional Loop Water Authority, April 17 – Pumps and pipeline proposal out for bids

By James Howald

At a brief meeting in April, the El Paso County Regional Loop Water Authority (EPCRLWA, or the Loop) board heard a progress report from Mark Valentine, its interim workflow manager, and a financial report from Corbin Fromm, of Fromm and Co. LLC, the Loop’s accounting firm.

The meeting ended with an executive session.

Treatment plant design proceeding

Valentine told the board that the water treatment plant design and pilot test work, awarded to Burns and McDonnell at the previous board meeting, was going forward with no major issues. He said a kickoff meeting would be held early in May.

A request for proposal (RFP) to design the lift station pumps and pipelines needed to convey water from the proposed treatment plant northward to customers in the participating water district was out for bids, Valentine said. The RFP specifies five lift stations and 28 miles of pipeline, some 24-inch and some smaller. Valentine said the responses would go to the Loop’s board members for evaluation. Responses to the RFP are due May 16, he said.

Valentine added meetings with Western States Land Services LLC, the company acquiring easements for the Loop’s pipelines, would be held soon. He said a preliminary meeting to discuss the control network for the project would be held in May.

Financial report

Fromm told the board that invoices totaling $55,000 had been received for engineering, legal and accounting work. The board voted unanimously to authorize Fromm to pay the invoices.

Fromm said a check from the El Paso Board of County Commissioners for $594,000 had been received and he expected another check from the same source for $138,000 to arrive soon. Both checks are portions of the $4 million provided by the Biden administration’s American Recovery Plan Act to get the Loop project through its beginning stages. The Loop had spent about $86,000, or 2 percent, of its 2025 budget, Fromm said.

Executive session

An executive session was held to receive legal counsel regarding negotiating positions on issues with Vidler Water Co. Inc., Cherokee Metropolitan District, La Plata Communities, and Burns and McDonnell. No actions were taken following the executive session.

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The next regular meeting is scheduled for May 15 at 9 a.m. Regular meetings are 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 Monument Town Hall. 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 Loop articles

El Paso County Regional Loop Water Authority, March 20 – Contract awarded for water treatment plant design and pilot test

By James Howald

At its March meeting, the El Paso County Regional Loop Water Authority (EPCRLWA or the Loop) board awarded a contract for water treatment plant design and pilot testing. The board considered issuing a letter regarding possible use of eminent domain to Western States Land Services LLC, the company that the Loop has hired to acquire the easements needed for the project’s pipelines, which will convey water from Fountain Creek northward to customers in northern El Paso County.

Corbin Fromm of Fromm and Co. LLC, the Loop’s accounting company, gave the board a financial report. Board President Jessie Shaffer asked the board to consider authorizing a request for proposal (RFP) for pipeline and pump station engineering services and recommended the board hire a financial adviser.

The meeting ended with an executive session.

Burns and McDonnell selected for water treatment design and pilot

Mark Valentine, the Loop’s interim workflow manager, told the board that seven companies had responded to its RFP to provide water treatment plant design services. All the RFPs were well done, Valentine said. The proposals were reviewed by the Loop board members and by three engineers from Merrick and Co. The proposals were scored on their approach and the experience of the companies that submitted them. Black and Veatch, Burns and McDonnell, and CDM Smith submitted the top three proposals, Valentine said. Of the three, Burns and McDonnell’s proposal was the strongest, Valentine said, and he recommended the board select that company.

Shaffer said he liked the evaluation process and agreed with Valentine’s recommendation. The board voted unanimously to award the contract to Burns and McDonnell.

Eminent domain to be used only where negotiation fails

Shaffer said he did not want to “authorize a blank check” allowing Western States to use eminent domain to acquire land needed for easements. He asked Nicole Peykov, the Loop’s attorney, for direction on the issue. Peykov said the letter being considered does authorize the use of eminent domain but she recommended beginning with a more traditional approach without its use, and then using eminent domain only when negotiation fails, rather than giving Western States a blanket authorization to use it.

The board voted unanimously to authorize Western States to proceed with negotiations regarding easements.

Financial report

Fromm told the board that invoices totaling $39,000 had been received in February. The board voted to authorize Fromm to pay the invoices.

Fromm said a check from the El Paso Board of County Commissioners had been received and he expected another check from the same source for $500,000 to arrive soon. The checks were the first two payments of $4 million provided by the Biden administration’s American Recovery Plan Act to get the Loop project through its beginning stages. The Loop had reserves of $195,000, Fromm said.

Fromm said he recommended that the board authorize him to draft an engagement letter to Stockman Kast Ryan and Co. asking that company to audit the Loop’s 2024 finances. The board voted in favor of Fromm’s request.
Board authorizes RFP for pipeline and pump station engineering

Shaffer said the design of the project’s pipelines and pump station was the next step to be considered following decisions about treatment. He wanted to use the same process used for the treatment RFP. Shaffer said the pipeline and pump station design was simpler than the water treatment design and he proposed having Valentine and Merrick and Co. handle it on their own with less involvement from the Loop board. Board members Jeff Hodge and Tom Tharnish agreed with Shaffer, and the quorum authorized Valentine to proceed.

Financial adviser considered

Shaffer said it was time to hire a financial adviser to help with decisions regarding strategies to raise the funds needed to complete the Loop. He said he had a preliminary discussion with Holman Capital, a private equity fund. Shaffer suggested a workshop to consider how to fund the next stages of the project.

Executive session

An executive session was held to receive legal counsel regarding negotiating positions. No actions were taken following the executive session.

**********

The next regular meeting is scheduled for April 17 at 9 a.m. Regular meetings are 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 Monument Town Hall. 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 Loop Water Authority articles

El Paso County Regional Loop Water Authority, Feb. 20 – Interim workflow manager joins Loop team

By James Howald

In February, the El Paso County Regional Loop Water Authority (EPCRLWA, or the Loop) board voted on an amendment to its agreement with Merrick and Co. that names Mark Valentine as interim workflow manager. It updated its founding document to make it easier for board members to hold discussions among themselves. The board heard an update from Valentine and a financial report from Corbin Fromm, of Fromm and Co. LLC, the Loop’s accounting firm.

The meeting ended with an executive session.

Valentine replaces Kuosman as workflow manager

Nicole Peykov, the Loop’s attorney, asked the board to consider an amendment to the Loop’s agreement with Merrick naming Valentine as interim workflow manager. The workflow manager is responsible for coordinating the efforts of the engineers, consultants, and other specialized advisors who provide services to the Loop. The Loop board decided soon after its inception that instead of having its own staff it would outsource as much as possible to providers and would fund a workflow manager position to coordinate those providers, schedule meetings, and oversee conversations with related agencies such as Colorado Springs Utilities (CSU). The workflow manager position was held by John Kuosman, a water practice leader with Merrick, until he left his position.

The board voted unanimously in favor of the amendment making Valentine the Loop’s contact with Merrick. Board President Jessie Shaffer said the board would decide how to fill the permanent workflow manager position later.

Number of directors increased

Peykov told the board that the departure of the Cherokee Metropolitan District (CMD) from the Loop had created a logistical problem related to quorum and Colorado’s open meetings law. Without CMD, she said, there are only three participating districts and that meant that the presence of just two directors would establish a quorum, triggering the requirement of advertising the meeting 24 hours in advance.

This made it impossible for directors to talk to each other, and Peykov recommended that the Intergovernmental Agreement (IGA) that established the Loop be amended to increase the number of directors from each participating district from one to two. Doing so would require four directors to establish a quorum and would make informal discussions easier to arrange. Peykov said that if more districts joined the Loop, the number of directors per district could be reduced back to one. She explained that this change must be voted on by the board of the participating districts, who are the signers of the IGA.

The board agreed with Peykov’s suggestion and said it would take the issue to the participating districts.

Merrick update

Valentine told the board he had met with companies interested in designing the water treatment portion of the Loop project. He met with Kevin Brown of CMD to discuss how the Loop might incorporate CMD’s Sundance pipeline into its infrastructure.

Valentine said he had met with Forsgren Associates Inc. to discuss how the Loop could share results with CSU, which is conducting a study of indirect potable re-use of water that parallels the Loop’s plans.

Valentine also said he had received questions from the Town of Monument (TOM) concerning the Loop and had sent replies. TOM is still deciding whether to remain a participant in the Loop or switch to another water re-use project led by the Triview Metropolitan District.

Valentine asked the board if JVA Inc. should continue to collect data about water quality. He said JVA had not yet spent all the funds provided for that purpose. The board decided JVA should continue its data collection work.

Financial report

In his financial report, Fromm told the board that the Loop had received its first disbursement of American Recovery Plan Act (ARPA) funding, in the form of a check for $54,000. The Biden administration’s ARPA law awarded $4 million in startup funding for the Loop to use to conduct technical studies, begin design work, and acquire easements.

But those funds, which are distributed by the El Paso Board of County Commissioners (BOCC), have been slow to arrive. Fromm said he had submitted five more requests for funding to the BOCC. Shaffer said he was glad to see the first disbursement and he was beginning to worry about a funding crunch if the outstanding requests were not acted on quickly.

Executive session

An executive session was held to discuss negotiating positions regarding CMD’s Sundance pipeline, a request for proposals regarding water treatment designs, and the services provided by Merrick. No actions were taken following the executive session.

