OCN

Volunteers reporting on community issues in Monument, Palmer Lake, and the surrounding Tri-Lakes area

OCN > ws

Water & Sanitation District Articles

Woodmoor Water and Sanitation District, April 28, May 6 and 12 – Board awards well drilling contract, elects officers

By James Howald

At a special board meeting on April 28, the Woodmoor Water and Sanitation District (WWSD) board approved a design for well 12R and awarded a drilling contract to Hydro Resources. The board held a second special meeting on May 6 to swear in two board members and elect board officers. At its regular board meeting on May 12, the board considered a license agreement with Colorado Springs Utilities (CSU) to allow CSU to access one of its pump stations via land owned by WWSD. The board also heard operational reports. The meeting ended with an executive session.

Board chooses enhanced design for well

Rachael Frei, a project engineer with Bishop-Brogden Associates Inc., gave the board an overview of the project to drill a new well in the southwest corner of the South Woodmoor Preserve, adjacent to a cul-de-sac between two residential properties. Well 12R would replace well 12, which was constructed in 1990 and which suffered a loss of structure in 2022. Well 12 exceeded its projected 30-year life by two years, Frei said. It will be converted to a monitoring well.

Frei said well 12R will be drilled at one of the best locations in the district, where the Arapahoe aquifer is most productive, and is projected to provide about 200 gallons per minute, about 12% of the district’s annual well production. The location will reduce costs because it will minimize the length of the transmission line needed to convey the well’s water for treatment.

Frei said well 12R should be in production by 2027 and was projected to cost about $1.9 million. Some equipment that was purchased for well 12 in 2024 could be reused in well 12R, she said.

Frei presented two designs for the board to consider: a traditional municipal well design using a 40-slot stainless steel screen with silica sand gravel pack, and an enhanced municipal design using a 50-slot screen with glass bead gravel pack. Screens are the portion of the well casing that allow groundwater to enter the well and are designed to prevent sand from damaging pumps and to minimize energy consumption.

Glass beads increase well efficiency and yield, speed up well development, reduce mineral and biological fouling and mechanical plugging, and do not compact as the well ages. Glass beads are about 6% more expensive than silica sand and come from China or Germany, Frei said, and their availability and cost could be affected by tariffs. The enhanced design would cost about $600,000 more than the traditional design, according to Frei. She recommended the enhanced design, and the board voted to approve that choice.

Hydro Resources, KP Ventures, and Layne Christensen submitted bids to drill well 12R, Frei said. Hydro Resources submitted the low bid at $1.17 million for the enhanced design. Layne Christensen’s bid was $2.3 million and KP Ventures bid was $1.26 million. Frei recommended the board award the contract to Hydro Resources, which the board did with a unanimous vote.

Two board members sworn in; officers elected

At the May 6 meeting, Tom Roddam and Dana Franzen took their oaths of office. Roddam is serving his second term; Franzen is new to the board, replacing Director Dan Beley. Bill Clewe and Brian Bush were sworn in before the May 6 meeting.

Board Treasurer Roy Martinez nominated Bush for another term as president, arguing that the district was at a critical point in its history and needed a president who would provide continuity and “could hit the ground running.” The board voted unanimously to re-elect Bush as president.

Martinez nominated Franzen to replace him as treasurer due to Franzen’s background as an accountant, and the board elected Franzen to that role.

Clewe was excused from the meeting but had previously indicated his willingness to continue as secretary. The board voted to keep him in that position. Clewe was also elected to serve as the board liaison with the Joint Use Committee, which oversees the operations of the Tri-Lakes Waste Water Treatment Facility, which WWSD shares with the Towns of Monument and Palmer Lake.

Roddam and District Manager Jessie Shaffer were elected to continue as WWSD’s representatives on the Chilcott Ditch Co. board.

Board grants CSU access

Shaffer asked the board to consider executing a license agreement with CSU that would allow CSU to access its Williams Creek Pump Station through a portion of the Woodmoor Ranch, which is southeast of the Town of Fountain. CSU sought access so its staff could make operational adjustments and perform maintenance at the pump station without a more lengthy drive to the station on Highway 94. The agreement does not permit use of WWSD land by construction equipment or by CSU subcontractors without written permission from WWSD, Shaffer said. The board voted unanimously to provide the access requested.

Operational reports

In his first financial report, Franzen commented on the strength of the district’s balance sheet. He noted a $170,000 charge for insurance, which Office Manager Cory Lynch explained was paid upfront and amortized through the year. The board approved Franzen’s report.

Reporting on the Woodmoor Ranch, Shaffer said 2025 was the last year the district would be re-establishing native grasses as required by the conversion of the water rights at the ranch from agricultural to municipal uses. In 2026 and 2027 the district would switch to maintenance issues such as weed control and mowing. Shaffer said the district employees who have been working at the ranch might transition to new jobs maintaining water and sewer pipelines and providing backup for other employees.

In his Manager’s Report, Shaffer gave the board an update on the Loop, a water reuse project in which WWSD is one of three participating districts. Contracts to design and pilot test the Loop’s water treatment plant, and to engineer the project’s pipelines and pump stations, have been awarded, he said. Merrick and Co. is working on a request for proposal (RFP) to do a feasibility study of reservoir expansion. That RFP should be published by the end of May and a contract awarded in June, according to Shaffer.

Shaffer also mentioned that the Loop was discussing financing methods with several companies that specialize in public-private partnerships, which are collaborations in which the private partner finances, plans and executes projects needed by governmental entities such as water and sanitation districts.

Operations Superintendent Dan LaFontaine told the board that the meter for well 22 had been replaced and two leaks had been identified, one on White Fawn Drive and one on Higby Road, which would require traffic control plans to be drawn up before repairs could begin. LaFontaine also commended Woodmoor Public Safety officers for reporting an unpermitted contractor who was using water from a district hydrant without permission.

Executive session

The May 12 meeting ended with an executive session to determine negotiating positions and receive legal advice about potential agreements with Lewis Palmer School District 38.

**********

The next meeting is on June 9 at 1 p.m. Meetings are usually held on the second Monday of each month at 1 p.m. at the district office at 1845 Woodmoor Drive. Please see www.woodmoorwater.com or call 719-488-2525 to verify meeting times and locations.

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

Other Woodmoor Water and Sanitation District articles

Donala Water and Sanitation District, May 5 – Directors sworn in; district offices temporarily closed

By James Howald and Jackie Burhans

The Donala Water and Sanitation District (DWSD) board met in May at the Fairfield Inn to swear in directors and appoint officers of the board. The meeting was relocated due to the temporary closure of the district’s offices. The board considered changes to the method used to calculate sanitation charges. The board heard operational reports and ended the meeting with an executive session.

Judd returns to board; officers remain unchanged

Wayne Vanderschuere and Kenneth Judd took their oaths of office at the May meeting. Vanderschuere is able to serve another term on the board due to the recent removal of term limits for DWSD board members by the district’s voters. Judd has previously served as a DWSD director and is returning after a four-year absence from the board.

The board voted to keep its slate of officers in place: Vanderschuere was elected to another term as president, and Bill George and Kevin Deardorff will continue as vice president and secretary.

Above: At its May 15 board meeting, Donala Water and Sanitation District (DWSD) swore in Directors Wayne Vanderschuere and Kenneth Judd. Vanderschuere was re-elected after a special election removed term limits for board members. Judd returns to the board after a four-year absence. The meeting was held at the Fairfield Inn because of the temporary closure of DWSD’s headquarters on Holbein Drive due to a well drilling. From left are Vanderschuere, Accounts Payable Specialist Christina Hawker, and Judd. Photo by Jackie Burhans.

Offices closed while drilling underway

Due to the well 7D redrilling project in the parking lot of the district offices on Holbein Drive, the district offices are temporarily closed for safety reasons. The parking lot is closed and there will be no public access to the district offices until the project is complete in about five to six weeks. The drop box for payments has moved to the secondary driveway west of the office building, accessible from Holbein Drive, and customers can call 719-488-3603 to contact district staff with questions or to make payments by phone. A second payment drop box is available at the King Soopers on Baptist Road.

Check the DWSD website at www.donalawater.org for updates about the office closure and the location of board meetings.

Above: Donala Water and Sanitation District (DWSD) well 7D-R re-drilling is underway. With 40-foot sound walls visible from Baptist Road, the DWSD headquarters on Holbein Drive is temporarily closed until drilling is complete. The payment box has been moved to the western driveway, and a second payment box is available at the King Soopers on Baptist Road. Customers are encouraged to call 719-488-3603 with any questions and check the website at www.donalawater.com for updated information. Photo by Jackie Burhans.

Sanitation rate calculation reconsidered

The board discussed changes to the method it uses to calculate sanitation charges to address two problem cases: where a water leak is present during the charge calculation period, resulting in too high a charge, and when “snowbirds”—customers who spend the winter months outside the district—have no water usage during the calculation period, resulting in too low a charge. Sanitation charges are calculated based on water usage during the winter months and assume that every gallon of water delivered during those months will result in a gallon of wastewater produced because customers will not be using any water for outdoor irrigation during the winter months.

Accounts Payable Specialist Christina Hawker proposed that the district add a sanitation charge adjustment request form that customers could use to ask for a review when a water leak occurs during the months when the usage is calculated. If a water leak was proven, the district should calculate the charge using a different but comparable month, Hawker said. For snowbirds, Hawker suggested the use of a minimum rate that would be calculated annually by averaging the water usage of the first quartile of all customers. Hawker estimated about 400, or about 15%, of the district’s customers would be affected by the changes. She said she would draft the policy changes for the board to consider at its July meeting and pointed out if the policy changes were approved, the district would have to announce them 30 days before they took effect.

Operational reports

In his financial report, General Manager Jeff Hodge noted the district had received half of the revenue it expects from property taxes. Expenses will increase as projects proceed. The board approved Hodge’s report.

In his manager’s report, Hodge summed up recent developments in the Loop, a water reuse project in which DWSD is one of three participating districts. He said a “request for proposal” to design the pipelines and pump stations needed to convey water from Fountain Creek to customers had been published. A kickoff meeting with Burns & McDonnell, the company that will design and pilot test the water treatment facility for the Loop, had been held.

Ways to finance the Loop were being investigated, Hodge said, adding the Loop’s board was discussing options with Piper Sandler, the Colorado Water Resources and Power Development Authority, Tallgrass Water, Holman Capital, and Meridiam. Public-private partnerships were being considered as well as traditional funding methods.

Superintendent of Water Operations Ronny Wright told the board that conditions were very dry at Willow Creek Ranch, one of the district’s sources of renewable surface water. Wright said new pumps that would allow the automatic dispensing of chemicals based on water flows were being discussed for the Holbein Water Treatment Facility.

Waste Plant Operator Aaron Tolman noted the equipment for ultraviolet disinfection had been replaced and the wastewater treatment plant’s 35-year-old generator had undergone repairs and was being tested more frequently than it had been previously.

Executive session

The meeting ended with an executive session to give Hodge his annual review.

**********

The next board meeting is scheduled for Thursday, June 19 at 1:30 p.m. Generally, board meetings are held the third Thursday of the month at 1:30 p.m. and include online access; call (719) 488-3603 or access www.donalawater.org to receive up-to-date meeting information. The district office is located at 15850 Holbein Drive, Colorado Springs.

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

Other Donala Water and Sanitation District articles

El Paso County Regional Loop Water Authority, 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.

**********

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

Monument Sanitation District, May 21 – Manhole overflow threatens Monument Lake

By Jackie Burhans and James Howald

In his Manager’s Report at the Monument Sanitation District (MSD) meeting in May, District Manager Mark Parker spoke about a wastewater release that required an emergency response from the district and led to a discussion about ownership of the manhole in question. The board heard comments from its auditor on the 2024 draft audit, welcomed Shannon Clark to the board, and elected officers.

Raspberry Point Townhomes manhole fails

Parker told the board that while he was traveling in Arizona in April he was contacted by Cheran Allsup, MSD’s accounts administrator, concerning a manhole that was releasing wastewater. He determined that the manhole was privately owned by the Raspberry Point Townhomes, which are on Raspberry Lane just north of Monument Lake. Parker decided to involve the district in addressing the issue due to the possibility that the wastewater could reach the lake. He called a contractor to clear the service line to the manhole and deal with standing wastewater. He reported the wastewater release to the state and determined that MSD does not have the manhole listed on its maps.

On May 14, the district received another call regarding an overflow from the same manhole. Parker had the service line examined by video camera and found a second portion that needed to be cleaned out. A belly, or low point, in the line was also detected. He called a contractor that got the line flowing a second time.

The homeowners association (HOA) for the Raspberry Point Townhomes believes that the service line and manhole belong to MSD, but there is no documentation establishing ownership, Parker said. The HOA told Parker it had a verbal agreement with a previous MSD district manager that MSD owns the manhole.. MSD has spent $5,000 to $7,000 on the problem, Parker said, adding the total cost is not clear yet because not all the invoices have been received.

Parker said he would continue to work with the HOA to determine ownership and would keep the board informed. He also thanked the Town of Monument and the Triview Metropolitan District for providing equipment that was used to keep the spill from reaching the lake.

2024 draft audit

Derek Watada, of Olson, Reyes & Sauerwein LLC, the district’s auditors, gave the board preliminary results of the 2024 audit. Watada said there were no major issues but noted that some bank accounts were not accurately reconciled and needed to be adjusted. He said the small size of the district’s staff made it challenging to segregate duties but he felt the district was properly mitigating this by having the entire board review the district’s finances.

Watada said the district was handling its accounts payable on a cash basis but its financial reporting on an accrual basis. He recommended moving to an accrual basis across the board and said his company or Haynie & Co., the district’s accountants, could help to make the district’s financial matters consistent. The board voted to approve Watada’s audit report.

Clark joins the board; officers elected

Shannon Clark joined the board at its May meeting, having been sworn in the previous day along with Director Skip Morgan. Clark replaces John Howe, who was term limited after serving two terms. Clark said she had served on the Town of Monument’s Home Rule Commission but had never served on any other board.

The board voted to elect Dan Hamilton to serve a second term as board president and to elect Janet Ladowski to remain as board secretary. Tony Archer was elected treasurer, a role previously held by Howe. Morgan will continue as the board liaison with the Joint Use Committee (JUC), which oversees the Tri-Lakes Waste Water Treatment Facility. The Town of Monument operates the facility jointly with the Town of Palmer Lake and the Woodmoor Water and Sanitation District. Clark will serve as Morgan’s alternate on the JUC.

**********

Monument Sanitation District meetings are held at 9 a.m. on the third Wednesday of the month in the district conference room at 130 Second St., Monument. The next regular meeting is scheduled for June 18. See https://MonumentSanitationDistrict.org. For a district service map, see https://MonumentSanitationDistrict.org/district-map. Information: 719-481-4886.

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

Other Monument Sanitation District articles

Triview Metropolitan District, May 22 – Bond passes; new board directors welcomed

By Natalie Barszcz

At the Triview Metropolitan District (TMD) meeting on May 22, the board approved a resolution to reimburse the district for expenses incurred before the approved $12.6 million bond is issued for the Higby Road widening project. The board heard a traffic study was in progress, and that the consumer confidence water study was complete and available to the public. The board also received an update on the efforts to reduce the unaccounted/unbilled water loss, welcomed the recently elected directors, and bid farewell to the outgoing directors. The board held an executive session to discuss the purchase and sale of water and land, economic incentive agreements, and agreements with the Town of Monument (TOM), and other governmental and private entities.

Election results

The district held an election on May 6 to determine three board of director positions from a pool of four candidates vying for three seats to be vacated due to the district’s eight-year term limitation policy. The election judges’ abstract of votes for the four-year term candidates were:

  • Erik Demkowicz 337 votes
  • John M Gibbons 345 votes
  • Ann-Marie Jojola 334 votes
  • Michael Gerald McEwen 318 votes

Gibbons and Jojola were sworn in as board directors during the May board meeting. Demkowicz signed his oath of office on May 20, and a public swearing-in ceremony will take place at the June meeting. The board decided to defer assigning board positions until June. The election results can be found at: www.triviewmetro.com.

Note: Ballots were mailed to each eligible voter residing in the district’s 2,315 homes.

Bond issuance

The May 6 ballot included a $12.6 million bond question to widen Higby Road from Jackson Creek Parkway through to Harness Road. Ballot question A passed with 60.42% yes and 39.58% no, or 344 votes for and 230 votes against.

District Manager James McGrady said, “The district is working with a bond underwriter to develop an official statement and expects to market the bonds in early to mid-July, sell the bonds late July, and potentially close the bonds for Higby Road late July. The bond market is unstable, and it did not help that Moody’s downgraded the U.S. government credit rating; the markets are in a bit of turmoil during the tariff impacts and the “big, beautiful bill” impact. The district will be watching the market and may delay the 30-year bond to late August before issuing the bonds, in an effort to lock in an interest rate lower than 4.96%. Everything may calm down, and maybe the Federal Reserve will lower the interest rate again. The district had bids on the project of about $6 million three years ago, and now the cost has doubled.”

McGrady said a common practice is to have a resolution to allow the district to reimburse itself should costs be incurred for the Higby Road widening project before the issuance of the $12.6 million bond. He requested the new board review and consider approval of Resolution 2025-06, a resolution of the TMD Board of Directors, declaring its official intent to reimburse itself with the proceeds of tax-exempt bonds for certain capital expenditures undertaken or to be undertaken by the district in relation to costs and purchases for the Higby Road project.

The board unanimously approved the resolution.

Traffic study underway

McGrady said Kimley-Horn is conducting a traffic study in the area of Lyons Tail Road and Jackson Creek Parkway to determine traffic control methods to improve safety and traffic flow. The study is expected to cost about $23,000, lower than anticipated due to a recent traffic study completed by Kimley-Horn for the developer of the proposed commercial area south of Blevins Buckle Trail that included traffic from Lewis Palmer High School during the school year, said McGrady. See https://wp.ocn.me.v25n5tmd/.

Assistant manager’s report

Assistant Manager Steve Sheffield said he had attended CPR and first aid training with the entire field staff, and he thanked Public Works and Parks and Open Space Superintendent Matt Rayno for setting up the one-day certification. The district felt this was a good certification for the district crews who interact with the public. And he said:

  • The district has 31 old commercial meters remaining to be replaced with Badger meters. It is hoped that the new meter replacements will shrink the amount of unbilled water.
  • He and district Water and Sewer Line Inspector Kevin Fackerell is working on the engineering standards to ensure compliance with the latest construction practices.
  • The RESPEC team is updating the district’s Water and Sewer Master Plan. The plan looks at projections for both water and sewer and advises staff on how to plan accordingly for growth. The completed revised plans are expected by the end of 2025.

2025 water quality reports available

Water Treatment Superintendent Gary Potter said the district’s statement and 2025 Consumer Confidence Report, using 2024 data, are available at www.triviewmetro.com and this year include the Colorado Springs Utilities (CSU) water quality report. The majority of the district’s water is being conveyed, treated, and delivered by CSU, and the annual water quality reports are required by the state, said Potter.

Unaccounted/unbilled water

Potter said the district produced 18.881 million gallons of water during the April billing cycle, of which 16.940 million gallons were sold to customers, leaving about 1.9 million gallons unaccounted. The staff is trying to determine if the loss is perceived loss or actual loss, and after verifying the accuracy of the production meters, in an effort to narrow the gap that is down for the past couple of months, the staff is also:

  • Working toward completing the meter replacement program to verify the accuracy of customer meters. Typically, ageing water meters allow more water through than they meter, so it is in the customers’ favor and not an actual loss.
  • Using a district-wide pressure map of six water zones, the staff is able to target areas to locate and repair leaks in the district’s irrigation service lines.
  • Working with Timber Line Electric and Control Corp. to integrate some additional meters into the SCADA reporting system.
  • Also:
  • The May water loss report will break down the water loss by pressure zone to help narrow the gap.
  • The aim is to track how many gallons are missing against tracking percentages throughout the year. The percentage varies from high to low season, when irrigation is not in use.

Demkowicz asked if the fire hydrants are metered within the district’s construction zones.

Potter said, “The hydrants are metered and construction companies are required to collect a fire hydrant meter from the district, and those meter numbers are then reported to the billing staff. There have been instances when Monument Fire Department (MFD) [has] used fire hydrants unmetered during training activity, and in an emergency, you do what you have to do. The district does not charge MFD for using fire hydrant water and continues to work with MFD to help account for the district’s water use.”

McGrady said, “The price to deliver the district’s water to the district via CSU is $9.39 per 1,000 gallons, so when thousands of gallons of water are spewing out unmetered during firefighter training, it is real money. The district is paying a pretty penny for the convey, treat, and deliver service from CSU and does not want a big gap between produced water and sold water. The rate studies conducted to assess consumer rates assume there is a closed balance, and the unaccounted 2 to 3 million gallons found over the past few months does not help the district’s finances. MFD [has] a meter to use for training, and the Fire Department [is] now reporting the gallon usage after opening the fire hydrants for training purposes.”

Utility update

Potter said the following:

  • The Forest Lakes Metropolitan District Sanitary Survey was completed in early May.
  • The district’s Sanitary Survey is anticipated later this summer.
  • The wastewater flume has been recalibrated and appears to be reading accurately at the Upper Monument Creek Regional Wastewater Treatment Facility (UMCRWWTF). A laser flow meter will be installed upstream of the flume to verify accuracy. Historically, the effluent meters were not matching the two combined influent meters to the UMCRWWTF.
  • The Northern Delivery System produced 91% of the water for the district in April with 1.64 million gallons produced by wells.

Financial update

The board accepted the April financial report and approved 20 checks over $5,000 for almost $1.344 million. Of note was the payment of $627,922 for a budgeted capital project: enterprise water improvements for the Arkansas Valley Irrigation Co. augmentation station/diversion structure/recharge pond.

McGrady said, “This time last month the district was substantially trailing 2024 in sales tax revenue, collected under the intergovernmental agreement (IGA) between the TOM and TMD. The district receives 1.5% of the 3% sales tax revenue collected by the TOM from businesses within TMD, and a portion of Monument Police Department sales tax. The district has about $11 million in the bank, with only a little revenue received since October 2024. Funds will increase dramatically as the water sales grow during the summer months. The district initially had to charge 35 mills for the debt service, but with increased growth the district has lowered the mills to 14. The district is making serious progress and has less than 20 years to go before the debt service is paid down.”

The board unanimously approved the checks and accepted the financial report.

Executive session

The board moved into an executive session at 8:51 p.m. to discuss the purchase, acquisition, lease, transfer, or sale of real, personal, or other property interests needed by the district, pursuant to Colorado Revised Statutes (CRS) section 24-6-402(a), and to receive legal advice pursuant to CRS section 24-6-402(4)(b), as it relates to water matters and agreements with the Town of Monument (TOM), and other governmental and private entities. The session also determined the district’s positions relative to matters that may be subject to negotiations, related to the purchase and sale of water and land, economic incentive agreements, and agreements with the TOM, and other governmental and private entities pursuant to CRS, section 24-6-402(4)(e).

Sheffield confirmed to this reporter that when the board returned to the regular session at 9:33 p.m., no action was taken by the board, and the meeting promptly adjourned.

**********

Above: From left, Vice President Anthony Sexton, Secretary/Treasurer James Barnhart, and President Mark Melville appear at the TMD Administrative Offices after receiving hand-blown crystal commemorative plaques in recognition of their eight-year service to the district. The plaques read: “Great achievements are nurtured with the cooperation of many minds with a common vision working toward a common goal.” McGrady thanked the board for its contribution to the district and said the board had been the easiest to work with and he cannot thank them enough for trusting him to do the right thing for the district’s future. Gross read a letter of thanks to the outgoing board directors during the farewell ceremony. Photo by Natalie Barszcz. See also the Letter to Our Community from the Triview board.

Meetings are usually held on the third Thursday of the month at the district office located at 16055 Old Forest Point, Suite 302. The next regular meeting is scheduled for June 19 at 5:30 p.m. A board workshop is scheduled June 20 from 9 to noon, to update the board directors on Special District Association matters. For meeting agendas, minutes, and updates, visit https://triviewmetro.com.

Natalie Barszcz can be reached at nataliebarszcz@ocn.me.

Other Triview Metropolitan District articles

Woodmoor Water and Sanitation District, April 14 – Board moves accounts to Integrity Bank and Trust

By James Howald

In April, the Woodmoor Water and Sanitation District (WWSD) board authorized staff to move the district’s bank accounts to Integrity Bank and Trust. It scheduled two special board meetings. The board heard a financial report from Board Treasurer Roy Martinez and operational reports from District Manager Jessie Shaffer, Operations Superintendent Dan LaFontaine, and District Engineer Cydney Saelens.

Check fraud leads to change of banks

Shaffer asked the board to authorize staff to move the district’s bank accounts from Community Banks of Colorado to Integrity Bank and Trust. Shaffer said the district had been the victim of a “check washing” scheme: a WWSD check made out to a vendor had been intercepted by someone who removed the district’s name and address from the check and substituted their own. The amount of the check was not changed, Shaffer said. The incident required WWSD to close its accounts with Community Banks of Colorado; Shaffer said the district would also implement an additional control on its bank accounts called “positive pay,” which will require district staff to review and clear checks every day at 8 a.m. in perpetuity.

Shaffer said the district already has an investment account at Integrity Bank and Trust and district staff have been pleased with the bank’s customer service. He said the new bank offered the same services as Community Banks and had slightly higher interest rates.

Office Manager Cory Lynch said she was familiar with Integrity Bank and that it had low fees.

The board authorized the transition to Integrity Bank.

Special board meetings scheduled

The board scheduled a special meeting to award a drilling contract for well 12R, a new well that will be drilled in the South Woodmoor Preserve, to be held on April 28 at 9 a.m. at the WWSD offices at 1845 Woodmoor Dr. Shaffer said bids for the contract would open on April 17, so the board should be ready to award the contract quickly.