**********

The next regular meeting is scheduled for March 20 at 9 a.m. Regular meetings are 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 Monument Town Hall. 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 Loop articles

El Paso County Regional Loop Water Authority, Jan. 16 – Board moves forward with RFP for water treatment design

By James Howald

At its January meeting, the El Paso County Regional Loop Water Authority (EPCRLWA, or the Loop) heard from John Kuosman, the Loop’s workflow manager, regarding a request for proposal (RFP) to design the project’s water treatment process. The board heard a financial report from Corbin Fromm, of Fromm and Co. LLC, the Loop’s accounting firm, and a brief legal report from Nicole Peykov of SpencerFane, the Loop’s legal firm.

The meeting ended with an executive session to discuss negotiating positions regarding access to water rights.

Treatment RFP requires confidentiality

Kuosman told the board that the consultants with whom he had discussed the project’s water treatment requirements had requested that meetings with him be proprietary, so that their design suggestions would remain confidential. The consultants also requested access to specific drawings. Kuosman said he planned to issue the RFP on Monday, Jan. 20 and responses from consultants would be due by Feb. 27. He proposed scheduling interviews with a short list of consultants around March 10 and said he would recommend which consultant should be awarded the water treatment design work to the board at its March 20 meeting. He asked the board to agree to the release of the information requested and to agree that the meetings be held in a proprietary manner.

Board President Jessie Shaffer pointed out that the Loop board could not meet with the consultants and asked if they would need six weeks to put together their proposals. Kuosman said based on his experience, six weeks was appropriate to get well-developed proposals. Shaffer and board Secretary Jeff Hodge authorized Kuosman to release the information and hold the meetings as he requested.

Kuosman said questions he had received from the board about Colorado’s 1041 regulations, which concern the site selection and construction of major water treatment systems, would be incorporated into the RFP.

Kuosman told the board he had discussed the Cherokee Metropolitan District’s withdrawal from the Loop with Jenny Bishop of Colorado Springs Utilities (CSU). CSU has its own consultant working on the transmission and storage of re-used water, Kuosman said, and said it was glad the Loop was working on treatment issues. CSU was willing to participate in a water treatment pilot project, Kuosman said, and would consider donating staff and facilities.

Kuosman mentioned he had met with entities that were interested in water supplies owned by the Loop and one had made a formal request for additional information.

Financial report

Fromm told the board there was $25,000 in outstanding invoices for December, and the board voted to pay the claims. Fromm also said he believed the El Paso Board of County Commissioners would expedite the Loop’s request for $4 million in American Recovery Plan Act funds, and the Loop would receive that money possibly by the end of January.

Peykov reminded the board that, due to the withdrawal of the Cherokee Metropolitan District from the project, it took only two Loop board members to make a quorum. A discussion between two board members would therefore be a public meeting that would need to be announced to the public with a minimum 24-hour notice, she said.

Executive session

Following the executive session, the board reconvened into open session and directed Kuosman to finalize and issue an RFP to address advanced water treatment plant services for the Loop.

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The next regular meeting is scheduled for Feb. 20 at 9 a.m. Regular meetings are 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 Monument Town Hall. 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 Loop articles

El Paso County Regional Loop Water Authority, Dec. 19 – Cherokee Metro District withdraws from Loop project

By James Howald

At its December meeting, the El Paso County Regional Loop Water Authority (EPCRLWA, or the Loop) board considered a request from the Cherokee Metropolitan District (CMD) to withdraw from the project. The Town of Monument (TOM) asked the board to provide a report modeling operational issues to the town’s consultants. The board also heard a progress report from John Kuosman, a water practice leader with Merrick and Co., who serves as the Loop’s Workflow Manager, and a financial report from Kathy Fromm, of Fromm and Co., the Loop’s accountant.

CMD withdraws

Kevin Brown asked the board to consider CMD’s request to withdraw from the project and to waive the requirement to notify the board 180 days in advance of intention to withdraw. Brown is the interim general manager of CMD and serves as the treasurer on the Loop board. The CMD service area is southeast of Colorado Springs and serves about 40,000 customers at Schriever Space Force Base, Cimarron Hills and Meridian Ranch. CMD is one of four water districts participating in the Loop—Donala Water and Sanitation District, the Town of Monument and Woodmoor Water and Sanitation District are the other three.

Brown said the decision to withdraw after three years of participation was a difficult one. He said CMD’s need to address per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (known as PFAS or “forever chemicals”) and its aging infrastructure took precedence over the renewable water resources the Loop will provide. Brown said CMD has other renewable water resources in the Black Squirrel Creek basin.

CMD operates the Sundance Pipeline, which the Loop plans to use as a portion of the pipeline required to convey water from Fountain Creek to customers in northern El Paso County. Brown said the Sundance Pipeline would continue to be available to the Loop.

Nicole R. Peykov, the Loop’s attorney, said the 180-day notice to withdraw rule could be waived by a vote of the board. Loop board President Jessie Shaffer moved to accept CMD’s request to withdraw, with the stipulation that CMD document its intention to collaborate with the Loop in the future. The board voted unanimously in favor of the motion.

Town of Monument requests report

Tom Tharnish, who represents the Town of Monument on the Loop board and serves as Monument’s director of Public Works, asked the Loop board to provide a report written by BBA Water Consultants Inc. to consultants employed by Monument. The report models the operation of the Loop. Tharnish said Monument’s consultants would use the report to evaluate the town’s participation in the Loop. The board voted to provide the report as Tharnish requested.

Progress report

Kuosman told the board he was focused on coordinating the design of the water treatment facility that will be required by the Loop. He said the engineering community is asking for information about the history and background of the Loop; he asked the board to authorize him to release technical information to potential consultants as part of the Request for Proposal process. The board could take time to evaluate his request, he said.

Financial report

Fromm told the board it had $28,000 in outstanding invoices for November. The invoices included the cost of the recent audit, she said. Overall, the Loop is at 30% of its budget for 2024, Fromm said. The board voted to accept her financial report.

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The next regular meeting is scheduled for Jan. 16 at 9 a.m. Regular meetings are 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 Monument Town Hall. 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 Loop Water Authority articles

El Paso County Regional Loop Water Authority, Nov. 21 – Board approves 2025 budget

By James Howald

In November, the El Paso County Regional Loop Water Authority (EPCRLWA, or the Loop) board held two special meetings on the same day. The first special meeting consisted entirely of an executive session. The agenda for that meeting gave a very general reason for the executive session: to confer with an attorney to receive legal advice on matters that may be subject to negotiations.

At the second special meeting, the board held a public hearing on its proposed budget for 2025 and heard an update from John Kuosman, a water practice leader with Merrick and Co., who serves as the Loop’s workflow manager. Nicole R. Peykov, the Loop’s attorney, asked the board to approve two resolutions addressing administrative matters.

2025 budget squared away

Board President Jessie Shaffer opened a public hearing on the Loop’s 2025 budget. There were no comments from the public, and the hearing was closed. The board voted unanimously to approve the 2025 budget and, in a separate vote, appropriated the funds needed.

Progress report

Kuosman told the board that he had met with the El Paso Board of County Commissioners to thank them for their support of the Loop. The commissioners played an important role in the launch of the Loop by awarding it $4 million in funds from the Biden administration’s American Recovery Plan Act (ARPA). Kuosman said he told the commissioners how the remainder of the ARPA funds would be spent, and they asked for a written summary of where the Loop stands by Dec. 6. Kuosman offered to draft that response and the board authorized him to do so.

Kuosman said Requests for Proposals (RFPs) were being drafted to address the planning and financing needed to move the Loop from its current conceptual design phase to a preliminary design. The focus of the RFPs would be on the water treatment portion of the project, he said. The board gave Kuosman permission to proceed with the RFPs.

Kuosman also said he was discussing issues with Vidler Water Co. Inc., and he believed a non-disclosure agreement would be necessary to cover those talks. Vidler Water develops water supplies.

Peykov asked the board to approve two resolutions: an annual “administrative matters” resolution that covers procedures and directives for the Loop’s consultants and a resolution that increases the fee that the board can charge for Colorado Open Records requests to $41 per hour. The board voted in favor of both resolutions.

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The next regular meeting is scheduled for Dec. 19 at 9 a.m. Regular meetings are 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

El Paso County Regional Loop Water Authority, Oct. 17 – Board hears financial reports

By James Howald

In October, the El Paso County Regional Loop Water Authority (EPCRLWA, or the Loop) board received the results of its 2023 audit and a report on its monthly finances. John Kuosman, a water practice leader with Merrick and Co. who serves as the Loop’s workflow manager, gave the board an update on his activities. The board considered a request from one of its providers to address a potential conflict of interest regarding the Loop’s law firm Spencer Fane.

The Cherokee Metropolitan District was represented at the meeting by Kevin Brown, who replaces Amy Lathen as the Loop’s treasurer.

2023 audit receives clean opinion

Kath Fromm, of Fromm & Co., the Loop’s accountant, told the board that the audit of its 2023 finances had received a clean, unmodified opinion and she had filed copies of the audit report with Colorado’s Department of Local Affairs and other states agencies as required. The board voted unanimously to accept the audit report.

Fromm said she had sent the board members copies of a draft budget for 2025 and recommended they hold a public hearing on it at the board meeting in November.

Board President Jessie Shaffer asked Fromm when the Loop would be reimbursed by the El Paso Board of County Commissioners (BOCC) for expenditures that are covered by the money the BOCC received from the American Recovery Plan Act (ARPA). Fromm said she had submitted a reimbursement request on behalf of the Loop and she would check with the BOCC about the timeframe for reimbursement.

Shaffer listed the invoices submitted to the Loop in October:

  • Colorado Water Congress dues, $2,050.
  • Fromm & Co., $5,026.
  • JVA Inc., $3,230.
  • Spencer Fane, $7,608.

The board voted to authorize payment of the invoices.

Progress report

Kuosman told the board that he had worked with Fromm on the draft budget for 2025, and it reflects financial requests from participating water districts beyond the initial $4 million that ARPA provided for the project. He will meet with the county to discuss the Loop’s projected costs for engineering, design, and land acquisition for 2025. He said those projected costs would be used by the county to encumber the ARPA funds that the county disburses.

Kuosman said he was brainstorming with Vidler Water Co. Inc. and Tallgrass Water, a water infrastructure company, concerning how to connect the Loop’s pipelines with existing infrastructure.

Potential conflict of interest resolved

Nicole R. Peykov, the Loop’s attorney, told the board that her firm, Spencer Fane, represents a subsidiary of EPCOR in another state. EPCOR is one of the Loop’s partners and has asked the Loop to provide a waiver regarding any potential conflicts of interest, which Peykov said were unlikely to occur. The board voted unanimously to approve a letter Peykov drafted waiving EPCOR from any liability arising from potential conflicts of interest.

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The next regular meeting is scheduled for Nov. 21 at 9 a.m. Regular meetings are 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 Loop Water Authority articles

El Paso County Regional Loop Water Authority, Sept. 19 – Board postpones non-disclosure agreements

By James Howald

The El Paso County Regional Loop Water Authority (EPCRLWA, or the Loop) board met briefly in September to hear a progress report from John Kuosman, a water practice leader with Merrick and Co., who serves as the Loop’s workflow manager. Board President Jessie Shaffer gave a financial report. The meeting ended with an executive session after which no action was taken.

Madeline Vandenhoek, the interim town manager for the Town of Monument, replaced the previous Town Manager Mike Foreman. The Cherokee Metropolitan District did not have a representative at the meeting.

Progress report

Kuosman told the board he had sent a letter to Colorado Springs Utilities (CSU) asking for its timeline on allowing the Loop to use the Southern Delivery System pipeline to convey the Loop’s water and to use the Edward W. Bailey Water Treatment Plant to treat its water. The Loop has been trying to negotiate the use of CSU’s infrastructure for several months without reaching an agreement. Kuosman said he thought CSU could be open to sharing resources with the Loop at the end of 2025.

Kuosman said three of the Loop’s providers—EPCOR, a financing company, Vidler Water Company Inc., which develops water supplies, and Tallgrass Water, a water infrastructure company—had requested the Loop board sign non-disclosure agreements (NDAs) with them to protect their financial estimates. Kuosman said he and Nicole R. Peykov, the Loop’s attorney, recommended waiting before signing the NDAs provided in the board packet for the meeting. In response to Kuosman’s recommendation, the board tabled its vote on the NDAs.

Financial report

Shaffer listed five invoices the Loop had received in the last month from providers:

  • Fromm & Co., $592.
  • JVA Inc., $5,268.
  • Kimley Horn, $1,780.
  • American Co., $12,010.
  • Spencer Fane, $4,204.

The board voted unanimously to approve paying the invoices.

Executive session

The meeting ended with an executive session to receive legal advice from the Loop’s attorney on negotiating positions regarding the use of the funds remaining from the $4 million American Recovery Plan Act (ARPA) grant the Loop received from the Biden administration via the El Paso Board of County Commissioners. No votes were taken after the executive session.

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The next regular meeting is scheduled for Oct. 17 at 9 a.m. Regular meetings are 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 LOOP articles

El Paso County Regional Loop Water Authority, Aug. 15 – Board amends contract with Merrick and Co.

By James Howald

In August, the El Paso County Regional Loop Water Authority (EPCRLWA, or the Loop) board met to amend its contract with Merrick and Co., the company which provides the Loop with project planning and workflow management. John Kuosman, a water practice leader with Merrick and Co. who serves as the Loop’s liaison with Merrick, gave the board a progress report. The board scheduled a public hearing on its budget. The meeting ended with an executive session after which no action was taken.

Contract with Merrick updated for next phase

Loop board President Jessie Shaffer asked the board to approve an amended contract with Merrick that had been reviewed by Spencer Fane, the Loop’s legal advisors.

Kuosman told the board that its current contract with Merrick focused on the first phase of the project: creating a water authority and embodying the commitments of participating districts in legal agreements. Now the project is moving to its next phase, he said, and its contract needed to be amended to address land acquisition processes, preliminary design issues, and the development of an operations model. Kuosman said his job was to work with the Loop authority and the hired consultant community to move the project forward. “Our job is to be the extension staff to execute that work,” he said.

Kuosman said he planned to schedule a workshop with the Loop board and the Special District Association of Colorado (SDAOC) in September. The SDAOC serves the interests of special districts in Colorado by assisting them with research, communication legislative input, and administrative support.

The board discussed updating its contract with Merrick at length at its previous meeting in July. That meeting was reported in the August issue of OCN here: https://wp.ocn.me/v24n8loop/.

The board voted unanimously to approve the amended contract.

Next steps

Kuosman told the board that he was discussing water quality testing with JVA Inc., the company the Loop has hired to design the water treatment portion of the project.

Kuosman said he had scheduled a meeting with EPCOR, a company that invests in infrastructure projects. EPCOR’s perspective on the funding options for the Loop would be available to the board before its meeting with SDAOC in September.

Kuosman told the board he met with Vidler Water, a private-sector water resource company that develops water supplies in areas where water is scarce, and was continuing his discussion with Jenny Bishop of Colorado Springs Utilities concerning ways that it could partner with the Loop.

Public hearing on budget scheduled

The board voted to schedule a public hearing on its 2025 budget for Nov. 21.

Executive session

The meeting ended with an executive session to receive legal advice from the Loop’s attorney and to discuss negotiating positions concerning the Sundance pipeline owned by the Cherokee Metropolitan District. No votes were taken after the executive session.

**********

The next regular meeting is scheduled for Sept. 19 at 9 a.m. Regular meetings are 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 Loop Water Authority articles

El Paso County Regional Loop Water Authority, July 18 – Board considers new roles for Merrick and Co.

By James Howald

The El Paso County Regional Loop Water Authority (EPCRLWA or the Loop) board met in July to hear to hear suggestions for next steps from John Kuosman, a water practice leader with Merrick and Co., who also serves as the Loop’s project planning and workflow manager, and to consider a new contract between the Loop and Merrick. Board President Jessie Shaffer presented invoices from the previous month. The board also held an executive session, which was attended by representatives from all the participating districts, after which no action was taken.

Will Colorado Springs Utilities play a role?

Kuosman told the board that the option for Colorado Springs Utilities (CSU) to have a near-term partnership with the Loop was still being considered. The possibility that the Loop could make use of CSU’s pipelines and its Edward W. Bailey Water Treatment Plant has been discussed for months. Kuosman explained that a formal request to CSU had been made by the Loop and he expected CSU to provide a timeline and preliminary costs by mid-August. The possibility that the Loop could make use of CSU’s pipelines and excess water treatment capacity has a direct impact on the final cost of the Loop’s project.

Kuosman also said CSU is studying indirect potable reuse of water. “Indirect potable reuse” refers to systems where treated effluent from wastewater treatment facilities is released into a stream or river and then an equal amount of water is diverted from the stream or river to be reused by customers. The Loop is an indirect potable reuse design, with effluent from treatment facilities in northern El Paso County being released into Monument Creek and traveling downstream to Fountain Creek, where it is diverted, treated, and then conveyed north to customers for reuse. Kuosman said there were lots of overlap between CSU’s long-term plans and the Loop. CSU’s goals aligned with the Loop, he explained, but CSU’s timeline was years behind the Loop’s schedule.

New contract with Merrick for next phase

Kuosman told the board that its current contract with Merrick covered activities up to the drafting of the Member Agency Financing and Contribution Agreement, which defines the benefits and responsibilities of the participating districts. That contract is now complete, he said, and the board should consider a new agreement with Merrick for services related to the next phase of the project.

He briefly discussed financing options for the Loop, which include use of municipal bonds, federal grants, and public/private partnerships. He said he was working with Piper Sandler on financing options and with EPCOR, a company that invests in infrastructure projects and recoups its investment over the long term.

Kuosman said that the Loop’s current contract with Merrick covered project planning, workflow management, and advancing a conceptual design to the point where costs could be estimated. He suggested that the contract with Merrick for the phase two scope of service should include:

  • Project management, including attending board meetings, meetings with other agencies, and weekly phone calls.
  • Securing easements for 30 miles of pipelines.
  • Development of a hydraulic model for the project that will be used by engineering companies.
  • Exploring federal grants, federal programs, and public/private partnerships.
  • Pumping and storage, treatment and processing, and pipeline designs.
  • Putting BBNA’s conceptual design into an operating agreement for the participating districts to sign.
  • Long-term staffing plans.

Invoices

In his financial report, Shaffer mentioned four invoices that had arrived in the last month:

  • JVA Inc. for $5,519.
  • Kimley Horn for $3,150.
  • Spencer Fane LLC for $4,202.
  • The American Company for $18,341.

The board voted unanimously to accept the financial report.

Executive session

The meeting ended with an executive session to receive legal advice from the Loop’s attorney and to discuss negotiating positions. The session was attended by representatives from the participating districts, to whom the Member Agency Financing and Contribution Agreement was presented. No votes were taken after the executive session.