A second special board meeting, at which newly appointed board member Dana Franzen will take the seat currently held by Director Dan Beley, was scheduled for May 7 at 1 p.m. at the WWSD offices. Martinez commended Beley for six years of service on the board: Beley was initially appointed to serve the last two years of another board member’s term and then was elected to another four-year term.

At the May 7 meeting, the board will also make any appointments necessary to fill vacancies and will elect officers. Board Secretary Bill Clewe said he could not attend the meeting but was willing to serve another term as secretary and supported board President Brian Bush to serve another two years as president. Bush, who attended the meeting remotely, had offered to continue as president at the March board meeting.

Financial report

Martinez told the board that supplemental water sales did well in early 2025. (Users of supplemental water pay a higher rate than customers who stay within the standard water allotment.) Shaffer said La Plata Communities had elected to take advantage of a one-year delay in supplemental water rate increases that WWSD offered to developers in good standing for its Waterside development and its purchase of supplemental water had contributed to that revenue increase.

Martinez noted that tap fees were 6% under target. He said the purchase of a second three-quarter-ton truck had raised expenditures.

The board voted unanimously to accept the financial report.

Operational reports

In his Manager’s Report, Shaffer mentioned House Bill 25-1211, which regulates tap fees imposed by special districts such as WWSD. Shaffer said WWSD’s tap fee policies already align with the requirements of the bill, but the bill also says water districts must serve all proposed developments if the districts have the capacity to serve. He speculated that developers had influenced the progress of the bill.

Shaffer said a crew was preparing the Chilcott Ditch to begin delivering water to shareholders and the years-long revegetation work, required by the reclassification of Woodmoor Ranch’s water from agricultural to municipal use, was coming to a close, and was primarily addressing weed control rather than planting native grasses.

In his Operations Report, Operation Superintendent Dan LaFontaine provided additional detail about maintenance of the Chilcott Ditch. LaFontaine said the annual ditch maintenance included mowing, tree removal and stabilization of the ditch banks using riprap. He said an additional gate was being added to better regulate water flow through the ditch and avoid surges following rainstorms.

LaFontaine said he was continuing to work on identifying the causes of water loss in WWSD’s infrastructure by adding water tank storage levels to his analysis, in addition to meter testing and having his crews be vigilant for evidence of leaks. He said a contractor had noted the presence of water during construction of a new home and that led to the discovery of a leaking saddle, which was repaired. LaFontaine said his goal was to keep unaccounted water under 10%, which would be considered excellent by industry standards. In March, about 15% of the water produced was unaccounted for, according to LaFontaine.

LaFontaine said the meter replacement project was on track to install 1,200 meters this year, which would complete residential replacements.

In her Engineer’s Report, Saelens said she was working with JVA Consulting Engineers on a plan to decommission one of the district’s lift stations. Decommissioning the lift station would cost $630,000 but would save the district money in the long run.

**********

The next meeting is on May 12 at 1 p.m. Meetings are usually held on the second Monday of each month at 1 p.m. at the district office at 1845 Woodmoor Drive. Please see www.woodmoorwater.com or call 719-488-2525 to verify meeting times and locations.

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

Other Woodmoor Water and Sanitation District articles

Monument Sanitation District, April 16 – District plans for Buc-ee’s impact

By Jackie Burhans and James Howald

At the Monument Sanitation District’s (MSD) April meeting, District Manager Mark Parker updated the board on work underway to ensure the district’s collection system can handle the estimated wastewater from the proposed Buc-ee’s travel center. Parker also updated the board on issues at the district’s headquarters building. Board Treasurer John Howe, who is term-limited and will be replaced by Shannon Clark at the board’s May meeting, said goodbye to the other board members.

Pipeline capacity examined

Parker told the board that he was working with GMS Inc., the district’s consulting engineers, to assess the existing pipelines and manholes between Dirty Woman Creek Park and the Tri-Lakes Waste Water Treatment Facility (TLWWTF). The park and the treatment facility are both on Mitchell Avenue south of Mount Herman Road, about a half mile apart from each other. GMS is documenting the rim and invert elevations, pipe sizes, and material types of each manhole and performing a hydraulic evaluation to determine the current capacity of the system.

Parker said the proposed Buc-ee’s travel center would produce an estimated 15,000 gallons of wastewater per day. The 12-inch pipeline that runs between the park and the treatment facility is currently carrying about one-eighth of its maximum capacity, Parker said. He estimated the wastewater from the travel center would have minimal impact on the pipeline.

One manhole remains to be documented, Parker said, adding he was not sure it made sense to open it for inspection due to its location under Dirty Woman Creek. The manhole had been examined by video, he said.

Parker said he would meet with GMS later in the day to verify the existing infrastructure, including pipeline capacity and the TLWWTF, can handle the travel center’s wastewater if it is built.

MSD headquarters to receive new tree

Parker told the board that the Town of Monument would replace the tree in the MSD headquarters’ courtyard with a chokecherry on Arbor Day, April 25. The old tree was improperly installed, he said, and was dying. See Arbor Day photo on page < 21 >.

Parker also mentioned that an expansion tank in the building had been replaced.

Howe bids the board farewell

Having completed his second and final term on the MSD board, Howe wished the best for Shannon Clark, who will replace him. He thanked Chairman Dan Hamilton for his leadership, Director William Morgan for agreeing to fill a vacancy on the board and volunteering to be the board’s liaison with the Joint Use Committee that oversees the TLWWTF, Secretary Janet Ladowski for her wealth of scientific knowledge, and Director Anthony Archer for his background with sanitation.

Howe also said goodbye to Parker, to Accounts Administrator Cheran Allsup, and Operations Specialist James Kendrick.

**********

Monument Sanitation District meetings are held at 9 a.m. on the third Wednesday of the month in the district conference room at 130 Second St., Monument. The next regular meeting is scheduled for May 21. See https://MonumentSanitationDistrict.org. For a district service map, see https://MonumentSanitationDistrict.org/district-map. Information: 719-481-4886.

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

Other Monument Sanitation District articles

Triview Metropolitan District, April 17 – Economic development incentive approved for retail development

By Natalie Barszcz

At the Triview Metropolitan District (TMD) meeting on April 17, the board approved an economic development incentive agreement for a 30-acre retail site adjacent to Monument Marketplace, awarded the construction contract for its administrative building and utility operations center, and awarded the Phase 2 agreement for the construction of the 1.5-million-gallon tank in Promontory Pointe. The board held an executive session to discuss the purchase and sale of water and land, economic incentive agreements, and agreements with the Town of Monument (TOM) and other governmental and private entities.

Board candidates Erik Demkowicz and Ann-Marie Jojola attended the meeting (see below for election details).

Economic incentive development agreement approved

District Manager James McGrady requested the board consider an economic development incentive agreement with Legacy Development Partners LLC (LDP) that consists of sales tax share back, utility tap fee concessions, and infrastructure construction assistance.

Chris Hake, founder of LDP, said the agreement had been a long time in the making, taking years of coordination with the property owner to plan the proposed 30-acre retail development on the southside of Blevins Buckle Trail (behind Home Depot and Kohls). The developed site could deliver over 250,000 square feet of new commercial space, anchored by a large national retailer, with a blend of local, regional and national restaurants, other stores, and a potential site for a four-story hotel on the southeast portion of the development. The proposed major anchor tenant would be the first to open its doors around October 2027, said Hake.

In a 3-0 vote, the board approved the development incentive agreement and authorized McGrady to sign. Secretary/Treasurer James Barnhart arrived after the motion had passed.

Later in the meeting, the five-member board, all in favor of the economic incentive development agreement, discussed the need for a South Jackson Creek Parkway traffic flow study. The board anticipates increased traffic flow during the construction phase and after the development is built, with a need for traffic pattern upgrades before the new retail area opens.

Note: The district would provide the necessary road upgrades for Jackson Creek Parkway as part of the economic development incentive. After the main retail store is built, the district expects reimbursement will be made through the collection of tap fees and the road and bridge fees from the development of the remaining 10 sites within the development. The district would also receive property tax revenue from the site occupants, and a portion of the sales tax revenue.

Construction award

McGrady said the district received six bids for the construction of the district’s Administrative Building and Utility Operations Center to be built on a 2-acre site at West Baptist Road and North Terrazzo Drive. See https://wp.ocn.me.v25n1tmd/. The district received several bids around the $4 million mark and he requested the board award the contract to Crossland Construction Company Inc. to construct the building for about $3.382 million. The board awarded the contract, with McGrady authorized to sign it, in a 4-0 vote. Director Jason Gross arrived after the motion passed.

Water storage tank update

McGrady requested the board approve the CM/GC agreement between TMD and Kiewit Infrastructure for Phase 2 of the water storage tank construction services for $971,800. And he said:

  • The district is using about $700,000 of the $1 million grant from the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) for Phase 2 of the 1.5-million-gallon water storage tank project, to be located alongside the existing tank at B Plant, St. Lawrence Way, in Promontory Pointe.
  • Phase 3 will take place in 2026 using the remaining $300,000 of the ARPA grant to make the site ready for a tank almost identical to the existing tank, just slightly larger.

The board unanimously approved the agreement for Phase 2 with authorization for McGrady to sign the contract. See https://wp.ocn.me.v25n1tmd/.

Financial update

The board accepted the February and March financial report and approved 21 checks over $5,000 for about $1.3 million. Of note was the payment of $257,774 for the budgeted and recently received snowplow dump truck.

McGrady said the district’s cash position is good and property tax revenue was deposited in March with the second deposit expected in June. Cash is going out for various projects, and some financing is necessary to move projects forward. For the second month in a row, the sales tax distributed by the TOM to the district was lower than expected. The town notified the district that some businesses are delinquent in making tax payments, and town staff continue to send out delinquency notices and hand deliver requests for payment to those businesses.

The state used to handle taxes for the town until the town adopted the voter-approved Home Rule Charter and then began self-collecting sales tax revenues, however collecting sales tax requires a skill set that the town did not have, therefore, the town had to engage a consultant to assist with the collection of sales tax revenue. It is costing the town money to collect sales tax, a service the state completed in the past, said McGrady.

Note: According to the current intergovernmental agreement (IGA) between the TOM and TMD, the district currently receives 1.5% of the sales tax revenue collected by the TOM from businesses within the town. The town also distributes Regional Building Use Tax and Motor Vehicle Tax to the district.

Outgoing director comments

Vice Chair Anthony Sexton, who is leaving the board, thanked the staff, the previous and incumbent board directors, and water attorney Chris Cummins for his expertise on water. He said he continues to learn and has thoroughly enjoyed his eight-year tenure, and said, “Great things are happening in the district and I am confident that the district will continue to accomplish even more. It is easy to table action, but with regard to making decisions about water and infrastructure, it is risky, as everything gets more expensive when you sit on your hands. Nothing good happens by not developing in the Tri-Lakes area community, shutting down smart development does not help a great community improve roads and schools, and does not pay our teachers and police department more, it only brings higher taxes.

“As a board director on a water utility board, it is not my job to advocate for development, but without wise development the district cannot provide residents with renewable water and upgraded wastewater services, and maintain roads and parks. It is important to take a responsible approach that is not anti or pro anything, just considering things, and allowing the town to make the development decisions. Without development the district does not receive the revenue needed to provide great services, and taxing the daylights out of people to provide good service, is not the way forward, but it is wise to spread costs out for future residents that may move here in the next 10 to 15 years,” said Sexton.

Independent mail ballot election

The district will hold an election on May 6 to determine three board of director positions. Four candidates are vying for three seats to be vacated due to term limitations. The ballot also includes a question relating to a $12.6 million bond to widen Higby Road from Jackson Creek Parkway through to Harness Road. Please note all ballots must be signed and delivered to one of the following locations:

  • The secured metal box inside the district office at 16055 Old Forest Point, Suite 302, Monument, available only during regular business hours and through 7 p.m. on May 6.
  • Mailed/dropped off with the designated election official by 7 p.m. on May 6 at 2154 E. Commons Ave., Suite 2000, Centennial, CO 80122-1880.

Specific office timings for dropping off ballots, and information about the candidates and the proposed Higby Road widening project related to the bond question, can be found at https://triviewmetro.com.

Executive session

The board moved into an executive session at 7:58 p.m. to discuss the purchase, acquisition, lease, transfer or sale of real, personal, or other property interests needed by the district, pursuant to Colorado Revised Statutes section 24-6-402(a), and to receive legal advice pursuant to CRS section 24-6-402(4)(b), as it relates to water matters and agreements with the TOM and other governmental and private entities. The session also determined the district’s positions relative to matters that may be subject to negotiations, as it related to the purchase and sale of water and land, economic incentive agreements, and agreements with the TOM, and other governmental and private entities pursuant to CRS, section 24-6-402(4)(e).

Sheffield confirmed to this reporter that when the board moved back into the regular session at 8:31 p.m., no action was taken and the meeting promptly adjourned at 8:32 p.m.

**********

Meetings are usually held on the third Thursday of the month at the district office located at 16055 Old Forest Point, Suite 302. The next regular meeting is scheduled for May 22 at 5:30 p.m. For meeting agendas, minutes, and updates, visit https://triviewmetro.com.

Natalie Barszcz can be reached at nataliebarszcz@ocn.me.

Other Triview Metropolitan District 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.

**********

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

Donala Water and Sanitation District, April 17 – Workshop covers finances, water supply

By James Howald and Jackie Burhans

On April17, the Donala Water and Sanitation District (DWSD) held a workshop and a regular board meeting. At the workshop, General Manager Jeff Hodge presented the district’s financial policy. Brett Gracely and Helen Malenda-Lawrence, both consultants with LRE Water, addressed several technical issues, including DWSD’s ground and surface water assets, the four large capital projects the district has underway, and techniques to manage the district’s well field. Board President Wayne Vanderschuere discussed ways to improve public outreach.

At its regular meeting, the board considered a resolution that authorizes “integrated project delivery” by pre-approving three contractors and heard a progress report on well 7D-R from Hodge.

Financial strategy to remain unchanged

Hodge told the board that DWSD’s financial strategy was built on four funds: the Bond Reserve Fund, the Strategic Reserve Fund, the Capital Reserve Fund and the Operating Reserve Fund. The district also maintains a Water Fund and a Wastewater Fund that are used for monthly expenses.

The Bond Reserve Fund is established as a condition of the bonds the district has issued. The district’s bonds were refinanced in 2020, saving the district $170,000 per year in debt service. The funds are protected by bond covenants and can be used only in the event of a default or to pay down principal. It has a balance of $1.25 million, Hodge said.

The Strategic Reserve Fund holds property tax revenues beyond what is needed for operating costs and capital expenses. Strategic Reserve funds are used to acquire water rights, build storage capacity and take advantage of conveyance opportunities. Wells, which typically cost around $2 million to drill, are financed with money from this fund. The balance in this fund fluctuates depending on buying opportunities; the balance is currently $4.44 million, according to Hodge.

The Capital Reserve Fund is established from capital revenues and is used for large-scale projects such as the upgrades installed at the Holbein Water Treatment Plant to remediate radium levels and the repair of water storage tanks. The fund’s balance is $3.6 million.

The Operating Reserve Fund has a balance sufficient to operate the district for six months and is used to protect the district from unforeseen cost increases such as increases in water costs, treatment costs, and emergency repairs. The balance is $3.2 million.

The total of all four funds is about $12.5 million, Hodge said. That amount was confirmed to be adequate by Raftelis, a company that does financial modeling and rates studies for local governments and utilities. Hodge said he recommended making no changes to the four funds.

Water supply and projects

Gracely and Malenda-Lawrence reviewed DWSD’s groundwater and surface water supplies.

The district operates 13 wells, nine of which produce water from the Arapahoe aquifer and four from the Denver aquifer. One of the Arapahoe aquifer wells is out of production and one of the Denver aquifer wells is currently being redrilled. The Arapahoe wells are permitted by the state to provide a maximum of 1,513.7 acre-feet of water per year; actual production is less than that amount. The Denver aquifer wells can provide a maximum of 1,141 acre-feet per year.

DWSD’s maximum groundwater supply totals 2,671 acre-feet per year; actual production is less. Groundwater is a finite resource; as aquifer levels decline, groundwater becomes more expensive to produce until it is no longer a viable resource.

Water from DWSD’s wells is treated at two treatment plants: the R. Hull Water Treatment Plant and the Holbein Water Treatment Plant (HWTP). The two plants together deliver 820.7 acre-feet of water to customers each year.

In addition to its groundwater supplies, DWSD has rights to renewable surface water from the Willow Creek Ranch, which is in Lake County near Leadville, as well as to water from the Laughlin Ditch, which originates in Stratmoor, an unincorporated community near Fountain.

DWSD’s Willow Creek Ranch water rights are 1890 senior irrigation rights converted in water court to municipal uses. The district has rights to a maximum of 280 acre-feet of water per year from the ranch. Currently, this water is stored in the Pueblo Reservoir and then treated and delivered to DWSD customers by Colorado Springs Utilities (CSU) at a high cost that increases with each contract renewal. DWSD has plans to deliver this water to its customers using the Loop water re-use project, without incurring the CSU charges.

The district’s Laughlin Ditch water rights are 1860 senior irrigation rights, originally used to irrigate a pasture, that were converted to municipal uses in 1975. DWSD leases this water to the Arkansas Groundwater and Reservoir Association. (Arkansas in this instance refers to the Arkansas River, not the state.) The district is considering plans to exchange this water to the confluence of the Monument and Beaver Creeks, thereby making it available to district customers.

Gracely and Malenda-Lawrence gave the board an overview of four projects the district is working on:

  • Well 7D replacement: Expected to cost $2 million to $2.5 million, well 7D, which failed in 2020, will be redrilled and renamed well 7D-R. The failure of well 11D in late 2024 left the HWTP with no access to water from the Denver aquifer. Well 7D-R will restore HWTP’s access to Denver aquifer water and should be in production by late summer 2025.
  • The Loop water re-use project: A collaborative water supply initiative involving DWSD, Woodmoor Water and Sanitation and the Town of Monument, the Loop will divert water, including reuseable effluent, from Fountain Creek, and treat, store and convey it to customers in the participating entities. The Loop is a large-scale, long-term project expected to be completed in 2030 or 2031. The Loop received $4 million in start-up financing from the Biden administration’s American Recovery Plan Act and is currently in design phase. Preliminary estimates for the project’s cost are close to $160 million.
  • Aquifer Storage and Recovery: This pilot study will use well 9A to recharge the Arapahoe aquifer, using the aquifer to store treated water for later use without any loss to evaporation. It is partially funded by the Colorado Conservation Board’s Water Plan Grant, with a $2.4 million match from DWSD.
  • Direct Potable Reuse: This project will begin the establishment of a system to deliver treated effluent to customers without first returning it to a river or stream. This project does not have an estimated cost.

Well 7-DR update

Hodge told the board that a retaining wall for the well, which is adjacent to the district’s offices at 15850 Holbein Dr., should be started by April 21. The next step is to build a sound wall to protect the nearby homes from the noise of drilling as much as possible. Following the drilling, electrical work, pump installation and approval of water samples will take place. The well could be in production by August, Hodge said.

Above: Donala Water and Sanitation District (DWSD) prepares its Holbein Drive headquarters upper parking lot site to re-drill well 7D. The new well, 7D-R, will restore Denver aquifer water delivery to the Holbein Water Treatment Plant (HWTP) after well 11D failed. The $2 million-$2.5 million project is expected to be operational by August. DWSD will install retaining and sound walls before drilling, do electrical work, and install a pump. Recent upgrades include rehabilitating the HWTP and maintaining water tanks. Photo by Jackie Burhans.

Well field management

Malenda-Lawrence discussed the ways DWSD’s wells can be managed as a well field to extend the life of the underlying aquifers and to remain within the maximum amounts the district is allowed to pump from the Arapahoe and Denver aquifers. She cautioned the board that maximum amounts permitted does not ensure that wells can produce that amount of water. Well age and condition affect well production and the district may choose to run some wells at a throttled rate to avoid deterioration. “Low and slow” is the best way to operate a well for aquifer health, she said.

Hodge commented that the well field study and a dashboard developed by Malenda-Lawrence were helpful in predicting the impact of decisions about how to run individual wells.

Malenda-Lawrence said she used aquifer testing data, sustainable pumping rates, water blending scenarios, and water rights to help water operators make strategic decisions about how to use wells.

Steve Ravel, a project manager with Merrick & Co., reported on a Geographic Information System he developed that maps the district’s distribution and collection systems and provides a database operators can use to make decisions and maintain the infrastructure.

Plan to improve public outreach

Vanderschuere said public outreach builds trust and confidence in the district’s customers and said more needed to be done in that arena because the board relies on customer support. He suggested developing a packet of information that could be given to new residents that would help them understand the special districts that deliver services to them. He also proposed using open houses to build relationships with district customers.

“Integrated project delivery” resolution

Hodge asked the board to consider Resolution 2025-3, which pre-approves three contractors—Lando Excavation LLC, Iron Woman Construction and Environmental Services LLC, and RJ Gleeson Construction—to provide services in urgent situations without going through a typical bidding process. Pre-approval aims to increase efficiency, fast-track design and construction, and provide more quality assurance. The board voted unanimously in favor of the resolution.

**********

The next board meeting is scheduled for Thursday, May 15 at 1:30 p.m. Generally, board meetings are held the third Thursday of the month at 1:30 p.m. and include online access; call (719) 488-3603 or access www.donalawater.org to receive up-to-date meeting information. The March meeting was delayed by one week to allow adequate notice of a public hearing. The district office is located at 15850 Holbein Drive, Colorado Springs.

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

Other Donala Water and Sanitation District articles

Forest Lakes Metropolitan District and Pinon Pines Metropolitan District 3, March 3 – Bonds approved for commercial district; covenant policy enforcement

By Natalie Barszcz

At the Forest Lakes Metropolitan District (FLMD) and Pinon Pines Metropolitan District (PLMD) 3 special meeting on March 3, the board approved the General Obligation limited tax convertible Capital Appreciation Bonds, Series 2025, and approved a covenant policy and design review enforcement resolution for the commercial district.

In attendance were FLMD Manager Ann Nichols, Tom Blunk of CP Real Estate Capital, representing Forest Lakes LLC and Forest Lakes Residential Development, District Attorney Nicole Peykov of Spencer Fane law firm, and the following board directors: Secretary Joe Loidolt, president of Classic Homes, Director/resident James Boulton, vice president/project manager of Classic Homes, and Director Steve Schlosser, a project manager for Classic Homes.

President George Lenz, executive vice president of finance for Classic Homes and Treasurer/Secretary Douglas Stimple, chief executive officer of Classic Homes, did not attend.

There were no public comments made during the meeting.

PPMD 3 capital appreciation bonds

Peykov requested the board consider approving the issuance of General Obligation limited tax convertible Capital Appreciation Bonds, Series 2025 for PPMD 3, with a principal amount not to exceed $21 million.

Bond counsel Tiffany Lu Leichman of Taft Stettinius & Hollister LLP summarized the parameters resolution and the bond documents and said the bonds are expected to maintain a fixed interest rate for about a 30-year term. The pledged debt service will be capped at 40 mills subject to an adjustment with a minimum levy of 32 mills. The total maximum repayment will be $27 million with a maximum of 18% interest to a maturity date of no later than Dec. 1, 2056.

Blunk said the service plan allows 50 mills but capped the debt service at 40 mills and is working toward 32 mills. The decision to begin with 40 mills was indicative of the market at the time the commercial development in PPMD 3 began.

The board approved the resolution and identified Nichols as the district representative with Lenz designated as the board representative to execute the documents and other items related to the issuance of the bonds.

Kyle Thomas of D.A. Davidson said the pricing will be assessed at the beginning of April with a tentative closing on April 10.

Peykov said that all signatures will be collected before the closing, and she requested the board approve all the engagement letters for Causey Public Finance LLC and Taft Stettinius & Hollister LLP, ratifying the development strategies pertaining to the preparation of market and tax assessment study, and the ratification of the D.A. Davidson engagement letter.

The board approved ratification of the engagement letters.

PPMD 3 covenant enforcement

Peykov requested the board adopt and approve a PPMD 3 resolution adopting policies concerning covenant enforcement and design review services, limited to PPMD 3 for the property within its boundaries. Peykov said covenant violations are recorded against the property, but under a bill that was passed in the last state legislative session metropolitan districts that provide covenant enforcement and design review services are required to have certain policies in place.

For metro districts with only commercial property within their boundaries, those new policies are limited to having a policy in place, for when the district would impose fines and provide notice to any alleged violators. The district policy is limited to imposing fines and the steps it would need to take. The district provides services regardless of the types of properties, but the current policy could be corrected to include requirements for residential properties should those types of properties be included in the commercial district, said Peykov.

The board approved the covenant enforcement and design policy.

The meetings adjourned at 4:22 p.m.

**********

Meetings are usually held quarterly or when necessary on the first Monday of the month at 4 p.m., via Teleconference. Meeting notices are posted at least 24 hours in advance at https://forestlakesmetrodistrict.com. For general questions, contact District Manager Ann Nichols at 719-327-5810, anicholsduffy@aol.com.

Natalie Barszcz can be reached at nataliebarszcz@ocn.me.

Other Forest Lake Metropolitan District articles

Woodmoor Water and Sanitation District, March 10 – Board authorizes easement agreement for Well 12R

By James Howald

The Woodmoor Water and Sanitation District (WWSD) board authorized an easement agreement between the district and the Woodmoor Improvement Association (WIA) at the March 10 meeting. The board amended its agreement with the Loop water reuse project. The board heard a financial report from board Treasurer Roy Martinez and operational reports from District Manager Jessie Shaffer, Operations Superintendent Dan LaFontaine, and District Engineer Cyndey Saelens. The meeting ended with an executive session.