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The next regular meeting is scheduled for Aug. 15 at 9 a.m. Regular meetings are 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 Loop Water Authority articles

El Paso County Regional Loop Water Authority, June 20 – Board pursues easements

By James Howald

In June, the El Paso County Regional Loop Water Authority (EPCRLWA, or the Loop) board met to hear a request from John Kuosman, a water practice leader with Merrick and Co. who also serves as the Loop’s project planning and workflow manager, to award a contract for right-of-way acquisition services to Western States Land Services LLC. Board President Jessie Shaffer presented invoices from the previous month.

An agenda item to accept a secondary director from the Cherokee Metropolitan District, currently represented on the Loop board by Amy Lathen, was tabled until the next meeting. The board also held an executive session after which no action was taken.

Easement acquisition advances

Kuosman told the board that he had received responses from four companies to his solicitation for a contractor to help with the acquisition of easements needed by the Loop project. Of the four, Kuosman recommended Western States Land Services LLC. He said Western States would provide:

  • Planning and decision making, estimated at $10,000.
  • A preliminary assessment of easements needed, including utility easements, estimated at $7,500.
  • Recommendations for the cost of each easement, estimated at $5,000.
  • Purchase of the easements, estimated at $325,000.
  • Landowner coordination, estimated at $25,000.
  • Post-construction service, estimated at $15,000.

Kuosman asked the board to authorize him to work with Spencer Fane LLC, the Loop’s legal advisors, on an agreement with Western States. The board voted unanimously to authorize Kuosman to negotiate on its behalf.

Invoices

In his financial report, Shaffer mentioned five invoices that had arrived in the last month:

  • Fromm and Co. for $920.
  • JVA Inc. for 35,158.
  • Kimley Horn for $4,140.
  • Spencer Fane LLC for $5,923
  • The American Co. for $32,586.

The board voted unanimously to accept the financial report.

Executive session

The meeting ended with an executive session to receive legal advice from the Loop’s attorney and to discuss negotiating positions. No votes were taken after the executive session.

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The next regular meeting is scheduled for July 18 at 9 a.m. Regular meetings are 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 www.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

El Paso County Regional Loop Water Authority, May 16 – Board refines relationship with CSU

By James Howald

On May 16, the El Paso County Regional Loop Water Authority (EPCRLWA, or the Loop) board continued its discussion of how it will coordinate its work with Colorado Springs Utilities (CSU). John Kuosman, a water practice leader with Merrick and Co., who also serves as the Loop’s project planning and workflow manager, updated the board concerning reports on where to locate pipelines for the project, a study of the required water treatment, and the Member Agency Commitment Agreement (MACA), which specifies the benefits and responsibilities of participating districts.

Kuosman summarized a discussion held with the Town of Fountain concerning its possible participation in the Loop. The board also held an executive session after which no action was taken.

CSU will assist, not lead

Over several months, the Loop board has debated whether it should work with CSU to achieve its goal of water reuse or design a project that can “go it alone.” This discussion has considered, for example, whether the Loop could use CSU’s Edward Bailey Water Treatment Plant (EBWTP) to treat its water or whether the Loop should construct its own treatment facility. These decisions affect the total cost of the project and how the project will be financed.

Kuosman told the board he had met with 10 people from CSU the previous week to coordinate the efforts of the two districts. CSU brought people from the water quality, treatment operations, transmission, regulatory, and engineering side of the district. His recent discussions with CSU led him to believe CSU wants the Loop to create momentum for the concept of water reuse, wants the Loop to build its project, and will do more to help later, but it will not supply momentum itself. CSU “is a supporter not a driver,” he said.

Kuosman said CSU’s timetable for water reuse was about five years behind the Loop’s schedule. CSU was open to the Loop’s use of the EBWTF but can only commit to using blending as a water quality strategy for 5 million gallons per day. CSU wants additional analysis of the use of blending, Kuosman said.

CSU requested a more formal request from the Loop board, specifying how the systems will connect, the amount of flow and how water quality issues will be handled, Kuosman said. Conceptual discussions about the rates CSU would charge the Loop for the use of its infrastructure had also taken place, according to Kuosman. Further discussion of the role of CSU would be included in the executive session, he said.

Reports ready to review

Kuosman said he had sent two reports to Spencer Fance LLC, the Loop’s legal firm, for review. They concern the placement of pipelines required to convey the Loop’s water from Fountain Creek to customers in participating districts. One pipeline report addresses the southern portion of the project and the other the northern portion. He received four responses to a Request for Proposal for companies to manage easement and right of way acquisition for the pipelines.

Kuosman said the MACA, which details the roles, responsibilities, benefits, and commitments of participating agencies, was being reviewed by Spencer Fane LLC.

Kuosman explained that the documents were covered by attorney-client privilege and would be discussed during the executive session following the May meeting. He asked the board to schedule an additional meeting on May 30 at 9 a.m. The board voted to hold the meeting at the Cherokee Metropolitan District office at 6250 Palmer Park Blvd.

Kuosman described a meeting he and Director Jeff Hodge held with the City of Fountain as “very positive,” and said the city was not ready to commit but wanted to study participation in the Loop further. He explained the city has 200 acre-feet of water they could handle via the Loop. “They are willing to continue the conversation,” Kuosman said

Executive session

The meeting ended with an executive session to receive legal advice from the Loop’s attorney and to hear further details from Kuosman. No votes were taken after the executive session.

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The next regular meeting is scheduled for June 20 at 9 a.m. Regular meetings are 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 water and sanitation district articles

El Paso County Regional Loop Water Authority, March 21 – Board debates relationship to CS

By James Howald

At a brief meeting in March, the El Paso County Regional Loop Water Authority (EPCRLWA, or the Loop) board heard a progress report from John Kuosman, a water practice leader with Merrick and Co., who also serves as the Loop Water Authority’s project planning and workflow manager. Board President Jessie Shaffer gave a financial report. The board also held an executive session.

Alignment study underway

Kuosman told the board that the alignment study, which will address the locations of pipelines and easements required to convey water from Fountain Creek northward to customers in the participating water districts, is underway and he expected it to be complete by the end of March.

At a previous meeting, Rebecca Hutchinson, a consultant with Merrick who is working on pipeline and easement issues for the Loop, told the board that she has contracted with two companies that specialize in easement investigations and acquisitions. Kimley-Horn is working on the pipelines and easements for the southern half of the project and Western States Land Services LLC is working on the northern half of the project, she explained.

Kuosman asked the board members to have their thoughts on the commitments that will be required of the participating water districts submitted to attorney Russ Dykstra of Spencer Fane LLC by March 28. Dykstra is drafting the contract that participating districts will sign to formalize their participation in the project.

Kuosman said progress had been made in defining treatment options for the water that will be diverted from Fountain Creek and he would provide details during the executive session.

Finances reviewed

Shaffer told the board that the Loop’s accountant, Kathy Fromm, of Fromm and Co., had suggested two companies for the board to consider as auditors: Haynie and Co. and Stockman Kast Ryan + Co. Shaffer said the federal grant money received by the Loop required more rigorous auditing procedures and the board would need to advise Fromm about choosing between the two auditing companies. The board voted to authorize Shaffer to continue to work with Fromm on this decision.

Shaffer said he had received invoices for the month totaling $32,932, with Bishop Brogden and Associates, Fromm and Co., and Merrick Inc. being the largest service suppliers. The board authorized Shaffer to pay the invoices.

Executive session

The meeting ended with an executive session to receive legal advice from the Loop’s attorney regarding negotiating strategies and to hear a discussion of water treatment options from Kuosman. No votes were taken after the executive session.

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The next regular meeting is scheduled for April 18 at 9 a.m. Regular meetings are 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

El Paso County Regional Loop Water Authority, Feb. 15 – Board debates relationship with CSU

By James Howald

At its February meeting, the El Paso County Regional Loop Water Authority (EPCRLWA, or the Loop) board continued its discussion of how to work with Colorado Springs Utilities (CSU), particularly how the Loop might lower construction costs by making use of CSU’s Edward Bailey Water Treatment Plant (EBWTP) rather than building its own treatment facility. John Kuosman, a water practice leader with Merrick and Co., who also serves as the Loop Water Authority’s project planning and workflow manager, updated the board on his discussions regarding the EBWTP and the Loop’s relationship to CSU. The board also held an executive session.

Consultant proposes lowering EBWTP capacity

Kuosman told the board that he had held a kickoff meeting with Carollo Engineers Inc., the company that designed the EBWTP, to discuss strategies for adapting the plant to treat the water that the Loop intends to return to its participating water districts. He said the discussion touched on whether the Loop’s water could be handled as a separate flow within the plant, on the plant’s capacity, and on whether redundancy of processing within the plant was possible.

Kuosman said that, based on his discussion with Carollo Engineers, handling the Loop’s water as a separate flow within the EBWTP was not possible.

Kuosman recommended “derating,” or lowering the stated capacity of the EBWTP. He explained that the plant had two treatment trains, each with five filter modules. Each treatment train is currently rated at 25 million gallons per day, for a total capacity of 50 million gallons a day. Kuosman argued for changes to the filter media, which would allow the plant to treat the Loop’s water but would also lower the total processing capacity. The proposed changes to the filter media would also allow the plant to remove PFAS chemicals. The alternative was for the Loop to build its own treatment plant, he said.

Director Amy Lathen, who represents the Cherokee Metropolitan District on the Loop’s board, asked if the plant’s capacity were reduced could it be increased later? She pointed out that the plant was not currently operating at full capacity. Kuosman said CSU’s plan for the plant was not completely transparent.

Loop board President Jessie Shaffer, who is also the general manager of the Woodmoor Water and Sanitation District, pointed out that the EBWTP is running at bare bones capacity: “just trying to keep the bugs alive.”

Governance approach discussed with CSU

Kuosman told the board he had discussed governance approaches with CSU. He said a regional convening authority was being considered. Existing governmental structures may not do what is needed over time, he said. Director Jeff Hodge, who is also the general manager of the Donala Water and Sanitation District, pointed out that the Loop was more nimble than CSU. Lathen said that CSU is not properly acknowledging the other regional players. She said she wanted to continue the governance discussion with CSU.

Executive session

The meeting ended with an executive session to receive legal advice from the Loop’s attorney regarding negotiating strategies.

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The next regular meeting is scheduled for March 21 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

El Paso County Regional Loop Water Authority, Jan. 18 – Consultants address financing, CSU facilities, easements

By James Howald

At its January meeting, the El Paso County Regional Loop Water Authority (EPCRLWA, or the Loop) board heard progress reports from two consultants. The board also held an executive session.

Consultants address financing, easements

John Kuosman updated the board on his discussions with engineering companies and Colorado Springs Utilities (CSU).

Kuosman, a water practice leader with Merrick and Co. who also serves as the Loop Water Authority’s project planning and workflow manager, said he had received feedback from several engineering companies on projects they had worked on that were relevant to the Loop’s water reuse design. He used that feedback to determine the cost drivers that the Loop should build into its financial analysis. These cost drivers were used by Piper Sandler, the Loop’s underwriter, to develop financing scenarios that will be voted on by the authority’s participating water districts.

Kuosman said the Town of Monument is driving the Loop’s work to develop a financial model for the project, because the town needs to make a final decision whether it will remain a participant in the Loop or become a participant in the Northern Delivery System, a water reuse project that is managed by the Triview Metropolitan District. Kuosman said he had scheduled a presentation to the town at its executive session on Jan. 30.

Kuosman also reported to the board on his discussions with CSU. The Loop initially assumed that it would be responsible for construction of all infrastructure required to process and convey water to its customers, but as the project moved forward CSU became open to the possibility of the Loop using CSU’s Edward Bailey Water Treatment Plant (EBWTP), which has unused capacity. Using EBWTP would save the Loop the cost of building its own treatment facility. The potential use of EBWTP by the Loop to process water from the Chilcott Ditch raises the issue of treatment upgrades that might be required at EBWTP, Kuosman said, adding that CSU is funding a study to make this determination. Kuosman said he would review the water quality data the authority has collected and facilitate a meeting with CSU.

Rebecca Hutchinson, also with Merrick and Co., told the board she was investigating the easements that would be required to convey the water treated at the EBWTP, which is located at 977 Marksheffel Rd., to the east of Colorado Springs, to the Loop’s customers in northern El Paso County. Hutchinson said she is working with two companies that specialize in easement investigations: Kimley Horn and Western States Land Services LLC.

Executive session

The meeting ended with an executive session to receive information from consultants regarding water sources. The executive session was attended by board members from the participating water districts.

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The next regular meeting is scheduled for Feb. 15 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 (EPCRLWA, or the Loop) articles

El Paso County Regional Loop Water Authority, Dec. 12 – Board focuses on budgets

By James Howald

At its November meeting, the El Paso County Regional Loop Water Authority (EPCRLWA) board determined its budget for 2023 did not need to be amended and concluded its work on its budget for 2024 with a public hearing. It voted to adopt the 2024 budget as proposed and to appropriate funds. The board also heard a report from its Project Planning and Workflow (PPW) manager and voted on a resolution specifying administrative matters. Finally, the board held an executive session to discuss the selection of an underwriting company.

Board wraps up 2023 budget, approves 2024 budget

Kathy Fromm, of Fromm and Co., the project’s accountant, told the board the budget for 2023 did not need to be updated and there was no need for a public hearing or a resolution on that budget.

Board President Jessie Shaffer opened a public hearing on the proposed budget for 2024, which was first presented at the board meeting in October. He noted Fromm had made minor changes based on the board’s discussion in November. Shaffer said the 2024 budget anticipated revenues of just under $1.2 million and expenditures of $1.66 million, which would leave projected total reserve funds of $445,000 at the end of 2024. Shaffer closed the public hearing.

The board voted unanimously to approve the 2024 budget and to appropriate the necessary funds.

Interviews with construction companies

John Kuosman, the EPCRLWA PPW manager, told the board he had been interviewing engineering and construction companies, particularly Forsgren Associates Inc. and Kimley-Horn, and was getting feedback from them that he was using to frame his cost estimates. Their detailed feedback would help determine the financial responsibilities of the authority’s participating districts, he said, adding he expected to have a more detailed cost framework ready in early 2024. He said he had also talked to Colorado Springs Utilities about its study of indirect potable reuse technologies and had been asked to sign a non-disclosure agreement concerning that discussion.

Administrative resolution

Russ Dykstra, the authority’s lawyer, asked the board to vote on an annual administrative resolution covering operational details such as records retention policy and budgeting schedules. The board voted unanimously in favor of the resolution Dykstra presented.

Executive session

The board held an executive session to discuss the selection of an underwriting company for the authority. The board reconvened into open session and voted to use Piper Sandler, an investment banking company, as its underwriter.

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The next regular meeting is scheduled for Jan. 18 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 Loop 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

El Paso County Regional Loop Water Authority, Oct. 19 – Board reviews 2024 budget, finances

By James Howald

At its October 19 meeting, the El Paso County Regional Loop Water Authority (EPCRLWA) board briefly discussed a draft of its 2024 budget and its finances for the previous month. It heard a progress report from its Project Planning and Workflow manager (PPWM). The board discussed finding a company to provide financial services for the project. Finally, the board also heard results from the most recent water quality tests.

2024 budget and September financial report

Board President Jessie Shaffer asked the board for comments on the proposed 2024 budget. EPCRLWA attorney Russell Dykstra asked if the participating districts—Cherokee Metropolitan District, Donala Water and Sanitation District, the Town of Monument and Woodmoor Water and Sanitation District—would be reimbursed in 2024 for the funds they have spent on the project so far. Shaffer said the goal was to reimburse the districts but that depended on how much of the $4 million in American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funding remained after needed studies and design services are completed. Not all district investments would be reimbursable, he said.

John Kuosman, a water practice leader with Merrick and Co. recently hired by EPCRLWA to serve as the project’s PPWM, said he thought the money allocated for professional fees was too little and he would work on a better estimate.

Board Secretary Mike Forman pointed out that no additional revenue beyond the ARPA funds was expected in 2024.

The board voted to hold a public hearing on the budget at its December meeting. Shaffer asked the board to prepare for further discussion of the budget at the November meeting.

The board also reviewed the project’s claims for September, which consisted of a $16,375 invoice from BBA Water Consultants Inc. for operations modeling, a $10,683 invoice from JVA Consulting Engineers for water quality testing, a $3,955 invoice from Spencer Fane for legal services and a fourth invoice for $280 from the Froman Co. The board voted unanimously to authorize the payment of the invoices.

Project report

Kuosman updated the board on his project management activities in September. He said he met with Jenny Bishop, a project engineer for Colorado Springs Utilities (CSU), to discuss how EPCRLWA could work together with CSU. Bishop is working on a grant to implement indirect potable reuse for CSU’s customers, and she is reviewing a proposal from EPCRLWA that CSU do some portion of the water treatment required by EPCRLWA’s loop project. Shaffer said he wanted EPCRLWA’s project specifically mentioned in Bishop’s grant language.

At the previous meeting, Kuosman discussed a letter of interest he intended to send to consulting and engineering companies to assess their interest in the loop project. At the October meeting, he said he had received 53 responses that would form the basis of a mailing list EPCRLWA would use to identify contributors.

Kuosman said he met with Dykstra and Shaffer to discuss the legal structure the participating districts will use to define contributions and operations. He said districts would need to make a final commitment to the project in 2024.

Kuosman mentioned he had been authorized to contact Mary Shinn, an environmental reporter at The Gazette, to keep her informed about the loop project. He said Foreman had already made a statement about the project to The Gazette.

Board seeks financial services company

Shaffer asked about a request for proposal (RFP) from financial services companies. Dykstra said the RFP should be finished later in the day and he would circulate it to five companies that he considered to be specialists in the financial areas required by the project.

The board voted unanimously to authorize Dykstra to write the RFP and circulate it as proposed.

Water test results show variation

Richard Hood, of JVA Inc., the company EPCRLWA has hired to assess water quality and design the water treatment aspects of the project, told the board the water quality tests done in September showed hardness, alkalinity, total organic carbon, sulfate, chloride and calcium all at their highest levels to date. The samples were taken from the Chilcott Ditch. He said further testing was needed to determine if the most recent results would continue. The board elected to continue testing a wide range of analytes to make sure adequate data was collected to design effective water treatment protocols.

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The next regular meeting is scheduled for Nov. 16 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

El Paso County Regional Loop Water Authority, Sept. 21. Board approves outreach to contractors

By James Howald

At its September meeting, the El Paso County Regional Loop Water Authority (EPCRLWA) board heard a plan from its recently hired Project Planning and Workflow Manager (PPWM) to advertise the project. The board heard results from the most recent water quality tests. The board also set a date for a public hearing on its budget. The meeting ended with an executive session.

The EPCRLWA was formed in November 2022 by an Intergovernmental Agreement between Cherokee Metropolitan District (CMD), Donala Water and Sanitation District (DWSD), the Town of Monument (TOM), and Woodmoor Water and Sanitation District (WWSD) to build infrastructure that would allow water, including treated effluent, that is flowing south in Monument and Fountain Creeks to be stored at Calhan Reservoir at Woodmoor Ranch and then pumped back north to be used by customers of the participating districts.