Easement agreement authorized

Shaffer asked the board to authorize a temporary construction easement between WWSD and the WIA that facilitates well 12R to be drilled in the South Woodmoor Preserve. The easement agreement covers an area just under a third of an acre west of Muzzle Loader Way between lots 349 and 351. The easement will allow WWSD to drill well 12R, build a well house, and install safety bollards, concrete pads, and pipelines. After the well is drilled, the temporary easement will transition to a permanent utility easement just under one-tenth of an acre in the same location.

Resident Tish Norman told the board she lives close to the location where the well will be drilled and had concerns about lighting and noise during the three-week period when the well is being drilled. Shaffer said all the nearby residents would receive notices once both WWSD and WIA sign the easement agreement. He said temporary soundwalls would be installed to reduce the noise caused by drilling and the lighting would have hoods to lessen the impact on neighbors. Board President Brian Bush added that the land would be restored once the drilling and construction concluded.

The board voted unanimously to authorize the easement agreement to be signed by a representative of WWSD. The agreement will take effect once it is also signed by WIA.

Agreement with the Loop amended

Shaffer explained that the amendment to the agreement between WWSD and the Loop addressed two issues: the number of Loop board members each participating district would appoint and the requirement for a unanimous vote of members present to approve any action by the Loop board.

Shaffer said that the withdrawal of the Cherokee Metropolitan District (CMD) from the Loop in December 2024 created a procedural problem for the Loop board. Under the existing agreement, each member district appoints one member to the Loop board. CMD’s withdrawal left only three water districts participating in the Loop, which meant that two Loop board members constituted a quorum. Any conversation between two Loop board members was therefore a public meeting that had to comply with Colorado’s open meeting laws, including an announcement of the conversation 24 hours in advance. A quorum of two was constraining discussion between board members, Shaffer said

To fix this, in the case where there are less than four participating districts, the amended agreement gives each participating district two board members, thereby requiring four board members to constitute a quorum and allowing for informal discussions between board members. If there are four or more participating districts, then each district appoints a single member of the Loop board.

The amended agreement also specifies that all board actions require a quorum and a unanimous vote of the members present.

The board voted in favor of the amended agreement and appointed LaFontaine to be WWSD’s second board member in addition to Shaffer. Saelens is the alternate Loop board member.

Financial report

Martinez told the board that the district was moving from cash-based accounting to accrual-based accounting, which meant the monthly financial reports would always be for the previous month. Bush explained accrual-based accounting shows what was billed, not what was received, and that figures would reconcile over time.

The board voted unanimously to accept the financial report.

Operational reports

In his Manager’s Report, Shaffer discussed a water reuse study underway by Colorado Springs Utilities (CSU) that parallels the Loop. The two projects could share some infrastructure, such as reservoirs, Shaffer said, adding he expected CSU’s study to be complete in a year.

Shaffer noted two water-related bills under consideration by the state Legislature. A bill to allow unlimited harvesting of rainwater was postponed indefinitely, he said. A bill regulating how tap fees can be used and prohibiting embedding operating costs in them was likely to pass, he said. WWSD tap fees already comply with the requirements of the bill, according to Shaffer.

In his Operations Report, LaFontaine said that after three months of greater than normal water loss, he had concluded that there were leaks in the water distribution system that had not yet surfaced. He asked his staff to be on the lookout for evidence of leaks and said he was evaluating technologies that could identify leaks. He noted two well failures: Well 10 had a motor fail and Well 21 had a variable flow device fail.

In her Engineer’s Report, Saelens said she was working with Classic Homes on timelines for its Monument Junction developments. She said the district’s newest Dawson aquifer well had encountered a setback requiring a change to the way the well is built.

Bush noted that his term of office as president of the board will end on May 6. He said the board can appoint him as president for the remainder of his two-year term on the board, adding he would serve if the board wishes.

Executive session

The meeting ended with an executive session to determine negotiating positions and to confer with legal counsel on potential agreements with CSU.

No actions were taken following the executive session.

**********

The next meeting is on April 14 at 1 p.m. Meetings are usually held on the second Monday of each month at 1 p.m. at the district office at 1845 Woodmoor Drive. Please see www.woodmoorwater.com or call 719-488-2525 to verify meeting times and locations.

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

Other Woodmoor Water and Sanitation District articles

Monument Sanitation District, Mar. 19 –Upcoming election canceled

By Jackie Burhans and James Howald

At its March meeting, the Monument Sanitation District (MSD) announced the cancelation of the election scheduled for May 6, which would have filled two board seats. Resident Chad Smith raised concerns about the self-nomination process by which candidates declare their intention to run for the MSD board. In his Manager’s Report, District Manager Mark Parker updated the board on maintenance issues at the district’s headquarters building and on the effort to encourage customers to pay their bills online.

Two candidates for two available seats

Parker told the board that, because the number of candidates matched the number of seats available on the board, there was no need to hold an election. The two candidates will serve four-year terms, Parker said. Some of the incumbent board members are serving three-year terms due to a decision by the state Legislature to move special district elections to odd years.

Board President Dan Hamilton said the two candidates were Shannon Clark, who was applying for her first term on the board, and Skip Morgan, who is an incumbent. Board Treasurer John Howe is term-limited and will leave the board.

Smith speaks to difficulty in self-nomination

Smith told the board that he had tried to nominate himself as a board candidate but had been unable to successfully complete his paperwork. According to the district’s website, the deadline for self-nomination forms to be submitted was Friday, Feb. 28 at 4 p.m. Smith said he emailed Kara Winters, of Collins Cole Winn & Ulmer PLLC, the Designated Election Official overseeing the election, at 2:13 p.m. on Feb. 28 with a question; he did not receive a reply until 3:49 p.m.

Smith said he tried to go to the district office, but it was closed. He pointed out the nomination form did not correctly specify the time on Feb. 28 after which forms would no longer be accepted. Smith said he received another email from Winters, which he did not have time to look at, but he believed he had successfully nominated himself to run for a seat on the board.

On March 13, Smith said, he was told two people had been selected to serve on the board, but he was not one of the two. He followed up with Winters and was told she had gotten his application confused with the application of another candidate with the same name who was seeking to run in another election in El Paso County. Smith admitted his application was received 26 minutes after the deadline.

Hamilton thanked Smith for telling the board his experience and said the board would see if the self-nomination process could be made more transparent. Parker reminded the board that there were very specific laws governing elections in districts like MSD.

Smith said he would consider an appointment to the board if any of the members should be unable to serve out their term.

Manager’s Report

Parker told the board that two toilets had been replaced in the headquarters building to resolve ongoing water leaks that had inflated the district’s water bill. He said he wanted to put a pressure-reducing valve in place to lower the water pressure coming into the building to help prevent water leaks in the future.

Parker said that phone calls had increased regarding the recent imposition of a $2 fee for receiving a paper statement. The district imposed the fee to encourage customers to receive their monthly statements via email, which would reduce the district’s costs. Parker said the change had been well received by most customers. He estimated 60 percent to 70 percent of the district’s customers were using the online process.

**********

Monument Sanitation District meetings are held at 9 a.m. on the third Wednesday of the month in the district conference room at 130 Second St., Monument. The next regular meeting is scheduled for April 16. See https://MonumentSanitationDistrict.org. For a district service map, see https://MonumentSanitationDistrict.org/district-map. Information: 719-481-4886.

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

Other Monument Sanitation District articles

Triview Metropolitan District, March 3 and 20 – Bond ballot language, Conexus improvements approved

By Natalie Barszcz

The Triview Metropolitan District (TMD) board held a special meeting on March 3 to approve the language for the proposed bond question for the May 6 ballot/election relating to the Higby Road improvements. The board heard that four residents are on the ballot for election in 2025 for three seats and approved a resolution with Conexus to make improvements to the proposed west Monument development. An executive session was held to discuss the Northern Monument Creek Interceptor (NMCI), and the Upper Monument Creek Regional Wastewater Treatment Facility (UMCRWWTF).

At the March 20 meeting, the board heard about the district’s water supply, a flume replacement planned for the UMCRWWTF, and the ongoing investigation into produced water loss. The board also approved a water backflow policy and the sub-District A 2025 budget, accepted a petition for inclusion of property, and discussed an economic incentive policy. An executive session was held to discuss economic incentive agreements.

Treasurer/Secretary James Barnhart was excused from both meetings.

Bond question approved

District Manager James McGrady said the district will call an election on May 6 for

Resolution 2025-03, an amended and restated resolution of the board of directors, amending Resolution 2024-14 calling an election for the issuance of bonds to fund improvements to Higby Road. The debt would increase by $12.6 million with a maximum payment of $25.25 million with 30-year general obligation bonds, with a maximum interest rate not to exceed 5.20% per annum.

The annual payment will be about $835,000, repaid with revenue drawn from the previously voter-approved 7 mills (ad valorum/property taxes based on property tax value) pledged for operation and management on Nov. 3, 2020, and additional road and bridge fees derived from the sale of homes, and some of the sales tax reimbursement from the Town of Monument.

The passing of the ballot measure will allow the district to borrow funds (without raising taxes) to complete the project. The proposed improvements to Higby Road will address safety concerns, increase traffic flows, including improved curb and gutter, sidewalks, turn lanes, storm drainage, pedestrian crossings, improved access to Lewis-Palmer High School, and enhanced emergency vehicle access to existing homes and subdivisions, said McGrady.

The board approved the ballot question in a 4-0 vote.

District general counsel George Rowley reminded the district staff that further convincing of the public by district employees and/or using district funds to distribute information in favor of the ballot question was now prohibited; but board directors can talk about the upcoming ballot question and convince residents by providing information. Any director spending funds to promote the ballot question must report the expenditure to the state. An aerial rendition and detailed information about the project can be found at: https://triviewmetro.com/projects/higby-road-improvements/.

Director Jason Gross pledged to write a pro-statement for the blue book election guide.

Teachout Creek Crossing improvements

McGrady said an agreement was requested by Schuck Chapman Companies Inc. to help fund a crossing over Teachout Creek. Conexus has settled three lots, and a pipeline needs to be installed across Teachout Creek to serve the sold properties, but the work can only take place in the Preble’s meadow jumping mouse habitat between Nov. 1 and April 30 when the mouse is dormant. In anticipation of beating the sleeping mouse timeline, it became obvious that the approved Conexus Metropolitan District (CMD) could not issue bonds in time.

TMD was approached and was asked to fund the project for a few months until May/June 2025, when the district will be reimbursed. It is a lucrative deal for the district to gain the tap fees and the road and bridge fees, and the district should try to facilitate the pipeline construction to allow development to occur in the CMD, McGrady said. Assurances are built into the agreement to ensure the district is reimbursed, he said.

Rowley said the district will use the funding to construct the crossings and sewer lines, dealing with the contractor under the district’s name, and upon completion the district will be reimbursed. CMD will issue bonds this year to pay for the improvements made by TMD. But with uncertainty over the market and the timing of when bonds can be issued, a consensual lien is built into the contract on 22 acres (under contract for almost $7 million) in the Conexus District 1. CMD and the developer Conexus LLC will be under contract to pay the bond proceeds of $825,000 to TMD when the bonds are issued, at a date no later than August 2025. The infrastructure at build-out will belong to TMD, said Rowley.

In a 4-0 vote, the board approved the Teachout Creek Crossing Improvements Agreement by and between TMD and Conexus Metropolitan District No. 1, and Conexus LLC, a Colorado limited liability company, the property owner, and authorized McGrady to sign the agreement.

2025 board election

McGrady said the district has four candidates running to fill three board positions that will be vacated when term-limited Directors Barnhart, Mark Melville, and Anthony Sexton relinquish their seats after serving the district for eight years. The following candidates will be on the ballot on May 6 to serve a four-year term: Erik Demkowicz, John Gibbons, Ann-Marie Jojola, and Mike McEwen. Biographies for each candidate can be found in the March/April newsletter mailed to residents and at www.triviewmetrodistrict.com.

Note: Demkowicz and Jojola attended the March 20 meeting.

Financial update

The board approved the January financial report and 22 checks over $5,000 through February 2025, and 15 through March 20.

McGrady said February was a “bit of a shocker” with over $2.6 million in expenses. Of note was almost $1.365 million for the Creekside Development that is part of the district’s agreement with the developer, and the annual payment of $564,393 to Colorado Springs Utilities (CSU) for the availability service fee that is financed over 25 years for about $9 million, and the permitting for the new district building (land and design site plan and development fees) to the Town of Monument for $6,500. It was an expensive month with some one-time expenses and large annual payments, but the cash balance is “coming back up” and as of Feb. 28 was about $11 million including reserve funds, said McGrady.

Executive session

The board moved into an executive session at 6:17 p.m., pursuant to Colorado Revised Statutes (CRS) section 24-6-402(4)(e), for the purposes of determining positions relative to matters that may be subject to negotiations, developing strategies for negotiations, and instructing negotiations as it relates to potential participation in the NMCI and the UMCRWTF.

No action was taken after the meeting returned to the regular session. The board promptly adjourned at 6:49 p.m. on March 3.

Water delivery update

At the March 20 regular meeting, McGrady said the district had pumped through the 409-acre feet of leased water from Pueblo Reservoir that was delivered to the district customers via the Northern Delivery System (NDS). The district is now pumping first use Fountain Mutual Irrigation Co. water. There is a lot of talk about the Pueblo Reservoir spill from annual snowpack melt, with the critical level days being April 15 and 30. The district has 1,588 acre-feet in the south reservoir, and it will spill at 1,630-acre feet.

The district has been anticipating a fairly good chance of spill this year and has been moving water to create storage space, McGrady said. CSU continues to deliver the district’s water through a complex exchange of water rights through Pueblo Reservoir every month. With the district tied into the CSU system, and with access to terminal storage in Rampart Reservoir, the district has an infinite renewable water supply, he said. If well water is used as a supplement, it also becomes renewable, said McGrady.

Flume replacement

Assistant Manager Steve Sheffield said the ongoing issue of excess water leaving the UMCRWWTF is more than the district actually inputs. The district hopes to resolve the issue by replacing the existing 6-inch flume with a 9-inch flume, said Sheffield.

Water loss upswing

Water Superintendent Gary Potter said an upswing in water loss had occurred with a 2.6-million-gallon loss in January and a 2.8-million-gallon loss in February. After examining the perceived versus actual water produced figures, the B Plant production meters, the search for leaks in the system, and knowing the NDS is 99.8% accurate, the accounts were checked and the focus is to continue updating the commercial meters to discover if that could be the cause of the water loss, said Potter.

Petition for inclusion

McGrady requested the board consider accepting a petition for inclusion of land between Elite Properties of America Inc., dba Classic Homes, and TMD. The 67-acre property is located in unincorporated El Paso County, off West Baptist Road, and is known as the Dellacroce Ranch LLC. The developer proposed homes of various sizes to include large lots and affordable housing. The district would not be burdened by supplying water and wastewater services to the development, said McGrady.

Rowley said board approval of the inclusion of property can occur only after a public hearing that will be scheduled at a later date.

The board accepted the petition for inclusion.

Other approved resolutions

The board also approved Resolution 2025-04, a water backflow policy, and Resolution 2025-05, the subdistrict A budget. The 2025 budget has a zero balance with no mill levy for 2025.

Economic development incentive policy

The board reviewed and considered resolution 2025-05 to adopt an Economic Development Incentive Policy but decided to table further discussion after Vice Chair Anthony Sexton said the language and numeric parameters were too restrictive and discriminatory, and the policy as written could work against the district. The policy is subject to revision by the general counsel, the water counsel, and McGrady before being presented to the board again.

Executive session

The board moved into an executive session at 8:19 p.m. pursuant to Colorado Revised Statutes section 24-6-402(4)(e), to discuss economic incentive agreements.

Sheffield confirmed to this reporter that when the board moved back into the regular session, no action was taken and the meeting promptly adjourned at 9:47 p.m.

**********

Meetings are usually held on the third Thursday of the month at the district office located at 16055 Old Forest Point, Suite 302. The next regular meeting is scheduled for April 17 at 5:30 p.m. For meeting agendas, minutes, and updates, visit https://triviewmetro.com.

Natalie Barszcz can be reached at nataliebarszcz@ocn.me.

Other Trivew Metropolitan District 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

Donala Water and Sanitation District, Mar. 27 – New water and sewer rates take effect

By James Howald and Jackie Burhans

At its February meeting, the Donala Water and Sanitation District (DWSD) board voted to implement an across-the-board 5 percent rate increase. General Manager Jeff Hodge announced that the upcoming board election was canceled. He reviewed the results of the district’s sanitary survey. The board amended its agreement with the Loop water reuse project and heard operational reports.

The meeting ended with an executive session.

Water and sewer rates to increase

Hodge asked the board to consider Resolution 2025-2, which specifies a 5 percent increase to water and sewer fees and rates. The new fees and rates for single-family residences include:

  • Water and sewer tap fees increase to $8,925.
  • Water service rate increases to $33.48.
  • The water usage rate for the first 10,000 gallons increases to $8.68 per 1,000 gallons.
  • The water usage rate for the second 10,000 gallons increases to $14.46 per 1,000 gallons.
  • The sewer service rate base fee increases to $67.50, and the rate per 1,000 gallons of wastewater increases to $9.71.

Many of the administrative fees, such as the returned payment fee and the late payment fee, remain unchanged. For a complete list of rates and fees, see the DWSD web page at https://DonalaWater.org.

Hodge estimated DWSD has about 50 water taps available for sale, and 44 of the taps are slated to be used by a residential development adjacent to the Big R Store near Struthers Road.

Board President Wayne Vanderschuere said customers would see the increases in the bills they will receive in May for the April water and sewer usage.

Board election canceled

Hodge said since there were two candidates nominated for the two open board seats, the upcoming election was canceled. Vanderschuere will serve another term, Hodge said, and Kenneth Judd, who has served on the DWSD board previously, will replace current board member Ed Miller. Vanderschuere and Judd will be sworn in at the May board meeting, after which new board officers will be elected.

District passes Sanitary Survey with flying colors

Hodge told the board that inspectors from the Field Services section of the Colorado Department of Public Health & Environment performed a sanitary survey, a review of a district’s capability to supply safe drinking water, on Feb. 14. The survey found no violations and two minor deficiencies that were resolved the day of the survey, Hodge said. He congratulated Superintendent of Water Operations Ronny Wright and his team for the successful survey outcome.

Agreement with the Loop amended

Hodge asked the board to vote on an amendment to the Intergovernmental Agreement that DWSD has signed with the Loop water authority. When the Cherokee Metropolitan District withdrew from the Loop project, Hodge said, that left three participating districts and three corresponding members on the Loop board. As a result, two Loop board members constituted a quorum, which meant a simple conversation between a pair of board members was a public meeting and subject to Colorado’s open meetings laws, including the requirement that the meeting be announced to the public 24 hours in advance.

The amended agreement addresses this complication by specifying that if the Loop has only three participating districts, each district will name two members to the Loop board, thereby increasing to four the number of members constituting a quorum.

The board voted unanimously to approve the amended agreement. The board also appointed Accounts Payable specialist Christina Hawker as DWSD’s second Loop board member and Cade Pennington as the alternate member.

Operational reports

In the financial section of his Manager’s Report, Hodge told the board that the district had received a large portion of revenue from the district’s property taxes. He noted that due to the need to redrill Well 7D, the district has budgeted $1 million for Colorado Springs Utilities to convey, treat, and deliver water that DWSD owns from other sources such as the Willow Creek Ranch. “Everything is tracking for this time of year,” Hodge said.

Hodge said the redrilling of Well 7D, which is adjacent to the district’s headquarters at 15850 Holbein Dr., is “zipping along.” Two meetings with neighbors had been held, he said, and he expected drilling to begin by May 1. An undersized transformer at the Well 7D site that hums has been replaced, Hodge said.

Executive session

The meeting ended with an executive session to determine negotiating positions relative to the Willow Creek Ranch conditional water rights owned by the district. No actions were taken by the board following the executive session.

**********

The next board meeting is scheduled for Thursday, April 17 at 1:30 p.m. Generally, board meetings are held the third Thursday of the month at 1:30 p.m. and include online access; call (719) 488-3603 or access www.donalawater.org to receive up-to-date meeting information. The March meeting was delayed by one week to allow adequate notice of a public hearing. The district office is located at 15850 Holbein Drive, Colorado Springs.

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

Other Donala Water and Sanitation District articles

Woodmoor Water and Sanitation District, Feb. 10 – Pipeline maintenance contract awarded

By James Howald

The Woodmoor Water and Sanitation District (WWSD) board awarded an annual construction contract for pipeline maintenance and voted to authorize the closing of the purchase of three lots from Lake Woodmoor Development LLC. The board heard operational reports. The meeting ended with an executive session.

Inliner Solutions gets contract

District Engineer Cydney Saelens told the board that she had received bids from four companies to maintain the district’s pipelines. WWSD proposed a work order contract without a guaranteed number of linear feet to be repaired over the course of the year. Saelens explained there were two methods of pipeline repair: resin impregnated cured-in-place pipe and folded and formed PVC liner. The first method was the least expensive, she said, costing about $55.50 per linear foot. The low bid was from Inliner Solutions.

Saelens said the district had not worked with Inliner Solutions, but the company provided three references, including Colorado Springs Utilities (CSU), and feedback was positive.

The board voted unanimously to draft a contract with Inliner Solutions and authorized board President Brian Bush to sign it.

Real estate closing authorized

District Manager Jessie Shaffer presented a resolution authorizing the closing of a purchase of three lots on the east side of Lake Woodmoor. The district offered the owner of the lots a discount on the purchase of supplemental water for their development of residences on their property at the intersection of Woodmoor Drive and Deer Creek Road in exchange for the lots. Shaffer said the sale was scheduled to close on Feb. 20 at Land Title Guarantee.

Bush pointed out that the purchase was a good deal for the district because it guaranteed the lots would never be developed, ensuring that no one would build next to the lake.

The board voted in favor of the resolution.

Manager’s report

Shaffer told the board a bill had been proposed in the state Legislature that would allow unlimited harvesting of rainwater in barrels. He said unlimited harvesting could impact the stream system and motivate developers to use detention ponds and pump back systems for irrigation.

Shaffer mentioned an indirect potable reuse study in which CSU, Donala Water and Sanitation District, the Town of Monument, and WWSD are taking part. The study will look at the Chilcott Ditch, in which WWSD is the largest stakeholder. The study will assess the feasibility of diverting water from Fountain Creek, conveying it through the Chilcott Ditch to either the Calhan Reservoir or the Williams Creek Reservoir, and then treating it and returning it to customers for reuse. Shaffer compared the plan to the Loop, but said the timeline was 15 years out. He speculated that CSU might be motivated to demonstrate its good stewardship of existing water supplies before shopping for more water rights.

In his update on the Loop, Shaffer said that John Kuosman had left Merrick and Co., and Mark Valentine would be the Loop’s contact at Merrick.

Operational report

Operations Superintendent Dan LaFontaine reported an unusually high water loss for the month due to the timing of meter readings that resulted in a 35-day period.

He said two final rounds of PFAS and lithium testing would be done in 2025. PFAS and lithium levels have been low to date, he said.

LaFontaine said a leak in the system had been detected using a borrowed leak correlator made by Fluid Conservation Systems that could be a useful tool for the district to use to reduce water loss.

Engineering report

Saelens gave a status report on several projects.

She said the bids to upgrade the main lift station were so high that she was investigating rerouting the sewer to avoid the expense of improving the lift station. The Well 22 transmission line project needs to have revegetation work completed; that will be delayed until spring. The pipeline is operational, she said. Saddle replacements are ongoing.

Executive session

The meeting ended with an executive session to determine negotiating positions and to confer with legal counsel on potential agreements with the Loop, Walden Water and Sanitation District, Tri-Lakes Monument Fire Protection District, and Woodmoor Improvement Association.

No actions were taken following the executive session.

**********

The next meeting is on March 10 at 1 p.m. Meetings are usually held on the second Monday of each month at 1 p.m. at the district office at 1845 Woodmoor Drive. Please see www.woodmoorwater.com or call 719-488-2525 to verify meeting times and locations.

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

Other Woodmoor Water and Sanitation District articles

Triview Metropolitan District, Feb. 11 – Northern Monument Creek Interceptor pipeline project IGA approved

By Natalie Barszcz

The Triview Metropolitan District (TMD) board held a special meeting on Feb. 11 to approve an intergovernmental agreement (IGA) with Colorado Springs Utilities (CSU) and Forest Lakes Metropolitan District (FLMD) for construction cost sharing for the Northern Monument Creek Interceptor (NMCI) pipeline project. The board held an executive session to discuss negotiations regarding a utility service as it relates to the Conexus Business Center Phase 2 and 3 (located west of I-25).

Cost-sharing IGA approved

District Manager James McGrady requested the board review and consider approving Resolution 2025-02, a resolution of the TMD board to approve an IGA with CSU and FLMD for construction cost sharing for the NMCI, and authorization for the district manager to sign.

Background: CSU began exploring the possibility of the NMCI pipeline in 2019 to increase wastewater flows through the J.D. Phillips Water Resource Recovery Facility (JDPWRRF) located near the intersection of Mark Dabling Boulevard and Garden of the Gods Road in Colorado Springs. The result would transport TMD and FLMD wastewater flows for processing to the CSU-owned facility and allow CSU to remove about three or four lift stations on the east side of I-25, completing a gravity-fed system with increased flows into an underutilized facility.

A study was conducted to compare the cost of anticipated regulatory upgrades and the future operational costs of the Upper Monument Creek Regional Wastewater Treatment Facility (UMCRWWTF) to participation in the NMCI pipeline project. McGrady confirmed to this reporter that the 2-year-old data for the shared cost for the upgrades would likely range anywhere from $20 million to $40 million. However, the estimate did not include any expansion capacity at the plant for additional flows that TMD could potentially need in the future. The UMCRWWTF is shared with Donala Water and Sanitation District, TMD, and FLMD.