Letter of interest to be drafted

John Kuosman, a water practice leader with Merrick and Co., recently hired by EPCRLWA to serve as the project’s PPWM, told the board he saw lots of interest in the project on the part of consultants, contractors, and engineers who might be interested in providing services to the project as it moves forward. In previous meetings, the board decided to outsource as many tasks as possible to keep the number of staff members low as a way of reducing costs. Kuosman said he was drafting a letter of interest that service providers would use to demonstrate their interest in the project.

The regulations governing the use of American Recovery Plan Act funds allow EPCRLWA to pre-approve contractors so that they can be deployed quickly when needed. Kuosman said he planned to circulate the letter by email through his contacts in the industry and to post it on Bidnet, an online service that advertises government projects.

The board did not vote, but approved Kuosman’s plans to advertise the project.

Water quality tests proceed

Richard Hood, of JVA Inc., the company EPCRLWA has hired to assess water quality and design the water treatment aspects of the project, reported to the board on the latest water quality tests. Hood said a second sample of water from the Chilcott Ditch, which conveys water from Fountain Creek to the Calhan reservoir, was taken on Aug. 8. The testing results were in line with previous tests, Hood said, noting pH measurements were a little higher in the newer sample. Hood said Total Organic Carbon was relatively high compared to previous samples and Total Dissolved Solids were lower. The “forever chemicals” PFOA and PFOS, which have maximum contaminant levels of four parts per trillion, were both above that level at 12 and 17 parts per trillion respectively.

Hood said the Chilcott Ditch was due to be turned off for the year in October and he planned to take one more set of water samples from it before that time to check for seasonal variations.

Budget hearing set

The board scheduled a public hearing on its budget for Nov. 16.

Executive session

The board adjourned the regular meeting and went into executive session to receive legal advice regarding items that are subject to negotiations. No action was taken following the executive session.

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The next regular meeting is scheduled for Oct. 19 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

El Paso County Regional Loop Water Authority, Aug. 17 – Project manager discusses possible new approach

By James Howald

The El Paso County Loop Regional Water Authority (EPCRLWA) board met in August to hear an update from its recently hired Project Planning and Workflow Manager (PPWM) and to formalize the obligations required by the project’s acceptance of American Recovery Plan Act (ARPA) funds. The board also heard results from the most recent water quality tests. The meeting ended with an executive session.

The EPCRLWA was formed in November 2022 by an Intergovernmental Agreement between Cherokee Metropolitan District (CMD), Donala Water and Sanitation District (DWSD), the Town of Monument (TOM), and Woodmoor Water and Sanitation District (WWSD) to build infrastructure that would allow water, including treated effluent, that is flowing south in Monument and Fountain Creeks to be stored at Calhan Reservoir at Woodmoor Ranch and then pumped back north to be used by customers of the participating districts.

PPWM reports on meetings

The EPCRLWA board recently hired John Kuosman, a water practice leader with Merrick and Co., to serve as the project’s PPWM, overseeing and coordinating the work of the various contractors contributing to the effort. Kuosman told the board he was developing a decision flow chart around types of funding, funding agreements, and plans to sell bonds. Kuosman said he met with Russ Dykstra of Spencer Fane, the project’s law firm, to discuss the details of how the participating water districts might sell bonds to finance their portions of the project.

Kuosman also said he met with Colorado Springs Utilities (CSU). To date, EPCRLWA’s proposed design for the project has not included use of any infrastructure belonging to CSU. Kuosman said CSU was open to the idea of “boutique rates” for the use of some of their infrastructure. He said CSU was not looking for a commitment, but wanted to have conversations with agencies that might be interested in such an arrangement. Kuosman suggested this could be advantageous for EPCRLWA, which might be able to save costs on water treatment. Kuosman did not recommend that EPCRLWA “pump the brakes” on its current design, however.

Following Kuosman’s remarks about the CSU meeting, Tom Tharnish, Monument’s director of Public Works, who attended the meeting in place of Mike Foreman, Monument’s town manager, moved to appoint Kuosman to represent the project at CSU’s ongoing meetings regarding water reuse. The appointment was unanimously approved.

Kuosman also mentioned that he had met with the Town of Fountain, which has expressed interest in joining the project. Kuosman said Fountain did not want to pass on the costs of joining the project to its existing customers and was considering a public/private partnership instead that would be funded through new tap fees, which would be paid only by new development. The town had not made a formal request to join the project, he said.

ARPA subrecipient agreement explained

Dykstra asked the board to approve a subrecipient agreement required for the project to receive ARPA funds through El Paso County. The agreement states the funds must be used for work related to water and wastewater infrastructure that meets federal eligibility requirements, and the county will monitor the performance of the subrecipient against activities, goals, and performance standards that are defined for the project. The agreement documents that EPCRLWA has requested funds for:

  • Design engineering fees
  • Environmental assessments
  • Easements and property repairs
  • Legal expenses
  • Indirect costs

The agreement also requires EPCRLWA to make all its accounting documents available to the county.

The board voted unanimously to approve the agreement.

Water quality tests proceed

Richard Hood of JVA Inc., the company EPCRLWA has hired to assess water quality and design the water treatment aspects of the project, told the board that the latest water quality data were in line with previous results. Two herbicides were detected for the first time, but the levels were below the maximum contaminate levels for those chemicals.

Executive session and vote

The board adjourned the regular meeting and went into executive session to receive legal advice on a water use offer. After the executive session, the board voted unanimously to authorize counsel to prepare a response letter to the water use offer. No details about the offer were provided.

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The next regular meeting is scheduled for Sept. 21 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 every Thursday at 9 a.m. at rotating venues. Please see loopwater.org or call 719-488-3603 to verify meeting times and locations.

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

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El Paso County Regional Loop Water Authority

By James Howald

At its July meeting, the El Paso County Loop Regional Water Authority (EPCRLWA) board executed a contract with Merrick and Co. to receive project management and workflow services. The board heard the results of water quality testing and voted to send a representative to the Colorado Water Conference (CWC).

The EPCRLWA was formed in November 2022 by an Intergovernmental Agreement between Cherokee Metropolitan District (CMD), Donala Water and Sanitation District (DWSD), the Town of Monument (TOM), and Woodmoor Water and Sanitation District (WWSD) to build infrastructure that would allow water, including treated effluent, that is flowing south in Monument and Fountain Creeks to be stored at Calhan Reservoir at Woodmoor Ranch and then pumped back north to be used by customers of the participating districts.

Details of project management contract decided

Russ Dykstra of Spencer Fane LLC, the legal firm representing EPCRLWA, told the board he had completed negotiations with Merrick on an agreement under which that company will provide project planning and workflow management services to EPCRLWA. An attachment to the agreement specifies Merrick will:

  • Refine the business model and operations schema for the project.
  • Develop and execute necessary legal documents including operating agreements, water supply leases, supply limitations and curtailment procedures, and financing agreements.
  • Develop requests for proposals for engineering services.
  • Select and onboard consultants and specialized professionals.

Dykstra added either side can terminate the agreement at any time with 30 days’ notice.

Jessie Shaffer, the president of the EPCRLWA Board of Directors, pointed out that the agreement limits Merrick to no more than $350,000 over a nine-month term ending April 19, 2024.

Jeff Hodge, the secretary of the EPCRLWA board, mentioned that he thought John Kuosman of Merrick should be introduced to politicians representing the EPCRLWA service area, such as Rep. Don Wilson, Sen. Paul Lundeen, and County Commissioners Holly Williams and Carrie Geitner.

The board voted unanimously to execute the agreement with Merrick.

Water quality tests proceed

Richard Hood, of JVA Inc., the company EPCRLWA has hired to assess water quality and design the water treatment aspects of the project, updated the board on the latest round of water quality tests. He covered tests of water taken from Fountain Creek in May and June. The quality was good overall, Hood said. He noted a spike in flow following a rainstorm that led to increased turbidity, higher coliform bacteria counts, and decreased alkalinity. He said these results were typical following a rainstorm. The pH in the samples was between 8 and 8.2 and the samples were relatively hard at between 200 and 220 milligrams per liter of calcium carbonate. He noted both iron and manganese were above the maximum contaminate levels for those elements. Total organic carbon, considered a measure of pollution since pure water has no carbon, has been measured at both high and low amounts, Hood said.

Kevin Brown to attend CWC

The board voted unanimously to pay for Kevin Brown to represent the project at the Colorado Water Conference, to be held in Steamboat Springs on Aug. 22-24. Brown is an employee of the Cherokee Metropolitan District, one of the four districts committed to the EPCRLWA along with Donala Water and Sanitation District, the Town of Monument, and the Woodmoor Water and Sanitation District.

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The next regular meeting is scheduled for Aug. 17 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 every Thursday at 9 a.m. at rotating venues. Please see loopwater.org or call 719-488-3603 to verify meeting times and locations.

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

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El Paso County Regional Loop Water Authority, June 15 – Board awards contract for project manager

By James Howald

At its June meeting, the El Paso County Regional Loop Water Authority (EPCRLWA) board chose a company to provide project management services. The board also heard the results of the last round of water quality testing.

The EPCRLWA was formed in November 2022 by an Intergovernmental Agreement between Cherokee Metropolitan District (CMD), Donala Water and Sanitation District (DWSD), the Town of Monument (TOM), and Woodmoor Water and Sanitation District (WWSD) to build infrastructure that would allow water, including treated effluent, that is flowing south in Monument and Fountain Creeks to be stored at Calhan Reservoir at Woodmoor Ranch and then pumped back north to be used by customers of the participating districts.