McGrady said CSU, TMD, and FLMD had been working on the NMCI pipeline project since 2019, and at the 30% design level the estimated cost is about $92.8 million, with 35.9 % of the cost shared between TMD and FLMD. The IGA allows the process to move forward to the 90% design level, but Garney Construction estimated the design is about 50% complete with the inclusion of the soil sampling. The guaranteed maximum price will be established upon completion of the 90% design phase.

TMD will use utility bonds, and through a reimbursement agreement collect FLMD’s annual cost. The estimated annual cost for TMD and FLMD combined is about $2.3 million from 2028 through 2055, with FLMD contributing about $500,000 annually. The final cost is expected to be revealed around October, in time for the 2026 budget. Funding for the 90% design phase component was appropriated in the 2025 budget, said McGrady. See the FLMD article on page < 10 >.

The board unanimously approved Resolution 2025-02.

Executive session

The board moved into an executive session at 6:03 p.m., pursuant to Colorado Revised Statutes (CRS) section 24-6-402(4)(e), to discuss negotiations regarding utility service to Conexus phases 2 and 3.

McGrady confirmed to this reporter that no action was taken after the meeting returned to the regular session, and then the board promptly adjourned.

**********

Meetings are usually held on the third Thursday of the month at the district office at 16055 Old Forest Point, Suite 302. A special meeting is scheduled for March 3 at 5:30 p.m. to formulate the ballot language for the Higby Road bond question and conduct the regular February business. For information on the Higby Road Improvement Project, visit: https://triviewmetro.com/projects/higby-road-improvements/. The regular meeting is scheduled for March 20 at 5:30 p.m. For meeting agendas, minutes, and updates, visit https://triviewmetro.com.

Natalie Barszcz can be reached at nataliebarszcz@ocn.me.

Other Triview Metropolitan District articles

Forest Lakes Metropolitan District and Pinon Pines Metropolitan Districts 2 and 3, Feb. 17 – Northern Monument Creek Interceptor pipeline project IGA approved

By Natalie Barszcz

At the Forest Lakes Metropolitan District (FLMD) special meeting on Feb. 17, the board approved an intergovernmental agreement (IGA) with Triview Metropolitan District (TMD) and Colorado Springs Utilities (CSU) for construction cost sharing associated with the Northern Monument Creek Interceptor (NMCI) pipeline project.

Attending via teleconference were FLMD Manager Ann Nichols, Tom Blunk of CP Real Estate Capital representing Forest Lakes LLC and Forest Lakes Residential Development, district consul Nicole Peykov of Spencer Fane law firm, and the following board directors: President George Lenz, executive vice president of finance for Classic Homes, Secretary Joe Loidolt, president of Classic Homes, Treasurer/Secretary Douglas Stimple, chief executive officer of Classic Homes, Director/resident James Boulton, vice president/project manager of Classic Homes, and Director Steve Schlosser, a project manager for Classic Homes.

Note: There were no public comments made during the meeting.

NMCI update

Nichols said the district is working with CSU and TMD to consider moving its wastewater treatment process to Colorado Springs Utilities (CSU) via the proposed NMCI pipeline. The NMCI pipeline project 30% design phase was completed in November and revealed the preliminary cost estimate from the general contractor to be about $92.8 million. Initially, the thought was to split the cost three ways between CSU, TMD, and FLMD, and although the district and TMD were ready to go in December, CSU decided to lock in the cost sharing with an IGA, with CSU responsible for 65% of the cost and the northern entities responsible for 35%.

But CSU decided to break out the sections, and FLMD and TMD would also be responsible for the cost of the portion of pipeline that serves only the northern entities (about 1,200 to 1,300 feet extending north of the Air Force Academy boundary). The additional pipeline footage pushed the northern entities’ share up to 35.9%, with TMD paying the larger portion of the share because FLMD has only about 500 homes.

Nichols requested the board approve the IGA to lock in cost sharing that breaks out the two sections of the interceptor pipeline, with the upper section participants contributing $33.4 million, up from $32.5 million. CSU believes the project is very important with long-term benefits, and a decision to proceed to a 100% design will be made around mid-December, but the district and TMD are fully committed, said Nichols. See https://wp.ocn.me/v25n1flmd/ and the TMD article on page < 10 >.

Peykov said the IGA is largely in line with the first design agreement, and it is important to continue pushing the project design through and not delay any further.

Stimple said this is a logical extension of where the district has been over the last few years.

The board unanimously approved the IGA.

Peykov said that by end of year the design will be 90% complete, and if the final price is different an addendum can be executed. The district will not be stuck moving forward with the project if the costs are higher than anticipated, said Peykov.

Nichols said it is an expensive project, and all parties are sensitive to the cost, but after running the numbers against continuing to use the Upper Monument Creek Regional Waste Water Treatment Facility (UMCRWWTF), it is still a reasonable cost and it will benefit the customers, said Nichols.

Note: The proposed pipeline would transport the district’s wastewater to CSU’s J.D. Phillips Water Resource Recovery Facility (JDPWRRF) near the intersection of Mark Dabling Boulevard and Garden of the Gods Road in Colorado Springs. Participating in the NMCI pipeline project would avoid the cost of making the required pending regulatory upgrades to the UMCRWWTF.

The meetings adjourned at 4:11p.m.

**********

Meetings are usually held quarterly or when necessary on the first Monday of the month at 4 p.m., via teleconference. Meeting notices are posted at least 24 hours in advance at https://forestlakesmetrodistrict.com. For general questions, contact Nichols at 719-327-5810, anicholsduffy@aol.com.

Natalie Barszcz can be reached at nataliebarszcz@ocn.me.

Other Forest Lakes Metro District articles

Monument Sanitation District, Feb. 19: District manager clarifies upcoming election

By Jackie Burhans and James Howald

At its February meeting, the Monument Sanitation District (MSD) board heard an operational report from District Manager Mark Parker that included details about the upcoming election which will fill two seats on the MSD board. It also heard updates on repairs needed at the district’s headquarters.

Two board seats to be filled in May election

In response to a question from resident Laura Kronick, Parker explained that two board seats would be on the ballot on May 6. The election will be held at the MSD community room at 130 Second St. in Monument between 7 a.m. and 7 p.m. The directors elected will serve four-year terms.

Kronick asked why some incumbent directors had been elected to three-year terms. Parker said the state Legislature had decided to move special district elections to odd years, keeping state elections on even years. Three-year terms facilitated this change, he said. He explained board President Dan Hamilton and Directors Tony Archer and Janet Lewandowski were elected in May 2023 for four-year terms. Directors John Howe and Skip Morgan were elected in 2022 to three-year terms. Parker said two self-nomination forms for the two available seats had been requested.

Parker said directors were limited to two consecutive terms unless voters decide to remove that limitation.

Headquarters gets repairs

Parker told the board that the Town of Monument’s smart water meters had indicated the MSD headquarters had a water leak resulting in 12,000 gallons of lost water for which the district had to pay. A plumber rebuilt the toilets and traced the leak to a dish soap dispenser at the Black Forest Foods Café and Deli, one of the tenants in the building. Parker said he would use the EyeOnWater application provided by the Town of Monument to do a weekly check on water usage at the headquarters building.

A cracked heat exchanger in the HVAC unit serving the conference room led to the replacement of the entire furnace, at a cost of $5,354. The furnace was more than 20 years old, Parker said. An expansion tank on the hot water system had also failed, and Parker elected to do the repair himself.

Parker said the recently applied $2 fee for a paper monthly statement had encouraged many of the district’s customers to switch to paying their bill online: 737 of the district’s 1,708 accounts are now being paid online.

**********

Monument Sanitation District meetings are held at 9 a.m. on the third Wednesday of the month in the district conference room at 130 Second St., Monument. The next regular meeting is scheduled for March 19. See https://MonumentSanitationDistrict.org. For a district service map, see https://MonumentSanitationDistrict.org/district-map. Information: 719-481-4886.

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

Other Monument Sanitation District articles

Donala Water and Sanitation District, Feb. 20 – Voters remove term limits

By James Howald and Jackie Burhans

At its February meeting, the Donala Water and Sanitation District’s (DWSD) board heard the results of a special election held earlier in the month and a cost-of-service analysis. General Manager Jeff Hodge and Superintendent of Water Operations Ronny Wright delivered their monthly operational reports. The board rescheduled its March board meeting.

The meeting ended with an executive session.

Voters approve unlimited terms

Accounts Payable Specialist Christina Hawker presented the results of a special election held Feb. 4 to the board. By a vote of 54 to 39, the district’s voters removed the requirement that board members be limited to two consecutive terms on the DWSD board. The board put the issue before the voters due to the difficulty of finding experienced candidates willing to serve on the board on a volunteer basis.

Hawker said the seats held by board President Wayne Vanderschuere and Director Ed Miller are up for re-election in 2025. Removal of term limits means Vanderschuere and Miller can run again if they choose to do so. Hawker said the complete list of candidates would be known on March 4 and, if the number of candidates matches the number of seats available, the election, scheduled for May 6, would be cancelled.

Cost-of-service analysis confirms 5% rate increase

In November 2024, the board asked Todd Cristiano, a consultant with Raftelis, a company that does financial modeling and rate studies for local governments and utilities, to analyze DWSD’s rates with an eye to determining if they cover the cost of delivering water and sewer service and upcoming capital improvement projects. At that time the board had considered rate increases as high as 10% but had settled on a 5% across-the-board increase and it wanted Cristiano to determine if the lower increase would be adequate.

Cristiano told the board he had studied how much revenue DWSD needs going forward, whether the rates are fair to all customers and if rates would deliver revenue stability. He noted that the district’s sewer service reserves were somewhat behind the water service reserves.

Cristiano said he analyzed two scenarios: rehabilitating the R. Hull treatment plant and successful completion of the Loop water re-use project. He did a 10-year analysis of those scenarios. He concluded a 5% rate increase would cover both scenarios. Reserves would accumulate at first and then be spent down with a 5% increase, Cristiano said. Tap fees were included in his analysis.

Four customer classes were used in Cristiano’s planning: residential customers, who make up 84.7% of revenue; irrigation customers, who make up 6%; multifamily customers, who make up 5%; and commercial customers, who make up 4.3%. The costs for average day consumption and peak day consumption were also factored into Cristiano’s analysis. He explained that his model showed the same amount of revenue would be recovered but it would be allocated a bit differently among customer classes. The current sewer rates were fair and equitable, he said.

In his conclusion, Cristiano said a 5% rate increase would cover the costs of service delivery and needed reserves. He said the board should look at its financial plan on a regular basis and should decide how it wants to handle the rates for multifamily residences.

Vanderschuere pointed out the district has few multifamily residences and suggested the board might be chasing a solution for a problem that it doesn’t have. He said he was leaning toward leaving the current multifamily rate in place. He said he favored moving forward with the 5% rate increase, which would include a 5% increase on tap fees, holding the needed hearings in March so that the rates could be implemented in April.

Manager’s report

Hodge told the board that not much financial data had been generated in the first two months of the year, but “all is well” in terms of the budget. In his update on the Loop, he noted that John Kuosman had left his position with Merrick Inc. and would be replaced by Mark Valentine as the Loop’s workflow manager. The Loop was focusing on water treatment design and had received bids from seven companies.

Hodge gave an update on redrilling Well 7D, which is adjacent to the treatment plant and district offices at 15850 Holbein Dr. Trees would be coming down soon and 40-foot sound-damping walls would be going up. The district was using the greatest amount of noise prevention technology during the three-week drilling period, he said. The goal was to have the redrilled well in production by May or June.

Water report

Wright said the state of Colorado had been in the district to complete a water sanitary survey in February. The survey went well: Two deficiencies were noted and corrected the same day.

March board meeting rescheduled

The board voted to delay its March meeting from March 20 to March 27 to allow 30 days’ notice of a public hearing on rates.

Executive session

The meeting ended with an executive session to determine negotiating positions relative to participation in the North Monument Creek Interceptor project.

**********

Correction

Last month’s article listed the Academy Water and Sanitation District (AWSD) as one of the operators of the Upper Monument Creek Waste Water Treatment Facility (UMCWWTF). The UMCWWTF does in fact treat AWSD’s wastewater, but AWSD does not have any operational role in the facility. AWSD is a customer of DWSD, which shares operational responsibilities for the facility with Triview Metropolitan District and Forest Lakes Metropolitan District.

**********

The next board meeting is scheduled for Thursday, March 27 at 1:30 p.m. Generally, board meetings are held the third Thursday of the month at 1:30 p.m. and include online access; call (719) 488-3603 or access www.donalawater.org to receive up-to-date meeting information. The March meeting was delayed by one week to allow adequate notice of a public hearing. The district office is located at 15850 Holbein Drive, Colorado Springs.

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

Other Donala Water and Sanitation District articles

El Paso County Regional Loop Water Authority, 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

Woodmoor Water and Sanitation District, Jan. 13 – Board prepares for election, passes administrative resolution

By James Howald

At its January meeting, the Woodmoor Water and Sanitation District (WWSD) board passed two resolutions: the first regarding an upcoming election for board members and the second covering administrative issues. The board heard financial and operational reports. The meeting ended with an executive session.

Four seats up for election

District lawyer Erin Smith asked the board to consider Resolution 25-02, which calls for a regular election to be held on May 6.

Smith said four seats will be up for election in May. The four-year terms of Directors Daniel Beley, Bill Clewe, and Tom Roddam are expiring and board President Brian Bush’s two-year term will also expire. Bush’s term is two years because he was appointed, Smith said.

Friday, Feb. 28 is the deadline for self-nomination, Smith explained. Nomination forms can be obtained from the district’s Office Manager Cory Lynch. Once a candidate completes the nomination form, they must send it to the election’s Designated Election Official Mandi Kirk, of Maynes, Bradford, Shipps & Sheftel LLC. Kirk’s address is Mandi Kirk, 600 17th St., Ste. 2150S, Denver, CO 80202. Her email address is MKirk@mbssllp.com. Kirk’s phone number is (303) 292-6400. Nomination forms must be witnessed by a valid Colorado elector, Smith said.

The Barn, 1691 Woodmoor Dr., will be the polling place and votes can be cast between 7 a.m. and 7 p.m. on May 6.

The board voted unanimously in favor of the resolution.

Administrative resolution

The board unanimously approved an annual administrative resolution that specifies compliance requirements and defines the rules by which the district will operate, including:

  • An accurate map of the district’s service area will be prepared.
  • The timeline by which the district budget will be prepared, submitted to the state and possibly amended.
  • The Tri-Lakes Tribune or The Gazette will be the newspapers of general circulation for publication of legal notices.
  • Meeting notices will be posted on the district’s website at https://www.woodmoorwater.com and at the district’s offices at 1845 Woodmoor Dr., Monument.
  • Meetings will be held on the second Monday of every month at the district’s offices.

Financial report

Treasurer Roy Martinez told the board the financial report for January was a draft because some invoices from 2024 are still outstanding. Water sales were 102% of the budgeted amount and wastewater expenses were close to the estimate.

The board voted to approve Martinez’s report.

Manager’s report

District Manager Jessie Shaffer told the board that Colorado Springs Utilities (CSU) was leading a study of indirect potable reuse (IPR). IPR systems direct treated wastewater through an environmental buffer, such as a lake or river, before it is delivered to customers for consumption. CSU has asked neighboring water districts to participate in its study, Shaffer said. He said CSU’s approach was like the Loop’s, but on a larger scale. Shaffer said WWSD would benefit from participating in the study because CSU’s plan includes use of the Chilcott Ditch, in which WWSD is a major shareholder and participation could open the door to other partnerships with CSU, possibly giving the district access to CSU’s water supply.

Shaffer also updated the board on the progress of the Loop’s water re-use project. He said the Loop was preparing a request for proposal that will go to consulting and engineering firms asking them to design water treatment facilities that will bring Fountain Creek water to drinking water standards and to pilot test their designs. He said that the Loop was continuing to work with the Cherokee Metropolitan District (CMD) even though CMD had decided to withdraw from the Loop. The Loop and CMD were discussing the future of the Sundance pipeline, which is owned by CMD, and whether the Loop would access the pipeline, buy it from CMD, or move to a different option to convey its water, Shaffer said. He emphasized that the Loop and CMD were still on good terms despite CMD’s withdrawal.

Operational report

Operations Superintendent Dan LaFontaine reported two shears, or pipe breaks, in December.

He discussed how WWSD is working to meet the Environmental Protection Agency’s requirements for monitoring PFAS chemicals and lithium. He reported that currently the water WWSD delivers to its customers has undetectable levels of PFAS. The standard for lithium is unclear, he said, since the agency has not defined a minimum contaminant level for it. Board President Brian Bush said the rules for PFAS and lithium may change with Donald Trump as president. Bush also pointed out that WWSD’s PFAS levels will likely increase after it begins receiving water for the Loop.

In response to a comment from Roddam, LaFontaine updated the board on the district’s efforts to prevent cyberattacks on its facilities. He said new security software had been implemented in 2024. The district’s treatment plants are not connected to the internet, he said, and anyone trying to sabotage their operations would have to be physically present at the plants.

Engineering report

District Engineer Cydney Saelens gave a status report on the projects she is working on.

She said two bids to rehabilitate the district’s main lift station had been much higher than expected. She said she would discuss the bids with JVA Inc., the engineering company that provided consulting on the project. Shaffer said the bid might be resubmitted or the project redesigned.

Saelens said the district’s new Dawson aquifer well was yielding over 40 gallons per minute.

Executive session

The meeting ended with an executive session to determine negotiating positions and to confer with legal counsel on potential agreements with the Loop.

No actions were taken following the executive session.

**********

The next meeting is on Feb. 10 at 1 p.m. Meetings are usually held on the second Monday of each month at 1 p.m. at the district office at 1845 Woodmoor Drive. Please see www.woodmoorwater.com or call 719-488-2525 to verify meeting times and locations.

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

Other Woodmoor Water and Sanitation articles

Monument Sanitation District, Jan. 15 – Board passes administrative resolution

By Jackie Burhans and James Howald

At a brief meeting in January, the Monument Sanitation District (MSD) board passed its annual administrative resolution and heard an operational report from District Manager Mark Parker. Resident and Monument Town Council member Laura Kronick clarified her remarks at the board’s previous meeting.

Administrative Resolution sets rules, regulations

The board voted unanimously in favor of Resolution 01152025-1, which specifies how the board will do its work in 2025. A similar resolution is passed at the beginning of each year.

The resolution states, in part:

  • Directors will be compensated for their work on the board.
  • The Colorado Springs Gazette will be the paper in which the district’s legal notices are published. Notices will also be posted on the district’s web page at https://monumentsanitationdistrict.org.
  • Meetings will be held in the district’s community room at 130 Second St. at 9 a.m. on the third Wednesday of each month.
  • The district manager will also serve as the budget officer and will propose a budget to the board by Oct. 15, will schedule a public hearing on that proposed budget, will prepare a final budget, amend it as necessary, and submit it to the state by Dec. 15.
  • Kara Winters, of Collins Cole Winn & Ulmer PLLC, will serve as the designated election official for any elections to be held in 2025.
  • The MSD community room will be the polling place for all elections in 2025.
  • Collins Cole Winn & Ulmer will be the district’s general counsel, GMS Inc. will provide engineering services, and Haynie & Co. will provide accounting services.

Manager’s report

Parker told the board Alphalete Plumbing had replaced a temperature and pressure relief valve at the district headquarters building. He said return envelopes would no longer be included in the district’s monthly statements to customers as a cost-saving measure and to encourage customers to use Electronic Funds Transfer instead of checks. The district is still working with representatives of the proposed Buc-ee’s travel center to get estimated wastewater flow projections.

Kronick clarifies remarks on pay increases

At the previous board meeting, Kronick told the board that while the board had discussed giving district employees a 5% salary increase (3% for cost of living and 2% for merit), the final budget listed a 14% increase for salaries. The difference caused a perception problem, she said.

During the public comments portion of the January meeting, Kronick emphasized that the issue was one of perception only. She asked that the minutes for the previous meeting be amended, with the words “rate increase” being replaced with “pay increase.”

**********

Monument Sanitation District meetings are held at 9 a.m. on the third Wednesday of the month in the district conference room at 130 Second St., Monument. The next regular meeting is scheduled for Feb. 19. See https://MonumentSanitationDistrict.org. For a district service map, see https://MonumentSanitationDistrict.org/district-map. Information: 719-481-4886.

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

Donala Water and Sanitation District, Jan. 16 – Board passes housekeeping resolution

By James Howald and Jackie Burhans

In January, the Donala Water and Sanitation District’s (DWSD) board passed an administrative resolution and set their calendar of meetings for 2025. It elected a backup representative to the El Paso County Regional Loop Water Authority (EPCRLWA, also known as the “Loop”). Finally, the board heard financial and operational reports.

Administrative resolution

Resolution 2025-1 specifies how DWSD will comply with state laws; a similar resolution is passed every year. It includes, in part:

  • The timeline governing when a budget will be proposed, amended if necessary and filed with the state.
  • The Gazette or the Tri-Lakes Tribune will be the papers of general circulation in which legal notices will be published.
  • Notices will also be posted on the district’s webpage, www.donalawater.org, and at the district’s offices at 1580 Holbein Dr.
  • Regular meetings will be on the third Thursday of every month at 1:30 p.m. at the district’s offices.

Meeting schedule for 2025

The board set its meeting schedule for 2025. The schedule can be found here: https://www.donalawater.org/files/8c7aa8899/Annual+Board+Meeting+Schedule+2025.pdf.

Backup representatives named

General Manager Jeff Hodge asked the board to approve Resolution 2025-2, which names Accounts Payable Specialist Christina Hawker and Water Operator Cade Pennington as the district’s alternative representatives on the Loop board. They will represent DWSD if Hodge is unable to attend a Loop meeting. The board voted unanimously to approve the resolution.

Financial report and operational reports

In a brief financial report, Hawker said the district ended its 2024 budget year with water sales $30,000 over its estimate and expenses just under its estimate. The expenses for the Upper Monument Creek Waste Wastewater Treatment Facility (UMCWWTF), which DWSD operates jointly with Academy Water and Sanitation District, Forest Lakes Metropolitan District, and Triview Metropolitan District, were spot on, she said. The board voted unanimously to accept the financial report.

In his manager’s report, Hodge told the board the district is moving ahead with its plans to redrill Well 7D. He said he had met with the district’s water lawyers and with engineers, who estimated the redrilled well could produce 200 gallons per minute. Hodge said he was concerned that the pipeline adjacent to Baptist Road could fail but the wells near the Holbein treatment plant can supply the plant without using the pipeline. He said he was also considering the future of Well 14A, currently unused due to radium levels, but which could be viable with the radium remediation technology that the district has in place.

Rehabilitation of the district’s storage tanks is continuing, Hodge said, adding he was dusting off the plans to keep the district’s UMCWWTF safe in case of fire. The district should consider investing in an on-site generator or in battery backup, he said.

Superintendent of Water Operations Ronny Wright told the board he was investigating Barricade fire blocking gel and Phos-Chek as methods to protect the UMCWWTF from fire damage.

Waste Plant Operator Aaron Tolman reported E. coli in the UMCWWTF’s effluent is well under the maximum allowed. The plant processed 28 million gallons of wastewater in December, Tolman said.

**********

The next board meeting is scheduled for Thursday, Feb. 20 at 1:30 p.m. Generally, board meetings are held the third Thursday of the month at 1:30 p.m. and include online access; call (719) 488-3603 or access www.donalawater.org to receive up-to-date meeting information. The district office is located at 15850 Holbein Drive, Colorado Springs.

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

Other Donala Water and Sanitation District articles

El Paso County Regional Loop Water Authority, 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.

**********

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

Triview Metropolitan District, Jan. 23 – 2025 water and wastewater rates and fees increase approved

By Natalie Barszcz

At the Triview Metropolitan District (TMD) meeting on Jan. 23, the board held a public hearing before approving the 2025 water and wastewater rate and fee increases. Monument Town Councilor/former board Director Marco Fiorito discussed relationship building with the district. The board received an update on the Higby Road improvement project.

The board held an executive session to discuss the acquisition or sale of water/land and to determine positions relative to matters that may be subject to negotiations, to develop strategies for negotiations, and to instruct negotiators in the potential participation in the Northern Monument Creek Interceptor (NMCI) pipeline, to develop incentives, and intergovernmental agreements.

Treasurer/Secretary James Barnhart and Director Amanda Carlton were excused.

2025 water and wastewater rate and fee increase

President Mark Melville opened a public hearing on the 2025 water and wastewater rate and fee increases proposed for implementation on Feb. 1, 2025. See https://wp.ocn.me/v25.n1tmd/. The hearing was posted in the appropriate places and no public comments were received before or during the meeting.

Background: At the December meeting, financial consultants Andrew Rheem and Theresa Jurotich of Raftelis presented their findings that capture the funding necessary for the district to remain solvent over the next 10 years. The study noted the 12% price increase in 2025 from Colorado Springs Utilities (CSU) to convey, treat and delivery the district’s water via the Northern Delivery System (NDS), additional district water that will be received via the NDS in the future, and a 6.5% increase identified per year over the next four years. The district anticipates other costs for ongoing repairs and replacement, change cases to obtain the district’s water rights, and other projects to increase in cost. The rate increases are small, frequent adjustments that will be level and not bounce around over the next 10 years. For example, the typical residential customer with a three-quarter-inch meter using about 8,000 gallons per month in 2024 would be billed $117 per month for the water portion only, and with the rate applied in 2025 it would be about $129.

At the January meeting, Rheem presented two residential water rate table options to the board and said the presentation was a follow on from the December presentation and included water financial plan drivers, the NDS completion, purchased water cost increases, district inflationary costs for Operations and Maintenance, and capital for ongoing annual repairs and replacement.

Option 1 follows the existing gallon usage tier system. The board agreed that customers would have more flexibility to remain within the Tier 1 bracket if the previous volume rates were maintained with increases. See table below:

  • The water base rate per month (renewable water fee) $45.00 (previously $40.00)
  • Metering and billing charge per month $6.00 (previously $5.00)

Volume rates per 1,000 gallons

  • Tier 1 0 to 8,000 $9.70 (previously $9)
  • Tier 2 8,001 to 20,000 $14.55 (previously $13.50)
  • Tier 3 20.001 to 30,000 $21.56 (previously $20.00)
  • Tier 4 30,001 and above $32.33 (previously $30.00)

Wastewater base rate per month $62.87 (previously $57.68)

Average November-February volume use uniform rate $6.20 (previously $5.69)

The commercial- and irrigation-only rates can be found at: www.triviewmetrodistrict.com.

The board decided to omit Tier 5 from Option 1, for 40,000 gallons and above at a rate of $43.11, after District Administrator Sara Lamb said few customers use that much water, and when a high bill occurs it is usually due to an accidental leak. Those customers with unusually large bills due to leaks are charged at a lower tier rate.

In a 3-0 vote, the board approved Resolution 2025-01 establishing the rate and fee increase for 2025, using the rates noted above.

Director Jason Gross said, “Although the rates for the district are higher than neighboring communities, the district is providing a service that other districts have not yet made available to their customers. TMD customers are receiving 100% renewable water.”

Melville said, “At some point all neighboring districts will have to do the same, but at greater cost.”

Vice President Anthony Sexton said, “As easy as it is to sit at the table and delay, TMD forged ahead with purchasing water rights and building the NDS pipeline, and it pains me to see the higher rate, but it would be different if the district still had to begin the NDS project.”

Option 2 was not adopted. The tier structure would have reduced gallon usage per tier as follows:

Volume rates per 1,000 gallons

  • Tier 1 0 to 4,000 $9.50
  • Tier 2 4,001 to 10,000 $11.40
  • Tier 3 10,001 to 25,000 $16.65
  • Tier 4 Over 25,000 $23.75

Councilors offer support

Fiorito said the development of the Home Rule Charter for the Town of Monument created two districts, east and west Monument, and he and Councilor Kenneth Kimple both represent the TMD voters and will support the district. The Highway Users Tax Fund (HUTF) is a point of interest, along with the commercial development within the district, now that plenty of residential rooftops exist, said Fiorito.

Melville said a letter was drafted by district counsel George Rowley in September and sent to the Town of Monument (TOM) Interim Town Manager Madeline VanDenHoek requesting the town include the district’s road miles to give the district access to HUTF benefits. “Money is being left on the table, now the 2025 deadline has been missed, leaving about a $1 million delta for the district’s annual revenue,” said Melville.

District Manager James McGrady said he had a scheduled meeting with VanDenHoek to discuss HUTF, and Gross would represent the district on the TOM Stakeholder Planning Committee.

Gross suggested the Town Council and the board engage in a work session, and he would seek the TMD Board of Directors’ opinion after attending the Stakeholder Planning Committee meetings.

Higby Road update

McGrady said the Town Council had stated the Thompson Thrift and Zeal for Living apartments could not begin construction until funding for the Higby Road improvement project had been secured. A special meeting is planned for March 3 to approve ballot language regarding the bond for the mail-in election on May 6. The next customer newsletter will contain detailed information about the Higby Road improvement project, and information is available on the district website, said McGrady. See https://triviewmetro.com and Monument Town Council article on page < 9 >.

Note: A brief community survey can be found at htpps://triviewmetrodistrict.com or https://www.research.net/r/TMD_WEB_DEC?ID=[ID_value]] The survey allows customers to provide feedback to the district, to help gauge the appetite for a bond question which, should it pass, will allow the district to issue about $12.6 million for the widening of Higby Road and other capital improvements. See https://wp.ocn.me/v24n11tmd/.

Financial update

The board accepted the December 2024 financial report as presented and approved 17 checks from December and seven for January over $5,000, totaling about $913,506. The payment to CSU for the conveyance, treatment and delivery of the district’s residential and commercial water for December was about $127,449, and of note in January was $312,978 to T-Bone Construction for water improvements to the district’s Arkansas Valley Irrigation Canal Company Augmentation Station.

The district received a total of about $2.4 million in sales tax revenue from the TOM for 2024. It was better than 2023, said McGrady.

Executive session

The board moved into an executive session at 8:15 p.m., pursuant to Colorado Revised Statutes (CRS) section 24-6-402(4)(a), to discuss the acquisition or sale of water/land, and CRS 24-6-402(4)(e), to determine positions relative to matters that may be subject to negotiations, developing strategies for negotiations, and instructing negotiators as it relates to potential participation in the NMCI, development incentives, and intergovernmental agreements.

Sheffield confirmed to this reporter that after the meeting returned to the regular session at 9:16 p.m. no action was taken and the meeting promptly adjourned.

**********

Meetings are usually held on the third Thursday of the month at the district office located at 16055 Old Forest Point, Suite 302. The next regular board meeting is scheduled for Feb. 20

at 5:30 p.m. For meeting agendas, minutes, and updates, visit https://triviewmetro.com.

Natalie Barszcz can be reached at nataliebarszcz@ocn.me.

Forest Lakes Metropolitan District and Pinon Pines Metropolitan District 1, 2, and 3, Dec. 2 – Rates increase for 2025; mill levies certified; high cost revealed for pipeline construction

Correction

The article title shown above is corrected from the newsprint and pdf versions which read “Rates increase for 2024”. OCN regrets the error.

By Natalie Barszcz

At the Forest Lakes Metropolitan District (FLMD) and Pinon Pines Metropolitan District (PPMD) 1, 2, and 3 meeting on Dec. 2, the board approved the 2025 budgets and mill levies subject to receiving the revised property tax assessment, approved rate increases and an updated contract for services with Triview Metropolitan District (TMD). The board received updates on the Northern Monument Creek Interceptor (NMCI) pipeline project and the pursuit of renewable wastewater flows.

Attending via teleconference were FLMD Manager Ann Nichols, Tom Blunk of CP Real Estate Capital, representing Forest Lakes LLC and Forest Lakes Residential Development, district attorney Nicole Peykov of Spencer Fane law firm, and the following board directors: President George Lenz, executive vice president of finance for Classic Homes, Secretary Joe Loidolt, president of Classic Homes, Treasurer/Secretary Douglas Stimple, chief executive officer of Classic Homes, Director/resident James Boulton, vice president/project manager of Classic Homes, and PPMD 1 Board President Mike Hitchcock, Vice President Mike Slavick, and Secretary April Jean Slavick.

Director Steve Schlosser, project manager for Classic Homes, did not attend.

Note: There were no public comments made during the meetings.

Northern Monument Creek Interceptor update

Nichols said the district is considering moving its wastewater treatment process to Colorado Springs Utilities (CSU) via the NMCI pipeline. About 30% of the design phase for the NMCI pipeline project was completed and the detailed cost of the project will need to be split three ways between CSU, TMD, and FLMD at about $92.5 million, with each participant contributing about $32.5 million. CSU believes the project is very important with long-term benefits, and a decision to proceed was expected around mid-December, and the district and TMD are fully committed.

CSU originally offered to finance the project, but with about $3.5 billion in capital projects to complete over the next five years, FLMD and TMD will look at other ways to finance their share of the project. Donala Water and Sanitation District will be required to buy out FLMD and TMD’s portion of the Upper Monument Creek Waste Water Regional Treatment Facility (UMCRWWTF), said Nichols.

Note: The proposed pipeline would transport the district’s wastewater to CSU, avoiding the required but costly pending regulatory upgrades to the UMCRWWTF.

Reusable return wastewater flows pursued

Nichols said the district is still pursuing reusable return wastewater flows through a project with CSU and the Pikes Peak Regional Water Authority. A feasibility study is being partially funded with a $250,000 grant from the Colorado Water Board Council, and additional participants are being solicited. The project has four participants including the district, and all are required to contribute about $2,000-$3,000 for the study ($10,000 is allocated in the budget). The district is committed to take part in the project to discover how the return flows will be treated and delivered back to the district via northern entities, said Nichols.

Rates increase for 2025

Peykov opened a public hearing on the proposed 2025 rate increases for water, wastewater, and landscape services for FLMD.

Nichols noted the proposed rate increases had been published over 30 days in advance and posted appropriately on the FLMD website on Oct. 4, 2024, and recommended the board approve another 7% increase in water and wastewater service rates and a $1 increase for the irrigation/landscaping monthly fee. The development fees will quickly go away as the district grows closer to buildout, and the increase is necessary to get the rates up to a level that will sustain operations. The district is getting closer to maintaining services without development fees, said Nichols.

Hearing no comments, Peykov closed the hearing.

The board approved the rate increases, 4-0.

TMD contract amendment

The board approved the fourth amendment to the TMD Contract Operations Agreement to increase the fee by 3% for a total of $18,150 per month (the fee includes water and wastewater operations, customer billing, and landscaping fees). See https://wp.ocn.me.v24n12tmd/.

2025 budget—FLMD, PPMD 2 and 3

Nichols said she had budgeted $300,000 in the 2025 budget to complete the FLMD design cost share of the NMCI and $150,000 to repair detention pond No. 1, and she requested the board pass the resolutions to approve the budgets and set the mill levies for the districts.

The boards approved in a 4-0 vote a resolution adopting the 2025 budget, appropriating funds for FLMD, and PPMD 2 and 3, and certifying the mill levies for each district subject to any final change after the El Paso County Assessor notifies the district by Dec. 12 of the adjusted property tax assessments.

Note: The mill levy for PPMD 2 was approved at 55.664 mills, and PPMD 3 was approved at 42 mills for collection in 2025. The mill levy for FLMD is set at 0 mills.

2024 budget amendment—PPMD 3

Nichols requested the board approve an amendment to the 2024 budget for PPMD 3, increasing the cost for the 2023 audit by $8,500. Additional funds were required for the unanticipated full audit.

The board approved the budget amendment.

2024 audit engagement letter

Peykov requested the board approve an engagement letter with Hoelting & Co. for the 2024 audits for FLMD and PPMD 2, and an audit exemption request for PPMD 3.

Nichols said the fees had not yet been finalized via letter, but the FLMD was expected to cost $17,150, and the Pinon Pines districts are expected to cost $6,500 each, according to the auditor.

The board approved the engagement letter subject to final legal review, 4-0.

Director and TABOR election 2025

Peykov said some of the board director seats are expiring for the FLMD, PPMD 2 and 3 boards, but the board should consider a TABOR election in 2025 to waive the property tax revenue limit that will take effect in 2025.

Stimple asked if property owners would need to vote for a TABOR election.

Peykov said within PPMD 2, the property owners would vote, but it would be a costly endeavor that will likely not pass, and the subject was not presented to the PPMD 1 Board of Directors.

Stimple said, “The election would allow the district to opt out of some restrictions that the state government have put in place to limit how much the mill levy can increase per year. Within all Classic Homes active developments, the board recommendation is against placing a TABOR waiver ballot question to the residents because the district would want the residents to vote no against property taxes increasing no more than 4.5% per year, but it is a tough sell,” and he recommended the TABOR election only for the commercial district PPMD 3 and FLMD.

Peykov said that although FLMD does not certify mill levies, the requirement may change in the future.

The board approved the election as recommended, pending clarification on which director seats would be included in the 2025 election for FLMD, PPMD 2 and 3.

Note: The director seats held by Boulton and Schlosser will expire in May 2025.

Debt authorization special election results

Stephanie Net of Spencer Fane LLP confirmed to this reporter that all five directors/electors voted in the special election held on Nov. 5 to approve a new debt authorization for PPMD 3. A canvass meeting was held on Nov. 18 to confirm no public or electors had questions regarding the election and to confirm the results. No members of the public were present. The meeting was not a board meeting and no minutes were taken. See htpps://wp.ocn.me.v24n9flmd/.

2025 budget—PPMD 1

Peykov opened the public hearing for the 2025 budget for PPMD 1. Hearing no comments, the public hearing closed.

Nichols said there were only minor changes in the budget, but an increase of 2 mills was added to cover the debt service set at 22.500 mills. The general operations will be set at 11.133 mills for 2025.

The board unanimously approved a resolution to adopt the 2025 budget, appropriating funds, and certifying the mill levy at 33.633 mills, for collection in 2025.

The board also unanimously approved/adopted:

  • The 2024 audit engagement letter with Hoelting & Co., for a fee of no more than $6,500.
  • The annual administrative resolution, meeting time, and schedule.
  • The Colorado Open Records Act hourly retrieval rate of $41.37 (the first hour is free).

Board member election

The board unanimously approved a board member election for May 2025 subject to verification of which director positions are up for re-election.

Note: The five-member all-resident PPMD 1 board has three incumbent members and has had two vacant positions for the past few years. All three directors are required to be present at each meeting to maintain a quorum for voting purposes. The director positions are not term limited, and all five director positions will be on the ballot. Self-nomination forms to be a candidate for district board member may be obtained from: Stephanie Net, paralegal, Spencer Fane, 1700 Lincoln St., Suite 3800, Denver, Colorado 80203. Tel: 303-839-3912 Fax: 303-839-3838 or email: snet@spencerfane.com.

The meetings adjourned at 4:48 p.m.

**********

Meetings are usually held quarterly or when necessary, on the first Monday of the month at 4 p.m. via teleconference. Meeting notices are posted at least 24 hours in advance at https://forestlakesmetrodistrict.com. For general questions, contact Nichols at 719-327-5810, anicholsduffy@aol.com.

Natalie Barszcz can be reached at nataliebarszcz@ocn.me.

Other Forest Lakes Metro District articles

Donala Water and Sanitation District, Nov. 21 – State signs off on radium remediation

By James Howald and Jackie Burhans

At its December meeting, the Donala Water and Sanitation District’s (DWSD) board heard good news concerning its efforts to remove radium from the water the district delivers to customers. The board concluded its work on its 2025 budget, certified its mill levies, and planned two upcoming elections. The board decided to abandon Well 11D and redrill Well 7D in its place. Finally, the board heard financial and operational reports.

State confirms compliance with radium standard

Water Operator Ronny Wright told the board he had received a “radiological reinforcement order” from the state, a confirmation that DWSD has met the state’s standards for radium over four consecutive quarters. The order states that DWSD’s system was “reliably and consistently achieving compliance within the combined standards” for radium. Wright said the district would receive a new schedule for ongoing sampling from the state.

On June 28, 2022, DWSD was notified that water processed at the Holbein Treatment Plant had, for the past year, an average value of combined radium of 9.6 pCi/L, exceeding the maximum contaminant level of 5 pCi/L. In response, the district notified its customers as required, took the treatment plant offline, upgraded the filtration medium at the plant and installed a radium removal process based on hydrous manganese oxide. The board estimated it would have the problem solved by November 2023, and the order confirms that the water delivered in 2024 met the state’s standards.

2025 budget adopted; mill levies set

Board President Wayne Vanderschuere opened a public hearing on the 2025 budget. He noted that rates and fees, which typically are set when a new budget is approved, would be set in the first quarter of 2025 when the district has data for water consumption during the winter months, which it uses to calculate wastewater costs, and has had time to complete a cost of service study.

There were no comments on the budget and Vanderschuere closed the hearing. The board passed four resolutions:

  • Resolution 2024-9, which adopts the 2025 budget.
  • Resolution 2024-10, which appropriates the funds needed for the budget.
  • Resolution 2024-11, which sets a mill levy of 21.296 mills for most of the district.
  • Resolution 2024-12, which sets a mill levy of 10.648 mills for a small portion of the district that receives water service but uses septic tanks instead of the district’s sewer service.

Upcoming elections

The board planned for two upcoming elections. The first, a special election to be held on Feb. 4, will ask voters to waive the term limits that are currently in place for members of the DWSD board. The board put this issue to the voters because of the difficulty of finding candidates for the DWSD board and in hopes of improving the long-term decision-making of the board by allowing members to serve for a longer time.

Accounts Payable Specialist Christina Hawker gave the board a timeline for the February election. She said printed ballots would be available by Jan. 3. The election will be held between 7 a.m. and 7 p.m. at the district offices at 15850 Holbein Drive. Hawker will serve as the Designated Election Official (DEO). Absentee ballots would be mailed out on Jan. 6 to those who requested them. An application for an absentee ballot is on the district web page, she said. Jan. 28 is the last day to request an absentee ballot. Hawker said details about the election would be included with the bills sent to customers.

Micki Mills, of the legal firm Cockrel Ela Glesne Geher and Ruhland, attended the meeting to advise the board about the election. She said the district is subject to the fair campaign practices act, so the information included in bills must be strictly factual and can’t advocate for or against the issue before the voters. She advised board members to forward any questions they receive to Hawker.

The board also planned a district election to be held on May 6, 2025. That election will elect board members to fill the seats currently held by Vanderschuere and Director Ed Miller. If term limits are waived in February, then Vanderschuere and Miller may run again for the seats they currently hold. If they are not waived, Vanderschuere and Miller will not be eligible for re-election.

Anyone wishing to run for one of the two available board seats can obtain a self-nomination form by emailing Hawker at ChristinaH@donalawater.gov. The completed forms must be received no later than close of business on Feb. 28.

The board voted in favor of Resolution 2024-8, which documents the date and time of the election and names Hawker as DEO.

Well 7D to replace 11D

At its November meeting, the board heard a recommendation from consultant Helen Malenda-Lawrence, of LRE Water, to repair Well 11D. District Manager Hodge told the board that following a video inspection of the well it was determined that the well could not be repaired with the installation of a new pump, as was originally estimated, and he recommended abandoning the well.

Hodge proposed redrilling well 7D, which failed in 2020. Well 7D is located in the parking lot of the district’s office building and treatment plant on Holbein Drive. Because Well 7D could be redrilled within 200 feet of its existing location, there would be no need to go to water court and that would simplify the permitting required, Hodge said. Another advantage is the well could provide water to the treatment plant without using the pipeline adjacent to Baptist Road, which is subject to failures due to its installation directly on rock.

Financial and operational reports

In his financial report, District Manager Jeff Hodge reported that revenues and expenses for the last month of 2024 were on track. Savings on water rights balanced additional expenses for staff training.

In his manager’s report, Hodge said the state had called to schedule a sanitary survey of the district. A sanitary survey is an on-site survey that looks at water sources, facilities, equipment, operations, and maintenance of public water systems to evaluate the adequacy of the systems to provide safe drinking water.

**********

The next board meeting is scheduled for Thursday, Jan. 16 at 1:30 p.m. Generally, board meetings are held the third Thursday of the month at 1:30 p.m. and include online access; call (719) 488-3603 or access www.donalawater.org to receive up-to-date meeting information. The district office is located at 15850 Holbein Drive, Colorado Springs.

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

Other Donala Water and Sanitation District articles

Triview Metropolitan District, Dec. 16 – Study reveals water and wastewater rate increase; administrative/utility offices pursued

By Natalie Barszcz

At the Triview Metropolitan District (TMD) meeting, the board received a presentation from Raftelis Financial Consultants on a proposed financial plan to maintain a 10-year revenue stream, authorized the acquisition of property to build administration and utility department offices, and approved the terms and conditions of a lease/purchase loan to construct the district’s administration/utility operations building.

The board heard about costs increasing for the 1.5-million-gallon water tank installation project and awarded a bid from Kiewit Infrastructure for the site development portion of the project. The board discussed seeking voter approval to fund the Higby Road improvement project and heard about a second water main break under Forest Lakes Drive.

The board held an executive session pursuant to Colorado Revised Statutes 24-6-402(4)(a), for the purpose of determining positions relative to matters that may be subject to negotiations, developing strategies for negotiations, and instructing negotiators as it relates to potential development incentives and intergovernmental agreements.

The district is still waiting to hear if Colorado Springs Utilities (CSU) will move ahead and build the Northern Monument Creek Interceptor pipeline. The project was a point of discussion during the executive session. See FLMD article on page < 7 >.

Raftelis water fund enterprise study

District Manager James McGrady introduced financial consultants Andrew Rheem and Theresa Jurotich of Raftelis and said the team had conducted another study to determine the district’s path to remain financially solvent over the next 10 years.

Rheem said the study findings presented are focused solely on the water enterprise fund, and next year the study will focus on wastewater. Raftelis conducted a study in 2021, and the 2024 study updates the previous findings. The proposed recommendations in January will be for implementation on Feb. 1, 2025. The district staff have also requested an alternative rate structure for the residential water tiers that will be designed to generate the same revenue.

The study suggested the rates increase by 10% in 2025, then by 6% every year from 2026 through 2030, and by 5% every year from 2031 through 2034. The projected revenues pay the debt service after operations and maintenance expenses have been paid. The legal requirement on the existing loans is 110% or 1.1 times the annual debt service, so for every dollar in debt service the district is legally required to have $1.10 in revenue after expenses, he said.

The study also accounts for a 12% price increase in 2025 from Colorado Springs Utilities (CSU) to convey, treat, and deliver the district’s water via the Northern Delivery System (NDS). The district will receive additional water via the NDS, and then a 6.5% increase has been identified per year over the next four years. The district anticipates other costs for ongoing repairs and replacement, change cases to obtain the district’s water, and other projects to increase in cost. The rate increases are small, frequent adjustments that will be level and not bounce around over the next 10 years, according to the study. For example, the typical residential customer with a three-fourths-inch meter using about 8,000 gallons per month in 2024 would be billed $117 per month for the water portion only; with the rate applied in 2025 it would be about $129, said Rheem.

McGrady said the district should also look at raising tap fees in 2025 to ensure new growth is paying for itself instead of putting that on the backs of current consumers. The district will meet demand with its own water rights accessed via the entire boxed-in system that includes CSU and the Southern Delivery System, he said.

Vice President Anthony Sexton said the district will not always be able to rely on tap fees to fund projects in the future, like it did with the NDS.

2025 water and wastewater rates/fees increase

McGrady said the board will hold a public hearing at the Jan. 23 meeting. RAFTELIS will present all of the proposed rate increases for 2025 before the board adopts the 2025 water and wastewater rates/fees increase for implementation on Feb. 1, said McGrady.

Survey seeks appetite for bond

Assistant Manager Steve Sheffield said the district worked with Magellan Strategies to create an electronic survey for customers to complete on the district’s website or via email. The brief community survey can be found at www.triviewmetro.com or https://www.research.net/r/TMD_WEB_DEC?ID=[ID_value]].

McGrady said the survey allows customers to provide feedback to the district to help gauge the appetite for a bond question, which if passed would allow the district to issue about $12.6 million for the widening of Higby Road and other capital improvements. See https://wp.ocn.me/v24n11tmd/.

Higby Road design revealed

McGrady presented a PowerPoint of the design for the Higby Road improvements that can be viewed by the public under Higby Road Expansion Project at www.triviewmetrodistrict.com before completing the survey. The proposed bond is not a tax increase but a re-allocation of some of the uses of that for debt service, for a project that will enhance road safety. The project was originally estimated to cost about $6 million, but costs increased and the district does not have the $12.6 million in cash to complete the project, said McGrady.

Director Jason Gross offered to present the design to the D38 Board of Education to let it know what the district is doing for it and explain the financials a little bit to the community. The public can see the value of the safety features and realize that although they are not saving money, approving the bond is not costing them more either. Getting the community on board and presenting to the Town of Monument (TOM) would also be a good idea, he said.

Vice Chair Anthony Sexton said, “It is fine to let the school board know, but I don’t really have an opinion about what the D38 board thinks unless they are ponying up for some of the cost. This is for them and the developers, and the district residents are paying for it, it is truly a great project for everyone attending the school, but only TMD residents are paying for the road. It is important to note this is a reallocation of revenue that costs the taxpayers money, and to say it does not raise taxes is incorrect when there is an opportunity to lower the mill levy without the bond. The district needs to be transparent, and the residents will hopefully see the value and approve the bond,” said Sexton.

McGrady said the residents north of Higby Road, the TOM, and D38 are not contributing to the cost of the road improvements, and the district agreed to complete the project. However, as the project grew, D38 and the town added bells and whistles, such as sidewalks, road widening, islands and additional gutters, adding to the cost. The district receives a portion of the sales tax collected from the TOM from businesses within the district, and as development grows, taps and tax revenue will increase and help bring down the debt service, he said.

The general consensus of the board was despite the safety features the road design will bring, the Higby Road improvements will help expedite development within the district. See MTC article on page < 1 >.

Property site lease purchase approved

The board approved Resolution 2024-15, authorizing the acquisition of a 2-arce property for about $1 million from Santa Fe Park JV LLC to build the district’s administration and utility department offices on a lot north of West Baptist Road. The district is paying cash that was included in the budget for the lot.

Lease/purchase loan proposed

The board approved Resolution 2024-16, establishing the terms and conditions for a 10-year lease/purchase loan from Vectra Bank for about $5.144 million (includes about $1.144 million with about a 4.79% fixed interest rate) to construct the district’s 8,000-square-foot administration/utility operations building.

Water tank project update

McGrady said the cost to install the 1.5-million-gallon water tank at B Plant, St. Lawrence Way, increased beyond the original estimated cost. He said:

  • The district received a $1 million matching grant from the American Rescue Plan Act.
  • The bids received are substantial and the district will need to reconsider its approach to installing the tank.
  • The grant stipulates the project must be awarded to a contractor before Dec. 31, 2024, and the grant must be spent on building the tank by June 30, 2026.