Merrick & Co. selected for project management services

Following an executive session held to select the company that will provide project management services, Jessie Shaffer, president of the EPCRLWA board, told those present that four bids were received to provide the needed services. Three of the bids were strong, and those companies were interviewed. Mike Foreman, EPCRLWA secretary and Monument town manager, moved to award the contract to Merrick & Co. The board voted unanimously in favor of the motion.

The role of the project manager was discussed in previous meetings. The project manager will coordinate the work of engineers, consultants, and other contractors, allowing the EPCRLWA to have a small staff. Initially, the project manager will work on an as-needed basis. The project manager will not oversee construction.

Water quality testing continues

Josh McGibbon and Peter Hassinger, of JVA Consulting Engineers, the company EPCRLWA has hired to provide ongoing water quality testing, gave the board a summary of the testing done on May 26 at the headgate of the Chilcott Ditch. The ditch, which diverts water from Fountain Creek and conveys it to the Calhan reservoir, was not running when the testing was done because the reservoir was full due to recent rain, McGibbon said.

Hassinger said the results were mostly in line with previous testing:

  • pH and hardness measurements were close to previous results.
  • Nitrate was between 4.5 to 4.9 in previous testing and was 3.6 in the latest tests.
  • There was a small rise in iron and manganese levels.
  • Turbidity increased from 17 to 216.
  • Organic carbon levels remain low.

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The next regular meeting is scheduled for July 20 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 every Thursday at 9 a.m. at rotating venues. Please see loopwater.org or call 719-488-3603 to verify meeting times and locations.

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

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El Paso County Regional Loop Water Authority, May 18 – Water quality tests look promising

By James Howald

The El Paso County Loop Regional Water Authority (EPCRLWA) board heard more detailed results of water quality testing at its May 18 meeting. President Jessie Shaffer updated the board on progress filling the project manager position the authority has advertised. Kevin Brown asked the board for direction on how to specify the schematic engineering design report for the project. Director Amy Lathen raised the issue of how to increase political support for the project.

The EPCRLWA was formed in November 2022 by an Intergovernmental Agreement between Cherokee Metropolitan District (CMD), Donala Water and Sanitation District (DWSD), the Town of Monument (TOM), and Woodmoor Water and Sanitation District (WWSD) to build infrastructure that would allow water, including treated effluent, that is flowing south in Monument and Fountain Creeks to be stored at Calhan Reservoir at Woodmoor Ranch and then pumped back north to be used by customers of the participating districts.

Few concerns with water quality

Richard Hood, of JVA Inc., the company the authority has hired to assess water quality and design the water treatment aspects of the project, summarized for the board a memo he wrote detailing the water quality results from testing done in March and April. Hood said the overall water quality is good, making the water relatively easy to treat. Tests showed the water quality was consistent, he said, with moderate pH and alkalinity levels. The tests showed moderate dissolved carbon and acceptable levels of iron and manganese. Total dissolved solids—a measure of minerals, salts, and metals—were slightly above the standard, Hood said.

Hood said standards for per- and poly-fluoroalkyl substances, commonly called PFAS, were announced by the Environmental Protection Agency in March but are not yet in effect. The standards are expected to be enforced in December 2026. Hood told the board these substances, which don’t break down over time and are linked to a wide range of health problems, should be watched carefully and will impact the design of the water treatment part of the project. Hood said the tests showed perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) levels at 9.5 parts per trillion. The target level is 4 parts per trillion. The tests for perfluorooctane sulfonic acid (PFOS) showed levels at 16 parts per trillion. The target level is 4 parts per trillion.

Hood said the first samples were taken at the headgate of the Chilcott Ditch, the point at which the water is diverted from Fountain Creek. The next round will be drawn from where the Chilcott Ditch enters the Calhan Reservoir. This will provide a measure of changes that may be occurring as the water is conveyed through the ditch.

Project manager position generates interest

Shaffer told the board that the request for proposal for a project manager who will coordinate the work of the consultants and contractors needed for the project has seen many downloads from the BidNet site where it is posted, indicating lots of interest.

Direction sought on design proposal

Kevin Brown, an employee of CMD who is responsible for an RFP to develop a schematic engineering design report for the complete infrastructure required by the project, asked the board for direction on the question of who should make the final decisions on technical issues—the project manager that the board intends to hire or the board members themselves.

The schematic engineering design report is a detailed plan that will address issues such as the water treatment design, the location of pumping stations, the specifications for the several runs of pipeline that will need to be built, and so forth. The report will also document exactly which portions of the infrastructure each participating district will own and is needed to inform financial decisions. The EPCRLWA board plans to hire a consulting company to complete this report.

Brown recommended these decisions be made by the board members but felt either approach could work. The issue remained undecided.

Board will reach out to Mobolade

Director Amy Lathen, who represents CMD on the EPCRLWA board, suggested the board should reach out to Yemi Mobolade, the recently elected mayor of Colorado Springs. Director Mike Foreman, who represents TOM on the EPCRLWA board, said a meeting with Mobolade was already scheduled and agreed that the authority needs to increase its political representation.

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The next regular meeting is scheduled for June 15 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 every Thursday at 9 a.m. at rotating venues. 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 Loop Regional Water Authority articles

El Paso County Regional Loop Water Authority, April 16 – Acquisition policies approved

By James Howald

At its April meeting, the El Paso County Loop Regional Water Authority (EPCRLWA) board continued to draft procurement policies that meet the guidelines required by American Recovery Plan Act funding. A service for bidding and requests for proposals (RFPs) was selected. The board heard a brief financial report and made changes to its hiring requirement for a workflow manager position. The board also heard preliminary water quality test results.

The EPCRLWA was formed in November 2022 by an Intergovernmental Agreement between Cherokee Metropolitan District (CMD), Donala Water and Sanitation District (DWSD), the Town of Monument (TOM), and Woodmoor Water and Sanitation District (WWSD) to build infrastructure that would allow water, including treated effluent, that is flowing south in Monument and Fountain Creek to be stored at Callahan Reservoir at Woodmoor Ranch and then pumped back north to be used for customers of the participating districts.

Micro-purchases defined

EPCRLWA President Jessie Shaffer presented a draft of acquisition policies that addressed micro-purchases and bidding requirements. The policies were an extension of the reporting requirements presented by attorney Russell Dykstra at the previous meeting.

Shaffer said the acquisition policy defines micro-purchases as the acquisition of supplies or services costing less than $10,000. Micro-purchases require a minimum of two written or verbal quotes. The board may select the offer that provides the best value, even if that offer is not the lowest cost.

The board voted unanimously to approve the policies as presented.

BidNet selected for bids, RFPs

The board selected BidNet as the online platform for advertising bids and RFPs. Shaffer said that BidNet caters to public entities.

Financial report

Cathy Fromm of Fromm & Co LLC, the authority’s accounting firm, told the board that a bank account had been established for EPCRLWA and she was now able to pay invoices on the authority’s behalf. She said contributions from the four participating water districts had been received and deposited, so the authority was fully funded for the time being.

The board voted unanimously to approve the claims for the month and authorize payment.

RFP for workflow manager position updated

Shaffer said the job posting for a workflow manager had been updated in light of the new reporting and acquisition policies. Evaluation criteria, using a clearly stated point system, had been added to the RFP. Shaffer said the EPCRLWA board expected to hire contractors, rather than employees, to complete most tasks, and the workflow manager would be expected to coordinate the efforts of the contractors.

The board voted unanimously to approve the updated RFP and post it on BidNet.

Initial water quality test results

John Hood of JVA Inc., the company hired to conduct ongoing water quality testing, presented some initial results. Hood said overall the water has a high concentration of dissolved minerals. The alkalinity and pH are in an acceptable range. Chlorides and sulfates are moderately high. Synthetic Organic Chemicals and Volatile Organic Compounds are not detectable, Hood said. He said the next water quality sampling would be done April 25.

**********

The next regular meeting is scheduled for May 18 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 every Thursday at 9 a.m. at rotating venues. 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

El Paso County Regional Loop Water Authority, March 16 – Compliance with procurement policies approved

By James Howald

Compliance with county, state, and federal procurement policies imposed by receipt of American Recovery Plan Act (ARPA) funds was the main topic at the El Paso County Loop Regional Water Authority (EPCRLWA) board meeting in March. EPCRLWA President Jessie Shaffer updated the board on the status of the project’s water testing, and the board heard a brief financial report.

ARPA funding brings compliance burden

Shaffer said the authority had not yet received its Public Deposit Protection Act identification number, which is required to account for the receipt and expenditure of certain public funds.

Russell Dykstra, EPCRLWA counsel, explained that ARPA and other grants require use of procurement policies that meet federal standards. He presented to the board a policy that met those standards as well as applicable Colorado state standards. As an example, Dykstra said there was a $60,000 limit on funds for capital improvements. Dykstra mentioned some state requirements could change, and he would adjust the policy as needed to maintain compliance.

The board voted unanimously to approve the policy as presented.

Shaffer said he would ensure all requests for proposals, bids and job descriptions complied with state and federal standards.

Water quality testing underway

At its February meeting, EPCRLWA signed a contract with JVA Inc. to provide ongoing water quality testing that would be used to design the water treatment protocols needed to purify the water delivered to consumers.

Shaffer reported that the contract with JVA had been approved by legal counsel, and testing is underway.