He requested the board award Kiewit Infrastructure for $27,960 to conduct the site development for the project. Site development will continue until the $1 million is spent, but the lowest initial bids to install a tank was about $7 million. Developing the site incrementally may mitigate some of the costs initially bid, and the hope is to pay cash as the project moves along. The project requires a screen wall, landscaping, the re-routing of storm drainage pipes, and a detention pond, and some work could be done in-house, but eventually the site will be ready for a tank, and it will likely cost about $3.3 million to install a tank on a foundation. The site has been cleared and Kiewit Infrastructure will begin site development in December.

Mario DiPasquale, vice president of RESPEC, said costs have increased and the site is challenging behind the existing tank, but the availability of construction companies and materials is limited nationwide. The C Plant tank built in 2016 cost the district just under $1 million with utilities included, on a simple site, and the same type of tank for another client built in 2024 on a similar site cost $3 million, he said.

The board unanimously approved awarding Phase 1 to Kiewit Infrastructure.

Financial update

The board accepted the November 2024 financial report as presented and approved 16 checks over $5,000 totaling about $668,544. The payment to CSU for the conveyance, treatment and delivery of the district’s residential and commercial water was $123,156. Of note was $196,840 to T-Bone Construction for water improvements to the district’s Arkansas Valley Irrigation Canal Company Augmentation Station.

Water utilities update

Water Utilities Superintendent Gary Potter said 96% of the water produced for November was from the NDS with 4% from the wells. The district produced about 15,824 million gallons (MG) of water in November 2024, with almost 13,652 MG billed to customers.

District pinning down water loss

Potter said that unbilled water represents a 10% loss for November 2024, and this was up from previous months. However, the percentage is misleading when compared to the amount of water produced, because the actual amount of water loss was down in November (about 1.6 million gallons) compared to September when about 2.9 million gallons was missing.

The loss is usually higher during irrigation months and can be a combination of leaks and/or some issues with billing and accounting issues, but meters are often a source of unaccounted water. The replacement of a leak gate valve on Talus Road could have been leaking for a while and likely attributed to a good portion of the unbilled water, said Potter.

Sheffield said the district staff are working toward a less-than-5% monthly water loss.

McGrady said he had never compared the gallon loss, only the percentage, and it could be metering that always runs slower than the flow, and it could also be the commercial meters.

Sheffield said it is important to keep pushing the commercial meter switch to the Badger meters; the goal of changing out five meters per week is being achieved.

Water main break

Potter said a second major water main break had occurred on Nov. 23 in a section of pipe on Forest Lakes Drive, the second within months and in close proximity to the first. The repair was made overnight with a contractor and the district crews, and he thanked the operational staff for restoring service to the residents in Forest Lakes Metropolitan District.

Executive session

The board moved into an executive session at 9:02 p.m., pursuant to Colorado Revised Statutes section 24-6-402(4)(a), to determine positions relative to matters that may be subject to negotiations, developing strategies for negotiations, and instructing negotiators as it relates to potential development incentives and intergovernmental agreement.

Sheffield confirmed to this reporter that after the meeting returned to the regular session at 9:50 p.m., no action was taken and the meeting promptly adjourned.

**********

Meetings are usually held on the third Thursday of the month at the district office at 16055 Old Forest Point, Suite 302. The next regular board meeting is scheduled for Jan. 23 at 5:30 p.m. For meeting agendas, minutes, and updates, visit https://triviewmetro.com.

Natalie Barszcz can be reached at nataliebarszcz@ocn.me.

Other Triview Metropolitan District articles

Woodmoor Water and Sanitation District, Dec. 16 – Board wraps up rate increases and 2025 budget, swaps water discount for land

By James Howald

In December, the Woodmoor Water and Sanitation District (WWSD) board concluded two public hearings: the first on proposed rate increases and the second on the proposed budget for 2025. Both hearings were opened at its November meeting and kept open until December to meet requirements to notify the public before a final vote.

The board considered a request from a developer to exchange land on the east side of Lake Woodmoor owned by the developer for a reduction in the cost of supplemental water the developer is purchasing for the Waterside development on the east side of Woodmoor Drive. The board also voted to extend for a year existing options to purchase supplemental water at the lower rate charged in 2024.

The management contract between the Chilcott Ditch Co. and WWSD was renewed for 2025. The board voted to move to a new health insurance carrier to reduce costs. It heard comments from two residents. The meeting ended with an executive session.

2025 rates and budget

Board President Brian Bush continued the public hearing on the proposed rate increases that was opened at the board’s November meeting. The rate increases were published on the district’s web page < 30 > days before the December meeting. Base rates, volumetric rates, tap fees, and supplemental water rates all saw increases. A detailed discussion of the proposed rates can be found in the December issue of OCN at https://wp.ocn.me/v24n12wwsd/.

One resident commented that he did not like to see rates going up. There were no questions or comments from the board and Bush closed the hearing.

Following the hearing, the board voted on Resolution 24-03 to approve the rates. Directors Bill Clewe, Roy Martinez Tom Roddham and President Bush voted in favor; Director Dan Beley voted no.

Bush then continued the hearing on the 2025 budget. Clewe noted that the insurance costs for the Tri-Lakes Waste Water Treatment Facility, which WWSD owns and operates with the Towns of Palmer Lake and Monument, had increased by $2,000 since November and the 2025 budget had been updated to reflect that additional cost.

There were no comments from the public and Bush closed the hearing on the budget.

The board voted on Resolution 24-04 to adopt the budget and appropriate the necessary funds. Beley was the only no vote.

Developer offers land for reduced water bill

District Manager Jessie Shaffer told the board La Plata Communities had asked the district if it wanted three lots adjacent to Lake Woodmoor that were difficult to develop. The developer asked to be allowed to transfer water rights from those lots to property it is developing on the east side of Woodmoor Drive known as the Waterside development. Transferring the water rights would reduce the amount of supplemental water La Plata Communities would need to buy to complete its Waterside development, Shaffer said. The district sells supplemental water at a higher rate than the standard allotment, which is one-half acre-feet of water for each acre of land.

Shaffer explained the costs of the land sale would be split between the district and La Plata Communities. The Supplemental Water Usage and Service Agreement between the two specifies the district will supply 8.117 acre-feet of supplemental water to the waterside development for a cost of $235,000 per year.

In response to a question from Bush, Shaffer said the agreement with La Plata Communities would use the 2024 supplemental water rates, not the higher 2025 rates.

The board voted unanimously to authorize the exchange.

Following the decision on the land exchange, Shaffer asked the board to consider keeping rates unchanged for existing option contracts in good standing to buy supplemental water.

Developers sometimes sign contracts with WWSD that give them the option to buy supplemental water at a later date as a way to ensure water will be available when they decide to proceed with a development. The developer pays a fee for the option to buy water at a later time.

The board voted to keep the 2024 rate of $29,000 per acre-foot of supplemental water in place for existing option contracts.

Chilcott Ditch management contract renewed

Shaffer asked the board to approve an updated version of the district’s contract with the Chilcott Ditch Co. The district provides administrative services, staff, and equipment to manage the Chilcott Ditch, which conveys water from Fountain Creek to shareholders in the company and to the Calhan Reservoir. Shaffer said the new contract had only minor changes, one being an increase in hourly wages for employees from $39 to $40.95 per hour.

The board voted unanimously to approve the amended contract.

District chooses new health insurance carrier

Shaffer showed the board a comparison of terms provided by Colorado Employers Benefit Trust (CEBT), the district’s current health insurance carrier, with those of United Healthcare. He said the premium increases from CEBT were “staggering,” at 13.5% for employees seeking to cover only themselves in 2025. He applauded Office Manager Cory Lynch for researching other providers. Lynch found that United Healthcare could provide a better plan with a lower maximum out-of-pocket cost, at an annual saving of $430 per employee.

The board authorized Lynch to pursue switching to United Healthcare.

Residents question development, water supply

Tom Griesser told the board he opposed the Monument Ridge East development. He pointed out that when the district purchased the Woodmoor Ranch in 2011 for its water rights, a Renewable Water Infrastructure Fee had been put in place to pay off the debt for that purchase. He asked why residents are paying a fee that will benefit the developer of Monument Ridge East.

Bush answered that anti-development sentiment was on the rise in the district. He explained that if the district has water available, it provides it to developers, but developers pay a high cost for supplemental water service and the board has raised tap fees about 40% over the last few years. Tap fees are paid once when a connection is made to the district’s water and sewer infrastructure. Bush also mentioned the Loop water reuse project, which will provide renewable water to the district as groundwater supplies decrease.

Brian Peterson pointed out the debt for the Woodmoor Ranch would be paid off in 2031 and asked if the district would retain water rights from the ranch in perpetuity. Bush said the Loop could provide up to 3,000 acre-feet per year to the district, which currently uses about 1,100 for the entire service area. The Loop could replace groundwater wells that are expensive and risky, Bush said.

Executive session

The meeting ended with an executive session to determine negotiating positions and to confer with legal counsel on potential agreements with the Loop, Classic Homes and Rex Colorado Corp.

**********

The next meeting is on Jan. 13 at 1 p.m. Meetings are usually held on the second Monday of each month at 1 p.m. at the district office at 1845 Woodmoor Drive. Please see www.woodmoorwater.com or call 719-488-2525 to verify meeting times and locations.

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

Other Woodmoor Water and Sanitation District articles

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.

**********

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

Monument Sanitation District, Dec. 18 – Four properties added to service area

Table of Contents

By Jackie Burhans and James Howald

At its December meeting, the Monument Sanitation District (MSD) board held a public hearing on four petitions for inclusion into the district’s service area. A vote was held following the hearing. Board President Dan Hamilton proposed a 5% salary increase for district employees. The board approved an update of construction standards for wastewater infrastructure and heard a report from District Manager Mark Parker.

Petitions for inclusion approved

Parker opened a public hearing to consider adding four properties to the district’s service area. He explained that in updating the district’s service area map, he discovered that four properties that the district serves and that are within the district’s service area boundaries had never been formally included in the district. Two of the properties are owned by the Town of Monument: the Town Hall on Beacon Lite Road and the parcel containing the town’s water treatment plant and the Code One building, also on Beacon Lite Road. The third property is in the Wakonda Hills neighborhood. The fourth property is on Washington Street.

Operation Specialist Jim Kendrick recalled that there had been discussion concerning the town’s properties several years ago.

There were no comments from the public on the petitions, and Hamilton closed the hearing. The board voted unanimously in favor of the petitions.

5% salary increase approved

Hamilton proposed a 5% salary increase for Parker, Kendrick, and Accounts Administrator Cheran Allsup. He said all were doing excellent work for the district. Parker said the 2025 budget, recently approved by the board, included funds for a 3% merit increase and a 2% cost of living increase.

Parker said he loved working for the district. Kendrick said he felt the district was currently run the best it had been over the past couple of years.

The board voted unanimously to approve the salary increase.

New construction standards approved

Parker presented the board with a draft of new construction standards for the district’s wastewater infrastructure. Dave Frish, of GMS Engineering Inc., had reviewed the new standards, Parker said. Parker said the changes were mostly in the formatting of the document. He said that one important change was specifying that new manholes be built without the use of steps. He said that required anyone entering a manhole to bring a ladder, the ladder serving as proof of intent to enter the manhole. Parker said other districts were making the same change to their manhole standards.

The board voted unanimously to approve the new standards.

Manager’s report

In his manager’s report, Parker said the switch from paper statements to electronic statements had been very well received by the district’s customers, many of whom were using the form on the district’s website to move to electronic statements and avoid the newly imposed $2 fee for paper statements. Paper statements are still available to customers without access to a computer, he said.

**********

Monument Sanitation District meetings are held at 9 a.m. on the third Wednesday of the month in the district conference room at 130 Second St., Monument. The next regular meeting is scheduled for Jan. 15. See https://MonumentSanitationDistrict.org. For a district service map, see https://MonumentSanitationDistrict.org/district-map. Information: 719-481-4886.

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

Other Monument Sanitation District articles

Woodmoor Water and Sanitation District, Nov. 11 – Board considers rate increase

By James Howald

At its November meeting, the Woodmoor Water and Sanitation District (WWSD) board opened two public hearings: the first on the proposed 2025 budget and the second on proposed rate increases. The board awarded a construction contract for a water storage tank near the Southern Water Treatment Facility and heard operational reports.

2025 budget and rates

Board President Brian Bush opened a public hearing on the proposed 2025 budget. The board voted to keep the hearing open until its next meeting on Dec. 16, at which time it will vote on the budget. The board meeting regularly scheduled for Dec. 12 will be delayed until Dec. 16 to accommodate the requirements for posting proposed rate increases.

District Manager Jessie Shaffer told the board that the budget before the board had very few changes from the version it considered at a budget workshop on Oct. 23. He said he had grouped rehabilitation and repair costs and maintenance costs together as the board had suggested. The budget assumes a 5% increase across the board on residential base fees and volumetric rates, Shaffer said. He estimated the increases would cost the typical residential customer an average of $4 per month. The average increase, which covers both water and sewer costs, would be less than $4 in the winter months when water usage decreases and more than $4 a month in the summer months when irrigation is at its highest rate.

Shaffer asked the board to consider increasing the base fee for supplemental water from its current rate of $29,000 per acre-foot to $34,500 per acre-foot. In most cases, requests for supplemental water come from developers whose projects will require more than the standard allotment of 0.5 acre-foot of water for each acre of land they wish to develop.

The board opened a second public hearing specifically on rates and also voted to keep it open until Dec. 16.

The board is required to publish rate increases 30 days in advance of the date those increases will take effect. The proposed “not-to-exceed” rates for 2025 are published in two attachments on WWSD’s web page and include the following increases for residential users:

  • The water base fee for a residence with a three-fourths-inch tap—the most common configuration in the district—will increase from $11.01 per month to $11.56.
  • For the first 6,000 gallons of water used in a month, the residential volume charge will increase from $6.98 per 1,000 gallons to $7.33.
  • For water usage between 6,001 and 25,000 gallons used in a month, the residential volume charge will increase from $11.27 per 1,000 gallons to $11.83.
  • For water usage over 25,000 gallons, the residential volume charge will increase from $18.39 per 1,000 gallons to $19.31.
  • The sewer base fee for a residence will increase from $35.69 to $37.47 per month.
  • The sewer volume charge will remain unchanged at no charge for the first 6,000 gallons of wastewater generated in a month and will increase from $4.65 to $4.88 per 1,000 gallons of wastewater above 6,000 gallons.
  • The Renewable Water Investment Fee will remain unchanged. It is currently $40 per month for residences with three-fourths-inch taps.

For new residential construction:

  • The water tap fee for a three-fourths-inch tap will take a big jump from $37,235 to $40,959.
  • The sewer tap fee will remain unchanged at $10,388 for the first 25 fixture units.

A complete list of all proposed water fees and charges can be found here: https://www.woodmoorwater.com/images/docs/Rate_Increases/2025/2025_Rate_Increase_Attachment_A.pdf.

A complete list of all proposed sewer fees and charges can be found here: https://www.woodmoorwater.com/images/docs/Rate_Increases/2025/2025_Rate_Increase_Attachment_B.pdf.

Water tank construction contract awarded

Richard Hood, a project manager with JVA Consulting Engineers Inc., gave the board an update on the plan to build a second water storage tank in the southern portion of the WWSD service area and asked the board to award a contract for its construction.

The new tank will provide redundancy so the existing tank can be taken offline and recoated, he said, and will be made of prestressed concrete so it will not require coating and will be cheaper to maintain over the long term than the existing steel tank. The new tank will require minor soil grading and site piping improvements. Hood said he expected substantial completion of the tank by August of 2025.

Hood recommended the construction contract be awarded to Preload, a company that specializes in prestressed concrete tanks. Hood said his company had worked with Preload on a water storage tank project in Pueblo that went well. He advised the board to accept Preload’s $2 million bid to construct the tank.

Board President Brian Bush asked if the bid included a contingency. Shaffer said the 2025 budget contained a $100,000 contingency for the project, and the board voted unanimously to accept Preload’s bid.

Operational reports

In his operational report, Operations Superintendent Dan LaFontaine addressed the question, asked by board Treasurer Roy Martinez at the October meeting, of how much the district spends on preventive maintenance. LaFontaine said the district has never tracked preventive maintenance spending directly but is developing an asset management system that will provide the data needed to track that spending. LaFontaine said he had worked with Office Manager Cory Lynch and they had estimated about 19% of the district’s $236,000 general water maintenance budget was spent on preventive maintenance. On the wastewater side, the percentage was higher, LaFontaine said, at about 53% of the district’s $89,000 general wastewater maintenance budget.

LaFontaine explained that sometimes doing preventive maintenance on a fixed schedule wastes money because equipment is replaced before it fails. He said the district focuses on redundancy instead, which saves money by allowing equipment to be fixed only when it fails.

In her engineer’s report, District Engineer Cydney Saelens told the board that contractors made significant progress on the water transmission line being built to convey water from Well 21, the district’s newest well, to the Central Water Treatment plant. She said the contractor had been given until Nov. 25, an additional five days, to complete the work.

**********

The next meeting is on Dec. 16 at 1 p.m. The December meeting was delayed to meet posting requirements. Meetings are usually held on the second Monday of each month at 1 p.m. at the district office at 1845 Woodmoor Drive. Please see www.woodmoorwater.com or call 719-488-2525 to verify meeting times and locations.

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

Other Woodmoor Water & Sanitation District articles

Monument Sanitation District, Nov. 20 – Board approves rate increase, plans for Buc-ee’s impact

By Jackie Burhans and James Howald

The Monument Sanitation District (MSD) board focused on its rates, fees, and the 2025 budget at its meeting in November. It held two public hearings: the first on its rates and fees and the second on its 2025 budget. The hearings were followed by votes on resolutions to raise its monthly rates and fees and to approve the budget and appropriate the funds needed.

In his manager’s report, District Manager Mark Parker told the board about a meeting he attended with representatives of Buc-ee’s, which is planning to build a travel center on property west of I-25 and south of County Line Road that is currently part of MSD’s service area.

Rate increase of $5 per month approved

Parker opened a public hearing on a new fees schedule that increases the monthly residential use fee from $40 to $45. The schedule also adds a $2 per month fee for customers who choose to receive a paper statement each month. The paper statement fee is intended to offset mailing costs.

The schedule also raises the commercial use fee to $45 per month for the first 5,000 gallons of wastewater generated. The commercial fee increases to $6.10 for each 1,000 gallons thereafter.

Residential customers will pay a $5 late fee on any outstanding balance after the 16th day of the month. Commercial customers will pay a 5% late fee.

Residential and commercial tap fees, which are paid once when new customers connect to the district’s infrastructure, remain unchanged in the new fee schedule.

Following the public hearing, at which there were no comments from the public, the board unanimously approved Resolution 11202024-2, which adopts the new fee schedule.

The board discussed the new fee schedule in detail at its previous meeting in October. That discussion is reported in the November issue of Our Community News here: https://wp.ocn.me/v24n11msd/.

2025 budget approved

There were no comments on the proposed 2025 budget at the public hearing that Parker opened, and the hearing was closed.

The 2025 budget included in the packet for the meeting projects total income for the district will be $2.998 million and total expenditures will be $2.889 million, leaving an ending fund balance of $1.730 million. Parker said the final budget reflected the concerns the board expressed when it discussed the budget at its October meeting.

The board voted unanimously to approve Resolution 11202024-1, which adopts the 2025 budget and appropriates funds as required.

The board’s detailed discussion of the 2025 budget is reported at the link above.

Manager’s report includes discussion with Buc-ee’s

In his manager’s report, Parker told the board that on Nov. 19 he participated in a meeting with engineers representing Buc-ee’s to discuss its plans for a travel center in the northeast corner of MSD’s service area. Parker said the district took no position on where the travel center obtains water. He said the center was estimated to produce 15,000 of wastewater daily and would require the installation of a grease interceptor. Parker said he expects to meet with representatives of Buc-ee’s monthly.

Parker said Buc-ee’s would pay one tap fee for the center and would also pay a plant investment fee for its impact on the Tri-Lakes Wastewater Treatment Facility (TLWWTF), which would process the center’s wastewater. Parker said the TLWWTF would need “major upgrades,” and new developments need to “pay their way.” A plant investment fee has never been charged in the past, he said, but the travel center would require the fee.

The TLWWTF is jointly owned and operated by the Town of Monument, the Town of Palmer Lake, and Woodmoor Water and Sanitation District. The Joint Use Committee (JUC) oversees the operation of the treatment facility. Each of the owners pays a portion of operating costs based on the amount of wastewater it generates. In the past, disagreements about allocating operating costs have been resolved in court.

Parker also mentioned that the travel center might require a lift station to be built. How El Paso County decides to develop Beacon Lite Road will impact the need for a lift station, Parker said. Parker explained that if Buc-ee’s wants MSD to run the lift station, then other district customers would need to be included. If Buc-ee’s wants the lift station to serve only their center, then the district will not take responsibility for its operation, Parker said

Later in his report, Parker asked the board to approve a 2025 budget for the JUC that includes a 5% pay increase for its employees and a cost-of-living adjustment that will cover a 13.5% increase in employee insurance cost. The board voted unanimously to approve the proposed budget.

**********

Monument Sanitation District meetings are held at 9 a.m. on the third Wednesday of the month in the district conference room at 130 Second St., Monument. The next regular meeting is scheduled for Dec. 18. See https://MonumentSanitationDistrict.org. For a district service map, see https://MonumentSanitationDistrict.org/district-map. Information: 719-481-4886.

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

Other Monument Sanitation District articles

Donala Water and Sanitation District, Nov. 21 – Board hears rate and groundwater supply studies

By James Howald and Jackie Burhans

At Donala Water and Sanitation District’s (DWSD) November meeting, consultants presented the results of two studies: the first addressing proposed rate increases and the second analyzing groundwater supply issues such as the status of existing wells, plans for well maintenance, how best to manage the district’s two well fields, and next steps.

The presentations were intended to address questions arising from a discussion of the district’s 2025 budget at the previous board meeting, in which a 9.25% increase in rates had been proposed by General Manager Jeff Hodge. Hodge presented a revised 2025 budget that compared 4.5% and a 5% rate increases. The board voted on a resolution calling for a special election to ask voters to waive term limits for DWSD board members. The meeting ended with an executive session.

Rate study recommends 5% rate increase

Todd Cristiano, a consultant with Raftelis, a company that does financial modeling and rate studies for local governments and utilities, presented the results of his study of water and wastewater rates to the board. His goal was to create a financial roadmap that aligns rate revenues with annual expenditures, debt coverage and required reserves; that funds capital projects using debt, rates, and reserves; that structures rates to recover the costs of water and wastewater service; and that minimizes the financial impacts on customers.

Cristiano pointed out that DWSD was restricted in its ability to issue debt, has to rely on cash, and has to save money in advance to fund large capital projects.

Cristiano recommended a 5% rate increase, which he said would result in a $5.38 increase for DWSD’s typical customer. He pointed out that water and sewer costs were increasing much faster than general inflation as measured by the Consumer Price Index. One reason for this was that water and sewer infrastructure that was built in the 1970s with funding from the Environmental Protection Agency was coming to the end of its useful life and needing to be replaced.

Cristiano said DWSD currently comingles water and wastewater funds. He argued those funds should be handled separately to ensure that the rates for those services are adequate to recover their costs.

Cristiano told the board his financial plan assumed the district required an operating reserve adequate to cover 180 days of operation and a capital reserve to cover one year of depreciation expense. He assumed inflation of between 3% and 6.5% for salaries, utility costs, convey and treat charges from Colorado Springs Utilities, chemicals, and miscellaneous supplies. He said water and wastewater services should be self-sufficient by 2029.

Cristiano presented two scenarios. In the first, DWSD would rehabilitate the R. Hull Treatment Plant, fund DWSD’s Aquifer Storage and Recovery (ASR) project pilot, upgrade the chlorine system, drill needed wells, and fund capital replacement projects. The proposed 5% annual increase, between 2025 and 2033, would generate the $18 million needed for those purposes, Cristiano said.

In the second scenario, DWSD would participate in the Loop water re-use project, fund the ASR pilot and some future well projects for a total cost of $24 million. In this scenario, in addition to an annual 5% rate increase, DWSD would have to spend reserve funds in 2026 and between 2029 and 2033. Reserves would remain above target in this scenario, Cristiano said.

On the wastewater side, Cristiano said the proposed 5% annual increase would generate enough revenue to cover the cost of wastewater service.

Following Cristiano’s presentation, board President Wayne Vanderschuere asked Nate Eckloff, a bond expert at Piper Sandler, an investment bank that advises DWSD on how to manage debt, if anything in Cristiano’s study gave Eckloff pause. Eckloff said the study “looked solid,” and the district would have time and flexibility to adjust rates if needed. Vanderschuere said the board’s direction had been to increase fixed fees rather than rates. Hodge agreed, saying that increasing the district’s tiered water usage rates risked stifling demand.

Director Ed Miller said before he would agree to the proposed rate increases, he wanted to see a justification for the proposed spending.

Groundwater supply study

Helen Malenda-Lawrence, of LRE Water, presented to the board a detailed analysis of the district’s groundwater resources that included an assessment of each well, well maintenance, projected supply scenarios, and suggestions for long-term maintenance.

She said Hodge had inherited well fields that had not been well maintained and problems cropped up that needed immediate fixes. She said that DWSD had made significant investments in understanding the current conditions of its two well fields, its wells and its infrastructure. Her supply study had a lot of in-depth studies behind it, she said.

Malenda-Lawrence showed the board a map of the district’s two well fields and explained that wells in the northeast field fed the Holbein Water Treatment Plant (HWTP) and wells in the southwest field fed the R. Hull Water Treatment Plant (RHWTP). The district has a total of 14 wells, the oldest drilled in 1985 and the newest in 2022. Five of the wells are currently out of service, some temporarily and some permanently. She said Wells 1A and 11D both failed in September. Well 11D is an important source of water for the HWTP, Malenda-Lawrence said.

Malenda-Lawrence said Wells 11D, 9A and 4A were the most important to repair. She estimated the cost to diagnose and rehabilitate them at $580,000. She said Wells 1A-R and 14A were optional to repair if additional water supply is needed or redundancy is desired. She estimated the cost to repair those wells would be about $700,000. She related the well maintenance schedule to the district’s ability to meet demand by pointing out if Wells 1A and 11D had failed before Well 16A, the district’s newest well had come into production, it would have been difficult for the district to meet its peak demand in the summer months.

The groundwater supply study considered sustainable pumping rates, water quality, permit levels at all wells, and which wells might go out of production to identify scenarios in which the district might struggle to meet demand. All the scenarios in the study trigger flags about water quality in some circumstances. If both Wells 11D and 4A are down simultaneously, the district can’t meet demand, Malenda-Lawrence said. Her conclusions were that DWSD has been able to meet demands up to this point but it does not have a lot of flexibility, which means the operations team has to juggle things and could run into “volumetric limits.”

She recommended DWSD consider drilling two new wells into the Denver aquifer in 2026 and 2027, one in each well field, at a cost of around $1 million per well. Those costs do not include transmission lines for the water and electrical power to the well sites, she said. If DWSD intends to rely on groundwater as its main source of raw water, she recommended the drilling of another five wells between 2025 and 2040 to replace wells that can be expected to fail during that timeframe.

Hodge said most of the wells in the northeast quadrant use a pipeline adjacent to Baptist Road to convey their water to the HWTP. That pipeline is subject to failure because it is installed directly on rock without the usual clearance underneath the pipeline. The pipeline failed in September. That situation makes Well 11D critical to repair, because when the pipeline fails again Well 11D will be the only well able to supply the HWTP without the pipeline, he said.

Hodge mentioned a Colorado Supreme Court decision in the case of Parker v. Rein that will affect DWSD’s planning. The ruling states that water right holders are entitled to a fixed volume of water and not a fixed rate of withdrawal. That means water districts may have to document how much water they have pumped to date and may see their water rights end sooner than expected.

Brett Gracely, also with LRE Water, discussed the next steps DWSD should consider. He said the district should compare the costs of maintaining and improving their two well fields to the costs of using its water supply from the Willow Creek Ranch conveyed by Colorado Springs Utilities, obtaining water via the Loop water re-use project, and moving to direct potable re-use of effluent from the Upper Monument Creek Wastewater Treatment Facility.

Vanderschuere said he applauded the rigor of the groundwater supply study.

2025 budget

Hodge presented an updated 2025 budget that, in response to the board’s comments on the budget he presented at the October meeting, lowers the proposed rate increase from 9.25% to 5% and delays some capital projects to reduce their total costs to $2.2 million. He said the updated budget “keeps the lights on,” is in balance, makes debt service payments, and includes financial reserves that will fund operations for 180 days.

The board will hold a final vote on the 2025 budget at its next board meeting on Dec. 12.

Term limit waiver to go before voters

The board voted in favor of Resolution 2024-7, which authorizes a special election to be held on Feb. 4, 2025 on the question of waiving term limits for members of the DWSD board.

The district headquarters at 1580 Holbein Drive will be used as a polling place, and district residents can vote in person between 7 a.m. and 7 p.m.

Executive session

The meeting ended with an executive session to determine positions relative to negotiation regarding the Intergovernmental Agreement governing the Upper Monument Creek Wastewater Treatment Facility that DWSD shares with the Triview Metropolitan District, the Forest Lakes Metropolitan District, and the Academy Water and Sanitation District. No actions were taken after the executive session.

**********

The next board meeting is scheduled for Thursday, Dec 12 at 1:30 p.m. Generally, board meetings are held the third Thursday of the month at 1:30 p.m. and include online access; call (719) 488-3603 or access www.donalawater.org to receive up-to-date meeting information. The district office is located at 15850 Holbein Drive, Colorado Springs.

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

Other Donala Water and Sanitation District articles

El Paso County Regional Loop Water Authority, Nov. 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.

**********

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

Triview Metropolitan District, Nov. 21 – 2025 annual budget approved; mill levies set

By Natalie Barszcz

At the Triview Metropolitan District (TMD) meeting on Nov. 21, the board approved the 2025 annual budget and certified the district’s mill levy. The board approved the fourth amendment to the agreement for contract operations services between Forest Lakes Metropolitan District (FLMD) and TMD, an audit engagement letter for the district’s 2024 financial audit, the annual administrative resolution, the amended and restated public records request policy, and a resolution calling for a May 6, 2025, election of the Board of Directors.

The board discussed the lack of response from the Town of Monument (TOM) relating to the Highway Users Tax Fund (HUTF) request. The board held an executive session pursuant to Colorado Revised Statutes 24-6-402(4)(a), for the purpose of acquisition or sale of water/land, and 24-6-402(4)(e), to determine positions relative to matters that may be subject to negotiations, developing strategies for negotiations, and instructing negotiators as it relates to potential development incentives and intergovernmental agreement.

Vice President Anthony Sexton was excused.

2025 budget

President Mark Melville opened the public hearing on the 2025 budget and, with no comments from the public, the hearing was closed.

District Manager James McGrady proposed the board approve 14.000 mills upon each dollar of the total valuation of assessment of all taxable property within the district for the year 2024 to balance the General Fund budget and meet the general obligation debt retirement expense of about $2.528 million. In the past, the debt service mill levy was 35 mills.

He also proposed the board approve 6.500 mills upon each dollar of the total valuation of assessment of all taxable property to meet the General Operations expense of about $1.174 million. The final assessed valuation of property levy will total 20.5 mills, with no change from 2024. The total assessed value for the district is about $180.591 million. The district anticipates receiving about $2.7 million in sales tax revenue from the TOM, and a total of about $8.9 million in combined revenue from Special Ownership Taxes (vehicle sales) for 2025, property tax from the TOM (about $450,000), Road and Bridge Impact Fees, and the revenue from providing services to FLMD ($150,000), said McGrady

Melville said it is the first time in five years the board has not approved an increase in mills for the general obligation debt.

McGrady said the district has some extraordinary expenses on the horizon, and the increase to 6.5 mills will be needed for the general operation of the district.

The board adopted the 2025 budget with minor adjustments and certified the mill levies in a 4-0 vote.

FLMD contract increase

The board also approved a 3% increase to the FLMD contract for operations and services to increase the hourly rates of service to coincide with the district employee benefits and salary cost-of-living allowance. The TMD Public Works and Open Spaces Department maintains the landscaping and public areas and provides snow removal in FLMD.

McGrady said the FLMD board will be requested to approve the increase at the annual public hearing on Dec. 2.

Other approved items

The board also approved the following:

  • An audit engagement letter for Haynie and Co. to complete the TMD 2024 financial audit for a fee not to exceed $29,000.
  • The 2025 annual administrative Resolution 2024-13, setting forth the board obligations.
  • The policy for responding to CORA requests with a maximum statuary charge increase to $41.37 per hour. The periodical increase is set by statute and had previously been set at $30.
  • A May 6, 2025, director election.

Election considerations

McGrady said the board will also need to consider ballot language in January 2025 to request removal of a revenue cap for the TABOR and a bond question to pay about $12 million for the widening of Higby Road and capital improvements. See https://wp.ocn.me/v24n11tmd/. The 2025 election may also include a question to remove term limits for board directors. Three incumbent directors are term limited, he said.

Highway Users Tax Fund dispute

McGrady said if the TOM were collecting Highway Users Tax Fund (HUTF) revenue correctly, the district should be receiving about $70,000 to $80,000 per month. The district paid a contractor to measure the roads and notified interim Town Manager Madeleine VanDenHoek via letter, requesting an agreement several months ago, he said.

Director Jason Gross said for every month the district does not receive a response from the TOM, the district is losing about $70,000 to $80,000 per month for road repairs.

McGrady said the town is claiming a third of the total roads and some of the TMD roads without reimbursing the district, and that is incorrect. TMD repairs the roads within the district at a cost to its residents. The HUTF is gas tax revenue collected statewide, and the town should be collecting the correct amount of revenue for all town roads (including TMD roads) and distributing the district’s HUTF portion to the district, McGrady said. Monument will need to continue collecting HUTF, and the district’s proposed cost-sharing agreement needs to be signed to allow the district to recover road repair costs in perpetuity, he said.

Note: TMD falls within the TOM municipality, and the Colorado HUTF has been available to municipalities since 2009. The district is responsible for repairs in the residential areas east of I-25, north of Baptist Road to encompass Sanctuary Pointe, Leather Chaps Drive, Jackson Creek Parkway, and up to and including the south portion of Higby Road.

The board discussed further action regarding the HUTF agreement in executive session.

Financial update

The board accepted the October 2024 financial report as presented and approved 17 checks over $5,000 totaling almost $1.389 million. The payment to Colorado Springs Utilities for the conveyance, treatment, and delivery of the district’s residential and commercial water was $261,053.

Water utilities update

Water Utilities Superintendent Gary Potter said the district produced about 32.206 million gallons (MG) of water in October 2024, with 29.942 MG billed to customers. Unbilled water represents a 5.05% loss for October, slightly lower than 5.60% in October 2023, but the district is still working on lowering the loss with the help of the District Administrator Sara Lamb. The loss is low at 5% compared to many districts and the district may never achieve 0%, said Potter.

Wells recharging

Potter presented the board with a graph showing well level trends from the start of the Northern Delivery System (NDS) operations and said the chart demonstrates a steady recharge of all static well levels since the NDS became the primary water source for the district from September through November. The dips show the 1% of water pumped to maintain well operation, but the recovery of the wells is a slow and steady recharge, and he anticipates a full recharge before irrigation season begins in 2025. The wells can drop hundreds of feet during high usage before recovery. The district is receiving 99% of its water via the NDS, said Potter.

Executive session

The board moved into an executive session at 8:13 p.m., pursuant to Colorado Revised Statutes section 24-6-402(4)(a), for the purpose of acquisition or sale of water/land, and 24-6-402(4)(e), to determine positions relative to matters that may be subject to negotiations, developing strategies for negotiations, and instructing negotiators as it relates to potential development incentives and intergovernmental agreement.

Sheffield confirmed to this reporter that after the meeting returned to the regular session at 9:40 p.m., no action was taken and the meeting adjourned at 9:48 p.m.

**********

Meetings are usually held on the third Thursday of the month at the district office at 16055 Old Forest Point, Suite 302. The next regular board meeting is scheduled for Dec. 16 at 5:30 p.m. For meeting agendas, minutes, and updates, visit https://triviewmetro.com.

Natalie Barszcz can be reached at nataliebarszcz@ocn.me.

Other Triview Metropolitan District articles

Woodmoor Water and Sanitation District, Oct. 14 – Board considers ways to fund Loop

By James Howald

At its October meeting, the Woodmoor Water and Sanitation District (WWSD) board discussed options for funding the district’s portion of the Loop water reuse project. WWSD is one of four water districts participating in the project to divert water from Fountain Creek and return it to customers in El Paso County. Cherokee Metropolitan District and Donala Water and Sanitation District are committed to the project; the Town of Monument is considering participation.

District Manager Jessie Shaffer delivered a draft budget for 2025 to the board, and a budget workshop and public hearing were scheduled. The board heard financial and operational reports. The meeting ended with an executive session, after which no actions were taken.

Financing options for the Loop prove complex

Andrew Rheem of Raftelis, the company that advises WWSD on rates and financial modeling, attended the meeting to help the board sort through the options for financing its portion of the Loop. Shaffer said he had asked Rheem to consider whether WWSD should seek its own financing or have the Loop issue revenue bonds on WWSD’s behalf, and to analyze sensitivities around using general obligation bonds, raising the district’s volumetric rates for water use and raising tap fees.

Rheem said funding for the Loop is a medium to long-term decision and not about rates in 2025. WWSD can use group financing, which is based on the credit worthiness of the weakest participating district, or can “go it alone.” He explained there are several potential funding sources: cash funding from reserves and tap fees and rates; grant funding; general obligation bonds, which require voter approval; and revenue-backed bonds that do not require voter approval but that raise rates. General obligation bonds tend to get lower interest rates than revenue-backed bonds. The district could decide to use a combination of these sources, Rheem said.

Shaffer suggested the board might use a sinking fund, essentially a savings account that would allow the outstanding debt on the Woodmoor Ranch to be paid off early, saving interest costs. Those savings could be used to finance the Loop. He said there are other options that might be worth considering.

Board President Brian Bush said the Loop could not be financed with rate increases alone; higher rates would motivate customers to conserve water. Weather conditions could affect funding from water rates, he said. Financial reserves should be used carefully, he argued, because the district has ageing infrastructure that is subject to catastrophic failure.

“General obligation bonds are on the table,” he said, but the district’s Renewable Water Infrastructure Fee (RWIF) made it less likely voters would approve any general obligation bonds. He recommended a two-year marketing campaign to educate voters. “We need a composite,” he said, which would include rate increases, tap fees, use of financial reserves and perhaps general obligation bonds.

Shaffer said the board had time to consider its options and volumetric rates could be kept low if the board decides to do so.

Rheem said repayment in 20 years is common for infrastructure debt but the board could consider a 30-year repayment schedule, which would result in lower payments over a longer time.

Director Dan Beley argued for raising tap fees to make new development fund the Loop as much as possible. Beley has made the same argument at previous meetings. Director Tom Roddham agreed with Beley’s position on tap fees. Shaffer pointed out that tap fee revenue can be high one year and low the next due to economic forces that affect new construction.

Bush raised the issue of savings that would result from the need for fewer capital projects when the Loop is completed. Board Treasurer Roy Martinez said the district’s funding for renewal and replacement would likely increase in the short term due to the age of the district’s infrastructure. Shaffer said once water was available through the Loop, spending on new wells would drop, perhaps to zero. Operations Supervisor Dan LaFontaine said WWSD was currently spending about $1 million per year on renewal and replacement, and he was working on a long-term renewal and replacement plan. LaFontaine said the corrosive soils in the district caused the saddles that connect pipelines to fail, leading to increased renewal and replacement costs.

Summarizing the discussion, Shaffer said he would continue to work with Rheem to develop funding options for the board to consider, general obligation bonds seemed less likely to be useful, static fees might be part of the solution, and volumetric rates should remain unchanged or perhaps be increased by 1% above the cost of living. Bush said he believed the RWIF would remain in place beyond its current expiration date of 2031, and it was likely WWSD would have to use some of its reserves to finance the Loop. General obligation bonds at some point in the future were on the table, he said.

Draft budget for 2025 delivered

Shaffer gave the board copies of the proposed budget for 2025. The board scheduled a workshop for Oct. 23 to discuss it and a public hearing to be opened at the board’s next meeting on Nov. 11. The public hearing will remain open until the board’s meeting in December.

Financial and operational reports

In his financial report, Martinez noted higher water service revenue due to a dry September. He said the meter replacement program was spending about $100,000 per month. The board voted unanimously to accept the financial report.

LaFontaine, in his operational report, said that he had purchased a clamp-on electromagnetic flow meter that he was using to test the district’s other meters to identify discrepancies in water measurements. He said he had confirmed that the meter at the Southern Water Treatment Plant was adding about 3.8% to the true amount it was processing. He also noted two line breaks, neither resulting in large water losses. All the district’s lift stations had been cleaned, he said, and he was seeing good results from the use of enzymes to prevent the accumulation of grease in lift stations.

In her engineering report, District Engineer Cydney Saelens said the transmission line for Well 22 had passed its first pressure test. Shaffer added that the pipeline was nearly half completed.

Shaffer said bids had been requested for the construction of a 650,000-gallon concrete water storage tank and he anticipated construction would begin in late spring or early summer of 2025.

Executive session

The meeting ended with an executive session to discuss negotiating positions regarding the district’s participation in the Loop water reuse project and discussions with Classic Homes. No action was taken following the executive session.

**********

The next meeting is on Nov. 11 at 1 p.m. Meetings are usually held on the second Monday of each month at 1 p.m. at the district office at 1845 Woodmoor Drive. Please see www.woodmoorwater.com or call 719-488-2525 to verify meeting times and locations.

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

Other Woodmoor Water and Sanitation District articles

Monument Sanitation District, Oct. 16 – Board considers rate increase; discusses 2025 budget

By Jackie Burhans and James Howald

At its October meeting, the Monument Sanitation District (MSD) board continued its discussion of rates that began at its September meeting. The board also discussed the proposed 2025 budget drafted by District Manager Mark Parker. The board voted on a resolution authorizing the El Paso County treasurer to collect MSD’s delinquent accounts. Parker gave the board an operational report.

Rate increase of $5 or $10 per month debated

Board Secretary Janet Ladowski opened the discussion of rate increases, saying a $10 per month increase would “cause a huge uproar.” She suggested an increase of $5 per month initially and re-evaluating in two years to see if that amount had covered inflation, costs, and interest rates. She said the board should print information about what it was doing and why.

Board President Dan Hamilton agreed the increase should be $5 and recommended that the district move to online payment of bills and discourage payment by check. He proposed a $10 per month increase with a discount of $5 if the customer paid their bill online.

Ladowski said many of the district’s customers were elderly and Hamilton’s proposal would punish some for not being comfortable paying their bill online.

Parker estimated that 75% of the district’s customers pay by check, with the remainder paying online. The trend is moving toward online payment, he said, adding “the older generation loves their checks.” Board Treasurer John Howe said older customers distrust online payment. Hamilton responded that checks are less secure than online payment. Parker said online payment would not save the district much time or effort because the district’s software systems were not well integrated. Ladowski said customers who write checks use their check registers to track their finances and many would need training to switch to using their computers for that purpose. Parker pointed out that MSD spends $14,000 per year mailing bills to its customers.

Returning to the issue of rate increases, Director Tony Archer said an increase of $5 per month would cover inflation. Howe said that costs at the Tri-Lakes Wastewater Treatment Facility that MSD shares with the Town of Palmer Lake and the Woodmoor Water and Sanitation District were increasing dramatically, and MSD’s budget would need to include those costs.

Parker reminded the board that the rate study done by GMS Engineering Inc. recommended that the rate be set to allow the collection of up to $55,000 per year above operating expenses to cover capital projects.

Operations specialist Jim Kendrick agreed with Howe that treatment costs were rising due to changes in treatment limits and “emerging constituents of concern.” Treatment costs are operational, he said, rather than capital costs. Parker confirmed that treatment costs had doubled in the last year.

There was a consensus among the board members that an increase of $10 per month was too high, but no specific action was taken. Parker said the board would need to make a final decision in November.

2025 budget presented

Parker included a proposed 2025 budget in the board packet for the meeting and asked the board for feedback. The proposed budget listed total income increasing from $2.520 million in 2024 to $2.696 million in 2025. Total expenditures are budgeted to increase from $1.213 million in 2024 to $2.913 million in 2025. The 2025 budget allows for a 5% increase in MSD salaries and a new employee.

Parker said that 2024 was a banner year for interest income, with MSD earning between 4.5% and 5% on its COLOTRUST account. He questioned whether that would continue in 2025. The funds budgeted for engineering services are expected to rise in 2025 because in 2024 MSD was able to use funds from the American Recovery Plan Act (ARPA) for those services. ARPA funds will not be available in 2025, he said.

Parker said the 2025 budget would have to include funding for capital projects such as manhole repairs, lining some of the older service lines, and increased costs at the treatment plant. Parker explained janitorial costs would fall in 2025 because a bonded and insured cleaning company had given the district an estimate that was half of what it was currently paying.

The board took no action following the discussion.

County treasurer to collect on delinquent accounts

Parker told the board there are 13 delinquent accounts, most with balances under $5,000.

The board voted unanimously in favor of Resolution 10162024-1, which authorizes the county treasurer to collect on those accounts.

Manager’s report

In his manager’s report, Parker said the lift stations were working well, there were no issues with the tenants renting space in the district’s building, and improvements to the district’s supervisory control and data acquisition system (SCADA) were complete except for one radio that needs to be replaced.

Parker told the board that he had identified four properties that were receiving sewer service but were not within the MSD service area. He said he would provide details and ask the board to approve their inclusion at the November board meeting.

Parker updated the board on a six-unit building on Raspberry Lane that had encountered problems with a private common sewer line owned by the Homeowners Association. Parker assured the board that the district’s infrastructure was not the cause of the problem.

**********

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

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

Other Monument Sanitation District articles

Donala Water and Sanitation District, Oct. 10 – Board receives preliminary 2025 budget, considers rate increase

By James Howald and Jackie Burhans

At its October meeting, Donala Water and Sanitation District (DWSD) General Manager Jeff Hodge presented a preliminary budget for 2025, prompting discussions of capital projects and a rate increase. The board voted to put the question of eliminating term limits to the voters. The board heard financial and operational reports.

Board President Wayne Vanderschuere attended remotely and Board Vice President Bill George facilitated the meeting.

Preliminary budget assumes rate increase

Hodge presented a preliminary budget that anticipates total revenue of $11.010 million and total expenditures of $10.250 million for the 2025 fiscal year and includes a proposed 9.25% increase in rates. The budget includes $3.15 million for eight capital projects:

  • $500,000 to continue the rehabilitation of water tanks.
  • $395,144 for video inspection of the sewer system.
  • $500,000 for the Loop water reuse project.
  • $500,000 for rehabilitation of two wells.
  • $75,000 for fire mitigation at Willow Creek Ranch.
  • $245,000 for water supply/reuse water.
  • $650,000 for water treatment facilities.
  • $290,000 for the aquifer storage and retrieval (ASR) project.

Hodge told the board the district had retained Raftelis, a company that does financial modeling and rate studies for local governments and utilities, to review DWSD’s capital projects, financial policies, rates, and reserves in preparation for the 2025 budget process.

Director Ed Miller asked Hodge what could be removed from the list of capital projects if only $2.5 million were available. Hodge answered that some projects could be put off, but that would lead to more expensive projects later. If ASR were removed from the list, that would change water supplies for the next 20 years. Hodge noted that long-term capital projects totaled $23 million. Miller said the proposed increase would not fund any of the long-term capital projects. Hodge said the rate increase would allow the district to build reserves that could be used for those projects.

Miller asked Hodge to provide a water balance report to help inform decisions about capital projects. Miller pointed out that the district’s wells had not been properly maintained 10 years ago. “They were left to corrode,” he said. He added he did not feel good about forecasting expenses for projects that might not be needed. Miller proposed waiting until money had been spent before raising rates. Hodge said the district had $3 million in the bank and could not issue bonds based on revenue. Any bond would need voter approval.

Director Scott McCollough said he considered water tank rehabilitation the first priority, fire mitigation at the Willow Creek Ranch to be the second priority, and the Loop water reuse project to be the third priority. George said he thought all the capital projects were necessary and kicking the can down the road would increase costs.

McCollough said he had a visceral reaction to a rate increase of 9.25%, and he suggested extending the timeline for addressing capital projects. Superintendent of Water Operation Ronny Wright said prices were rising quickly and the district needed to address issues not handled by previous boards.

Hodge argued that the board could wait until emergency expenditures were needed or it could budget for problems before they occur. He gave the recent sudden failure of Well 1A as an example of an unexpected cost and said DWSD could lose two more wells in 2025. He pointed out that the district had a policy requiring 180 days of operating funds, about $1.2 million, in reserve. He said reserves could be reduced for 90 days.

Miller suggested a rate increase of 4% and suggested waiting on some of the capital projects.

Hodge emphasized that the capital projects were “what you need to keep the water flowing.”

Miller suggested delaying the ASR project by a year or two to save $4.7 million.

Vanderschuere said he wanted to find savings on capital projects that would reduce the rate increase to a more palatable 4 to 6%.

Helen Malenda-Lawrence of LRE Water, a company that advises DWSD on its wells and well field, said two wells needed to be rehabilitated in 2025 “because they haven’t been run properly and haven’t been maintained.” Video inspection of the wells showed they are “really bad,” she said.

Miller suggested, later in the meeting, that DWSD might want to sell Willow Creek Ranch and use the money for other purposes.

Hodge said he would make changes to the budget and try to reduce the proposed rate increase to 4%. McCollough said he would like to meet with Hodge to discuss the dependencies between the capital projects. Hodge added that five years ago, the district was delivering about 1,200 acre-feet of water to customers but that has dropped in recent years to 850 acre-feet. He said rates need to be set at a level where consumption stays consistent.

Voters will decide on term limits

At previous meetings, the board discussed the difficulty of finding candidates to serve on the board and the problems arising from the turnover of board members. The board asked its lawyer if the board’s four-year terms could be extended, but was told its only option was to put a measure on the ballot removing term limits altogether.

At the October meeting, the board voted on whether it would ask voters to remove term limits. Directors Kevin Deardorff, George, and Vanderschuere voted to put removal of term limits on the ballot; Miller and McCollough voted against doing so.

Financial report

In his summary of district finances, Hodge reported $200,000 in water sales revenue in September, and noted 2024 was a much better year than 2023 for revenue from water sales because 2023 had been exceptionally rainy. Other revenues were on track, he said, and expenses were below budget.

Operational reports

In his manager’s report, Hodge said Colorado Springs Utilities (CSU) had asked him to reconsider participating in the North Monument Creek Interceptor (NMCI) project, which would eliminate DWSD’s need to treat its own wastewater. Hodge explained NMCI, unlike the Loop, does not offer the district a way to reuse 400 acre-feet of treated effluent. He said he would continue the discussion with CSU.

Malenda-Lawrence reported on the failure of Wells 11D and 1A. Both pumps were at the end of their expected life. 11D is an important well because it can feed the Holbein treatment plant directly, without the need to use the pipeline adjacent to Baptist Creek Road that is subject to ruptures because it rests on rock. Well 11D failed due to corrosion. The district’s groundwater is corrosive, Malenda-Lawrence said. Work on the well to date had cost $25,000, she said; she recommended cleaning the well and replacing the drop pipe. She estimated the cost to rehabilitate Well 11D would exceed $200,000.