Financial report

Cathy Fromm of Fromm & Co LLC, the authority’s accounting firm, told the board that a bank account was needed so that invoices could be paid. Four invoices totaling about $14,000 have been received, she said, leaving the authority with about $735,000 cash on hand.

**********

The next regular meeting is scheduled for April 20 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 every Thursday at 9 a.m. at rotating venues. 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

El Paso County Regional Loop Water Authority, Feb. 16 – Board adopts budget, awards testing contract

By James Howald

At its second regular meeting, the El Paso County Regional Loop Water Authority (EPCRLWA) held a public meeting on its budget and awarded a contract for the water quality testing needed to establish a baseline for upcoming design work. The board discussed hiring a project planning and workflow manager and a request for proposal for a schematic engineering design report. The board also voted on five resolutions drafted by its attorney that address administrative matters.

Budget approved and funds appropriated

EPCRLWA President Jessie Shaffer opened the public hearing on the 2023 budget. On the revenue side, he said the four participating entities—Cherokee Metropolitan District (CMD), Donala Water and Sanitation District (DWSD), Town of Monument (TOM) and Woodmoor Water and Sanitation District (WWSD)—had each contributed $250,000. Funding from The American Recovery Program Act (ARPA) added an additional $800,000, for a total of $1.8 million. Shaffer anticipated spending a total of $388,000 on accounting, legal and audit costs, surveying services, water quality and other studies, and two staff positions: a project manager position, discussed below, and a land acquisition specialist. Shaffer estimated engineering work, easements, and land acquisition would total around $1 million. He told the board he estimated total expenditures for 2023, including contingencies and miscellaneous items, would be about $1.775 million, leaving a balance of about $25,000 at the end of the year.

There were no comments from the public and Shaffer closed the hearing.

The board voted unanimously in favor of a resolution to approve the budget and appropriate the required funds.

Water testing contract awarded

Three companies—JVA Inc., LRE Water, and Amaruq Environment Services—presented their water testing qualifications and their thoughts on how to handle EPCRLWA’s water testing requirements to the board.

Brett Gracely, of LRE Water, focused on his company’s 50 years of experience in Colorado, and said LRE Water would optimize testing by removing analytes whose measurements were stable from the testing protocol to keep costs low. He said a dashboard would be provided to display results.

John McGibbon and Richard Hood, of JVA, said they would provide a certified water technician to collect all samples and would maintain a clear chain of custody of the samples to ensure the most accurate results. Hood said JVA’s approach would focus on collecting the data needed to design a water treatment protocol in the future.

Andres Skibo from Amaruq Environmental Services noted his company assisted WWSD with water quality testing of Woodmoor Lake and was familiar with the local issues.

Following the presentations, Shaffer commented that in his opinion all three companies could do the job. He said Amaruq’s bid was $41,000 with no markup on lab fees, JVA’s was $48,000 with no markup on lab fees, and LRE’s was $49,000 with a 5% markup on lab fees. EPCRLWA Assistant Secretary Jeff Hodge, who also serves as the DWSD general manager, said using a certified water technician was important. Kevin Brown, representing CMD, also saw the value in a certified technician. Shaffer pointed out that JVA is made up of water treatment engineers, and that expertise would be valuable when the water quality testing data was used to design a treatment protocol.

The board voted unanimously to award the testing contract to JVA.

Project manager position and schematic design project discussed

Shaffer told the board he was working on a draft of a job description for a project planning and workflow manager position. The manager would be responsible for coordinating the activities of the engineers, consultants, and other contractors needed to complete the project. The EPCRLWA board members all have jobs with the participating water districts, which makes a project planning position necessary. The responsibilities would not include construction oversight, which might require another person when the project reaches that stage, he said.

The board voted unanimously to authorize Shaffer to define and fill the position.

Shaffer said a request for proposal was being developed to have a schematic engineering design report written by an engineering company. The report would integrate the data collected in previous studies and would take the design to the next level of detail, addressing issues such as water treatment design, location of pumping stations, and so forth. The report is needed to increase the precision of cost estimates, Shaffer said. The report will determine exactly what each participating entity owns and what financing will be required. Brown said the report will include a full hydraulic analysis, including pressures in pipelines and pump stations and storage tank design. He added that the report would be required for issuing bonds to finance later stages of the project.

The board decided to proceed with development of the request for proposal.

Administrative resolutions passed

The board approved five administrative resolutions:

  • A resolution laying out tasks needed to comply with state statutes.
  • A resolution detailing compliance with the Colorado Open Records Act.
  • A resolution indemnifying the board members for lawful acts taken in performance of their duties.
  • A resolution authorizing online notice of meetings.
  • A data privacy resolution that protects personal and consumer data.

**********

The next regular meeting is scheduled for March 16 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 every Thursday at 9 a.m. at rotating venues. Please see loopwater.org or call 719-488-3603 to verify meeting times and locations.

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

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El Paso County Regional Loop Water Authority, Jan. 19 – Water re-use project holds first meeting

By James Howald

On Jan. 19, the El Paso County Regional Loop Water Authority (EPCRLWA) held its first board meeting in Monument Town Hall. The board passed a resolution that lays out the operational rules it will follow and presented bylaws for future adoption. It chose a legal firm and an accounting firm to assist it. The board heard a proposal for a study addressing the feasibility of the water re-use project that the authority was formed to design and build. The board briefly discussed its strategy for water quality testing and heard a request from a developer to join the project. Finally, the board decided on a schedule for future meetings.

Background

The EPCRLWA, informally known as “the Loop project,” was formed in November 2022 by an Intergovernmental Agreement between Cherokee Metropolitan District (CMD), Donala Water and Sanitation District (DWSD), the Town of Monument (TOM), and Woodmoor Water and Sanitation District (WWSD) to address the depletion of groundwater that provides the bulk of water consumed in northern El Paso County by building infrastructure that would allow water, including treated effluent from the Tri-Lakes Wastewater Treatment Facility (TLWWTF), to be re-used. In the case of WWSD, the project would provide a way to convey water from Woodmoor Ranch near Fountain to its consumers.

After the participating districts signed the agreement that created the EPCRLWA, it received $4 million in American Recovery Plan Act funding from El Paso County.

The loop project, when complete, would divert water from Fountain Creek, use the Chilcott Ditch to transfer it to the Callahan Reservoir, and then, after treatment, pump it through 20.7 miles of new pipeline to the existing Sundance pipeline owned by CMD. The Sundance pipeline would move the water to its northern endpoint at Hodgen and Black Forest Roads. From there, the water would be pumped 11 miles through new pipelines to DWSD, TOM and WWSD for distribution to their customers.

The EPCRLWA board is made up of Mike Foreman, Monument town manager; Jeff Hodge, DWSD district manager; Amy Lathen, TMD general manager; and Jessie Shaffer, WWSD district manager.

Other water providers may join the project as it moves forward.

Operating rules approved

The board voted to approve Resolution 2023-1, which establishes the procedures it must follow to comply with state law and El Paso County requirements. It also considered bylaws that will govern the board, such as the policies for unexcused absences of board members and how vacancies on the board will be filled. The bylaws will be voted on at a future meeting.

Law and accounting firms engaged

SpencerFane was approved as the authority’s law firm, with attorney Russell Dykstra taking the lead. The board engaged Fromm & Company LLC to handle accounting matters.

Operational study authorized

Dan Niemela of BBA Water Consultants Inc. proposed a study that would model the operational details of the infrastructure for the loop project and would validate the overall design by ensuring that it would meet the needs of the participating districts. He said he had performed related modeling for WWSD for 10 years.

Niemela explained that the model would expand on the initial modeling done in 2022 that confirmed the viability of the project. The expanded model would be based on a 24-year period from 1987 through 2020 and would account for many variables that come into play in a complex water system, such as water rights yields, reservoir, transit and treatment losses, amount of reusable effluent available, the storage capacity of the system, and demand during wet, average and dry years, among others.

Niemela estimated the study would cost $54,000 and be complete in three months.

The board voted unanimously to authorize BBA Water Consultants to proceed with the study.

Water quality baseline discussed

Board President Jessie Shaffer said two proposals for water quality testing had been received, both costing about $90,000. Shaffer recommended using a wide range of tests initially to establish a baseline of water quality data that would be used later to design the treatment regimen. The board voted to table the issue to allow for further analysis.

Developer wants to join project

Shaffer emphasized that the four participants welcomed other water providers to join the effort.

Mike Flannery, the owner of Four-Way Ranch, a 6,500-acre development between Falcon and Peyton, expressed interest in joining the loop project. Flannery said he was looking for between 5,000 and 6,000 acre-feet of water for his development, which has its own metropolitan district.

The board took no action on Flannery’s request.

Meetings and workshops scheduled

The board voted to hold regular meetings on the third Thursday of every month at 9 a.m. in Monument Town Hall at 645 Beacon Lite Road, Monument. Cherokee Metropolitan District meets at 6250 Palmer Park Blvd., Colorado Springs.

Workshop meetings will be held every Thursday at 9 a.m. at rotating venues:

  • First Thursday—Town of Monument
  • Second Thursday—Cherokee Metropolitan District
  • Third Thursday—venue to be decided
  • Fourth Thursday–Cherokee Metropolitan District
  • Fifth Thursday—Town of Monument

**********

The next regular meeting is scheduled for Feb. 16, 2023 at 9 a.m. Regular meetings are usually held on the third Thursday of each month at 9 a.m. at Monument Town Hall at 645 Beacon Lite Road. Workshop meetings are held every Thursday at 9 a.m. at rotating venues. 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