The well can produce more than 350 gallons per minute after rehabilitation, she said. Well 1A was plugged at a point where two dissimilar metals met, which caused corrosion. In addition, the well has two small holes. The cost to repair 1A would be similar to the cost for 11D. The well is permitted to produce up to 400 gallons per minute, she said.

**********

The next board meeting is scheduled for Thursday, Nov. 21 at 1:30 p.m. Generally, board meetings are held the third Thursday of the month at 1:30 p.m. and include online access; call (719) 488-3603 or access www.donalawater.org to receive up-to-date meeting information. The district office is located at 15850 Holbein Drive, Colorado Springs.

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

Other Donala Water and Sanitation District articles

El Paso County Regional Loop Water Authority, 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.

**********

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

Triview Metropolitan District, Oct. 24 – Bond pursued for road widening project

By Natalie Barszcz

At the Triview Metropolitan District (TMD) meeting on Oct. 23, the board approved an engagement letter for the issuance of a General Obligation Bond Series for 2025 and a resolution to implement inclusion policies and fees. The board heard about operations staff responding to repair a water main break in Forest Lakes Metropolitan District (FLMD), tracking of the district’s well levels, and the steps taken to reach full automation of the Northern Delivery System (NDS) pump station.

The board held an executive session pursuant to Colorado Revised Statutes 24-6-402(4)(a), for the purpose of acquisition of water/land, and 24-6-402(4)(e), to determine positions relative to matters that may be subject to negotiations, developing strategies for negotiations, and instructing negotiators as it relates to claims and possible legal settlements.

Director Jason Gross attended the regular meeting until 6:10 p.m. and returned during the executive session at 7:55 p.m.

District pursues bond for road widening project

District Manager James McGrady said the district has been discussing the need for widening Higby Road for some time, spending time designing the project, and sought an original bid two or three years ago for $6 million. About three weeks ago, the bid was $12.6 million, and McGrady said:

  • The cost has been growing exponentially, and the district has had various agreements with the developer to fund the road, with the district planning to use road and bridge fees for the district’s portion of the project.
  • The problem is obtaining enough revenue from building permits and growth to fund the road.
  • The area is a “tricky spot” on the corner of Higby Road and Jackson Creek Parkway, with a lot of commercial to the south, and existing development to the north. The residential growth in Jackson Creek North (JCN) is typically only about 50-75 homes per year.
  • The district needs to pay for the road widening project, and eventually JCN will generate enough growth to pay back the cost to the district.
  • Issuing a bond will “jump start” the project instead of waiting for enough development to occur, avoiding a possible $15 million to $16 million project in the future, in an area that is an increasing safety issue.

McGrady recommended the board consider an engagement letter for General Fund Bonds to be issued with a low interest rate. The district has a 7 mills Operations & Management mill levy and the debt service fits well within the 7 mills. The project would be financed with about 4.5 mills out of the 7 mills. The district will be required to seek a vote from the residents in May 2025, asking to redirect the revenue without raising taxes, he said.

Nate Eckloff, managing director of Piper Sandler & Co., said a bond question would be structured for the May 2025 ballot for the primary purpose of widening Higby Road.

The board approved the engagement letter for the General Obligation Bond, Series 2025 for about $12 million, between Piper Sandler and TMD. Gross was absent for the vote.

Inclusion policies and fees adopted

Water attorney Chris Cummins said in the past the Family of Christ Church, Baptist Road had petitioned to be included into the district, but other residential and commercial property owners could petition to be included. The addition was ad hoc due to the lack of a resolution. He requested the board consider and approve Resolution 2024-11 to establish inclusion policies and fees.

The petitioner would be responsible for all of the district’s attorney fees, engineering costs, and staff time associated with the consideration and inclusion of the property. Each petition for inclusion of property must be accompanied by a non-refundable payment of $5,000 to defray the costs. If the Board of Directors or the district manager determines the amount is insufficient to cover the district’s anticipated fees and costs, the petitioner would be required to pay additional inclusion fees before any further consideration of the petition could take place.

The board approved the resolution, 4-0. Gross was absent for the vote.

NDS running effectively

McGrady said the district has operated the NDS pump station at 100% since Sept. 11, pumping district water via Colorado Springs Utilities (CSU) about once a week, and the process is working well. The 19th payment of $55,506 to Kiewit was made, and the final payment will be some retainage for the pump station, said McGrady.

Assistant Manager Steve Sheffield said work continued on completing the NDS pump station to include the instrumentation, controls, and operational optimization, and that should make the operation of the pump station fully automated.

Water Utilities Superintendent Gary Potter said the NDS provided about 79% of the water produced in September, with only 21% from the wells. The groundwater wells and treatment filters will be run minimally on a rotating basis to ensure the district can utilize the wells when needed, said Potter.

Water rights decreed

McGrady said the Bale Ditch change case was decreed on Oct. 8, and all of the district’s water rights are decreed with the exception of the Excelsior Ditch water rights. A meeting with the experts indicates a clear path forward to decree the last of the water rights, he said.

Note: The district purchased water rights with multiple entities over a period of time for the purpose of delivering water to the district via the NDS. A decreed water right is the legal claim to the water that is secured by a water court decree. Legal documents define the amount, priority, location, and use of the water rights.

Recharge ponds under construction

McGrady said the construction of the recharge ponds on the Chicago Springs Ranch property in Buena Vista for the Arkansas Valley Irrigation Canal began on Oct. 23. The ponds allow water to be returned back to the system for the Historic Consumptive Use (HCU) and the Historic Return Flows (HRF), he said.

Note: The HCU is a measure of the actual beneficial use of a water right over a period of time. The HRF is the portion of unused water, captured to be returned downstream for other users.

District tracks well levels

Potter provided the board with historical well level data for the district’s Arapahoe Aquifer wells 7 and 8, and said:

  • The groundwater wells show a decrease in dynamic or pumping level over the past decade.
  • Most of the wells show a decrease in static or recharge level over the past decade.
  • The recharge rate of the wells will be closely tracked now that the district is minimally operating the wells.

It is hard to determine what the long-term static levels will be, but it is timely that the NDS is delivering the district’s water, said Potter.

Treasurer/Secretary James Barnhart said he was curious to see if the wells recover with less usage.

Potter said a graph shows a 10-year cycle using some historical handwritten records with limited data. The records are a good depiction, but they do not say how long the wells were run and how much water was pumped. The district has been monitoring for two months, but eventually monitoring might reveal if the wells can recover, he said.

Water utilities update

Potter said the district produced about 47.593 million gallons (MG) of water in Sept. 2024, with 43.864 MG billed to customers. Unbilled water represents a 6.25% loss for September 2024; it was 9.7% in September 2023. The district is still working on lowering the loss, said Potter.

McGrady said the district has about 20 Badger meters to install in residential homes, and next year the district will make a concerted effort to install new meters in the commercial properties and the inground irrigation meters. The new meters will help the district pin down the water loss to a minimum, a task that is critical now that CSU conveys, treats, and delivers the district’s water via the NDS, he said.

Financial update

The board unanimously approved the September 2024 financial report and 30 checks over $5,000 totaling about $1.713 million. Of note was the payment of $314,234 to CSU for the district’s residential and commercial water for the first month (includes additional startup costs).

The board accepted the financial report, 4-0.

District responds to water main break

Potter said the operations staff responded to a large water main break on Forest Lakes Drive on Oct. 2. Staff managed the emergency with an outstanding team effort, got the break under control and kept the plant running in a limp mode to provide everyone with water except for three Forest Lakes Metropolitan District customers he said. The contractor was able to get the plant up and running quickly, he said.

Higby Road repaired

McGrady said the district repaired the wavy patch on Higby Road that occurred after the installation of the 12-inch pipeline. It drives smoothly now, he said.

Executive session

The board moved into an executive session at 7:28 p.m., pursuant to Colorado Revised Statutes section 24-6-402(4)(a), for the purpose of acquisition of water/land, and 24-6-402(4)(e), for the purpose of determining the positions relative to matters that may be subject to negotiations, developing strategies for negotiations, and instructing negotiators as it relates to claims and possible legal settlements.

Sheffield confirmed to this reporter that after the meeting returned to the regular session at 9:06 p.m., no action was taken.

**********

Meetings are usually held on the third Thursday of the month at the district office at 16055 Old Forest Point, Suite 302. The next regular board meeting is scheduled for Nov. 21 at 5:30 p.m. For meeting agendas, minutes, and updates, visit https://triviewmetro.com.

Natalie Barszcz can be reached at nataliebarszcz@ocn.me.

Other Triview Metro District articles

Triview Metropolitan District, Sept. 19 – Northern Delivery System fully operational; resident raises traffic concerns

By Natalie Barszcz

Post-publication Update

The next regular meeting of the Triview Metropolitan District board of directors has been changed from October 17 to October 24.

At the Triview Metropolitan District (TMD) meeting on Sept. 19, the board heard about the Northern Delivery System (NDS) delivering district water via Colorado Springs Utilities (CSU) and the pumping capabilities of the NDS pump station, dangerous traffic concerns for students within the district, and approved an intergovernmental agreement (IGA) between Chaffee County and the district. The board held an executive session to discuss water and land acquisitions, and potential development incentives and IGAs.

Director Amanda Carlton attended via Zoom.

Northern Delivery System running effectively

District Manager James McGrady said the NDS pump station began running on Aug. 29, and since Sept. 11 the district has reduced the outflow from the wells dramatically. Its customers are receiving district water conveyed, treated and delivered via CSU. A tiny bit of usage occurred on Sept. 18 to keep up the chlorine levels in the filters and to exercise the wells by pumping about 96,000 gallons. The rest of the district’s water, 92 acre-feet, was pumped through the NDS pump station. The district will use the 490-acre-feet lease-purchased water from Pueblo through March, and then the district will use its stored water in Pueblo Reservoir. Then run-off season begins and the district will add water back to its portfolio. It is working as expected, said McGrady.

Water Utilities Superintendent Gary Potter said the wells will be run once a week, just enough to turn over the clear well in the plant, or about 90,000 gallons, to keep chlorine residual in the clear well and keep some of the filters available if needed, rotating through at a minimum pace before putting it into the tank and then the distribution system.

McGrady said the pump station was tested with two pumps running (it was installed with three) designed to run with two at 1,500 pounds each, pumping 3,000 gallons a minute, running for six hours. It was proof that the pump station can maintain what it was designed to do, he said. The district has pumped 290-acre-feet so far, and the tank filled up quickly, said McGrady.

Potter said the NDS has delivered over 16 million gallons to the district, and the highest daily production was 2.7 million gallons. Start up and training on the NDS has been the primary focus of the TMD Water Department over the past month, said Potter.

Speeding concerns on Gleneagle Drive

Promontory Pointe Resident Anissa Prickett said motorists are traveling from Sanctuary Pointe down Gleneagle Drive through Promontory Pointe to Baptist Road exceeding the posted speed signs of 25 and 30 miles per hour, but many motorists are speeding at 50-60 miles per hour. She said her son was hit once while riding his bike to school and crossing Leather Chaps Drive. He has almost been hit twice crossing the road from the bus, she said. She was almost hit for a fourth time dropping her daughter at the bus stop, having to pick up her daughter and run the crosswalk several times. Prickett said the D38 bus driver is beside himself because motorists ignore the stationary bus with the stop signs out and travel around the bus as the driver honks his horn.

President Mark Melville said the district does not provide law enforcement and it installed the speed signs. Speeding has been an issue since buildout on Gleneagle Drive, he said.

Treasurer/Secretary James Barnhart said he has seen the same problems with speeding motorists ignoring school bus stop signs on Sanctuary Rim Drive.

Prickett said she recorded some license plates, called and left messages with Monument Police Department (MPD), but the recorded message states they may or may not return calls in 24 hours, and calls were not returned.

Carlton said the bus stops should not be on Gleneagle Drive for safety reasons, and rather be located on the side streets.

McGrady said he would reach out to MPD to request increased monitoring.

Melville said he would reach out to the D38 superintendent regarding the location of the pickup stops and suggest a camera for the school bus.

Chaffee County intergovernmental agreement

McGrady said the IGA was approved by the Chaffee County Commissioners, avoiding a lengthy, expensive process to obtain a 1041 permit. The IGA will allow the district to begin construction projects such as the ponds and diversion stations. He requested the board review and consider approving the IGA between Chaffee County and TMD regarding ditch changes and construction projects associated with the Arkansas Valley Irrigation Canal Co.’s Ditch and Bale Ditch 1 and 2.

The board unanimously approved the IGA, with authorization for McGrady to sign the IGA on behalf of the district.

Water utilities update

Potter said the district produced about 45.374 million gallons (MG) of water in August 2024, with 42.291 MG billed to customers (water pumped in August 2023 was 45.900 MG with 38.908 MG billed). Unbilled water represents a 7% loss for August 2024; it was 15% in Aug. 2023, but the district’s water loss is a low number compared with the 40% monthly loss at the district where he was previously employed, said Potter.

District Administrator Sara Lamb said some of the water loss was generated by Monument Fire Department conducting two-day hose drills in Monument Marketplace.

McGrady said it was an obscene amount shooting into the air, but now that the district is being billed by CSU for water conveyance, treatment, and delivery, the water for fire department drills will not be free in the future, he said.

Financial update

The board unanimously approved the August financial report as presented and 21 checks over $5,000 totaling about $1.764 million. Of note was the 5% retainage payment of almost $1.3 million to Kiewit Infrastructure Co. for the construction of the NDS pipeline.

Mountain View Electric Association rebates

McGrady said he attended the Mountain View Electric Association (MVEA) key customer gathering on Sept. 18. The executive director, engineering staff, and account managers were available to receive input from the key customers and major users, such as the area water and wastewater districts. Attendees were informed of the substantial rebates available for each installed Variable Frequency Drive (VFD). The district installed VFDs on every pump at each plant, including the NDS pump station. The VFDs pump up and ramp down to run different speeds and avoid high use charges. MVEA is also considering “time of day” use rates for commercial users. The district can afford to be off-line during peak times with the pumping capability of the NDS, allowing the district to catch up off-peak to save money on power usage, said McGrady.

Executive session

The board moved into an executive session at 7:29 p.m., pursuant to Colorado Revised Statutes section 24-6-402(4)(a) for the purpose of acquisition of water/land, and 24-6-402(4)(b) for the purpose of determining the positions relative to matters that may be subject to negotiations, developing strategies for negotiations, and instructing negotiators as it relates to potential development incentives and intergovernmental agreements.

Assistant Manager Steve Sheffield confirmed that after the meeting returned to the regular session at 8:50 p.m., no action was taken. A brief discussion resumed about the traffic issues on Gleneagle Drive.

The meeting adjourned at 9:02 p.m.

**********

Meetings are usually held on the third Thursday of the month at the district office located at 16055 Old Forest Point, Suite 302. The next regular board meeting is scheduled for Oct. 17 at 5:30 p.m. For meeting agendas, minutes, and updates, visit https://triviewmetro.com.

Natalie Barszcz can be reached at nataliebarszcz@ocn.me.

Other Triview Metropolitan District articles

Woodmoor Water and Sanitation District, Sept. 16 – Board hears financial and operational report

By James Howald

At its September meeting, the Woodmoor Water and Sanitation District (WWSD) board introduced its newly hired district engineer. It heard financial and operational reports from board Treasurer Roy Martinez, District Manager Jessie Shaffer, and Operations Superintendent Dan LaFontaine. The meeting ended with an executive session, after which no actions were taken.

Cydney Saelens joins staff

Shaffer introduced Cydney Saelens, who replaces Ariel Hacker as district engineer. Saelens graduated from Colorado State University in 2020 and spent four years at RICK, an engineering, planning and design firm where she did land development and drainage design.

Financial reports made user-friendly

Martinez told the board Office Manager Cory Lynch and Shaffer had worked with a consultant to redesign the district’s financial reports, making them easier to understand and closer to what the board members are used to seeing. He said additional changes would be made to the reports.

Martinez explained the balance sheet had been split into two pages, the first detailing assets and the second liabilities and stockholders’ equity. He said only minor changes had been made to the line items within those larger categories.

The statement of revenues had also been expanded into two pages, Martinez said, adding the excess water sale line item was renamed supplemental water service to make plain that water rights were not being sold.

The budget worksheet, published in board packets and used to track the district’s finances on a monthly basis, had also been updated, Martinez said.

Directors Tom Roddham and Bill Clewe said they liked the additional detail the new reports provided.

Operational reports

Clewe, who serves as the district’s liaison with the Joint Use Committee (JUC) that manages the waste treatment plant WWSD shares with the Towns of Palmer Lake and Monument, told the board he had reviewed the JUC’s 2025 budget, which will increase from $1.9 million in 2024 to $2.7 million. Clewe said increases to construction, operation, insurance and engineering costs all contributed to the larger budget. WWSD is responsible for about 29% of the cost of operating the treatment plant, he said, and the Towns of Palmer Lake and Monument were each responsible for 35%.

In his Manager’s Report, Shaffer told the board he was vetting different methods the district might use to finance its portion of the Loop water re-use project. He was discussing this with Andrew Rheem of Raftelis, the consulting firm that helps the district set rates for its water and sewer services. Shaffer said fee increases and General Obligation bonds were being considered. He noted a presentation by Magellan Consulting Group that he attended which focused on presenting requests for bonds to voters. Shaffer said he would present financing options to the board at its November meeting.

Shaffer reported progress on the effort to build a new 650,000-gallon concrete storage tank and said he expected construction to begin in 2025. There are only two manufacturers of concrete storage tanks in the United States, he said, so scheduling the construction was difficult.

LaFontaine reported one shear and two services failures for the previous month. He said he is continuing to examine the meters at the district’s treatment plants and replace or repair them as needed.

LaFontaine noted that a high level of manganese in the water delivered to customers prompted a return to 100% surface water from a blend of surface and ground water. The level of manganese did not represent a health risk to customers, he said.

Executive session

The meeting ended with an executive session to discuss negotiating positions regarding the district’s participation in the Loop water reuse project and discussions with Classic Homes. No action was taken following the executive session.

Correction

In last month’s article, Dan LaFontaine was incorrectly referred to as operations supervisor. His correct job title is operations superintendent.

**********

The next meeting has been moved to Oct. 14 at 1 p.m. Meetings are usually held on the second Monday of each month at 1 p.m. at the district office at 1845 Woodmoor Drive; the September meeting is delayed by a week. Please see www.woodmoorwater.com or call 719-488-2525 to verify meeting times and locations.

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

Other Woodmoor Water and Sanitation District articles

Monument Sanitation District, Sept. 18 – Board reviews rate study

By Jackie Burhans and James Howald

At its September meeting, the Monument Sanitation District (MSD) board heard a report on a rate study performed by GMS Inc. and an operational report from District Manager Mark Parker. The board discussed the three board seats that will be open in the next election cycle.

Dannah Koeniger, a project engineer, and Erica Countryman, a staff engineer, both with GMS, presented to the board their study of the district’s rates. Koeniger said the purpose of the study was to ensure that the district would have adequate revenue to cover planned operational expenditures. Capital projects were not included in the study. Rates should be fair, reasonable and justifiable, she said.

At present, the residential rate is $40 per month and the commercial rate is $40 per month for the first 5,000 gallons of wastewater and $5.10 for each 1,000 gallons thereafter, Koeninger said. The late fee is 5% of the unpaid balance. The district has 1,635 residential accounts and 135 commercial accounts. The study used a five-year review period from 2025 to 2029 and assumed an annual growth of 10 residential accounts per year during that period. Expenditures were projected to increase 4% per year due to inflation, and the study assumed $59,700 per year in revenue from interest, rental of part of the headquarters building, and other sources.

Koeniger said rates should generate $50,000 per year beyond operating costs so the district can build its reserves. The district could consider one large increase during the review period or smaller annual increases to meet this goal, she said. Koeniger noted the district had last raised its rates in 2020.

Countryman noted a big jump in the district’s expenses between 2021 and 2023 and said she expected 2024 “to come in negative.” She said the costs of salaries and benefits have increased in every community between 2021 and 2023 and she wanted to make sure the district could keep qualified staff. The cost of electricity has increased, which affects the cost of operating lift stations, she said.

Koeniger pointed out that newly published standards for wastewater treatment, such as the standards for PFAS chemicals, would also increase the district’s expenses.

Parker said the board would discuss the future of its rates at the November board meeting,

Manager’s report

In his manager’s report, Parker said the lift stations were working well, there were no issues with the tenants renting space in the district’s building, and improvements to the district’s supervisory control and data acquisition system (SCADA) were on budget but taking longer than expected as issues with upgrades to the radios not yet resolved.

Parker asked the board to approve Resolution 09182024-1, which specifies the MSD office is open from 6:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Thursday and closed on Fridays. The board voted unanimously to approve the resolution.

Parker said MSD’s old website was not automatically forwarding to the new website, but that problem has been fixed.

Three board seats to be vacant

Director John Howe pointed out that three directors would need to be elected in 2025. Parker explained that board President Dan Hamilton and Howe have both served two terms and are term limited, but Director Skip Morgan could run for a second term.

**********

Monument Sanitation District meetings are held at 9 a.m. on the third Wednesday of the month in the district conference room at 130 Second St., Monument. The next regular meeting is scheduled for Oct. 16. See https://MonumentSanitationDistrict.org. For a district service map, see https://MonumentSanitationDistrict.org/district-map. Information: 719-481-4886.

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

Other Monument Sanitation District articles

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.

**********

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

Donala Water and Sanitation District, Sept. 19- -Board continues term limit debate

By James Howald and Jackie Burhans

At its September meeting, the Donala Water and Sanitation District (DWSD) board continued its discussion of waiving its current policy which allows directors to serve a maximum of two four-year terms. The board heard financial and operational reports.

Board President Wayne Vanderschuere was excused from the meeting. Board Vice President Bill George facilitated the meeting.

Lawyer explains constraints on term limits

General Manager Jeff Hodge told the board that he had received a memo from Linda Glesne of CEGR Law, the district’s legal team, addressing the district’s discussion about extending the terms of incumbent directors or allowing them to serve more than two consecutive four-year terms. The issue was discussed at the board’s August meeting. Glesne wrote that the board does not have the authority to extend terms or waive term limits, but it can call an election to ask the voters to do so. Voter approval must be obtained before the Feb. 28, 2025 deadline for submitting candidate nomination forms for the May 2025 election. She said incumbent board members would not need to recuse themselves on a vote calling for an election.

Hodge said the current policy on term limits made it difficult to maintain continuity regarding long-term projects such as the Loop water re-use effort. George used himself as an example, pointing out that after his first two terms he was “beginning to get smart.” He was then required to leave the board for four years before running for another term. Director Ed Miller said, as a general principle, he was in favor of term limits.

The board took no action following the discussion, but there was a consensus to consider putting the issue before the voters at a future time.

Financial report

In his summary of district finances, Hodge said he believed DWSD was on track to collect the $650,000 in water revenue for which the district had budgeted. Revenue from property taxes was also on track. Hodge estimated the impact of the changes to property taxes enacted in the special session of the Legislature to be a reduction of about $23 per year for each $500,000 of home value. “This isn’t going to shut us down,” he said.

In terms of expenditures, Hodge said there was nothing unusual except the cost of a water main break adjacent to Baptist Creek Road. He said the district had saved money by making sparing use of its water from Willow Creek Ranch that it pays Colorado Springs Utilities to convey, treat, and deliver. That water is expensive, Hodge said.

Operational reports

In his manager’s report, Hodge noted the impact of the water line break that Water Operator Joe Lopez discovered on the Friday morning preceding the Labor Day weekend. The water line was PVC pipe that was installed directly on top of solid rock. Lack of proper space under the pipe caused it to push against the rock each time a pump started, causing a 20-foot section of the pipe to split. Hodge estimated repairing the line cost the district between $50,000 and $60,000.

Hodge said about two miles of the pipe were installed on rock and it was likely there would be further breaks in the future. He said that rather than repairing the entire two-mile portion, the district’s money would be better spent on wells 4A and 11D, which could supply water to the Holbein Treatment Plant without using the pipe in question.

Water Operator Ronny Wright gave the board an update on the work being done to rehabilitate the district’s two water storage tanks. Wright said the walls of the West Tank were in good shape but the structural elements at the top of the tank needed more repairs than expected. The West Tank is 45 years old, he said, and the I-beam that provides the center of support “is shot.” Hodge said a cost estimate was needed before repairs could proceed.

Wright had better news about the East Tank, saying its rehabilitation was complete and it was back in service, with a small leak that was being repaired by divers.

Hodge told the board that Well 1A, which has been an important water source for the last 3½ years, is offline and LRE Water has been engaged to diagnose and repair it. Well 16A, the district’s newest well, is now fully online and is filling the gap resulting from Well 1A’s problems, he said.

Hodge commended Water Operator Ross Robinson for the presentation he gave on DWSD’s radium mitigation efforts, along with Mathieu Medina of Corona Environmental Consulting, at a recent wastewater conference. Hodge said it can be hard to be the first to address a problem, but “you get to write your own rules.”

Above: On Aug. 30, the Friday before Labor Day, Donala Water and Sanitation District (DWSD) Water Operator Joe Lopez noticed water running down Baptist Road. At the same time, equipment was measuring a drop in water in one of Donala’s water tanks. Lopez diagnosed the problem as a water main break on Baptist Road near Fox Run Regional Park. The PVC pipe, installed many years before directly on bedrock, was stressed each time a pump turned until a 20-foot split occurred. General Manager Jeff Hodge estimated the repair cost to be between $50,000 and $60,000. He said the district would focus on repairing other wells that feed its water treatment plant directly and removing dependence on the old pipeline. Photo courtesy of Donala Water and Sanitation District.
Above: At its Sept. 19 board meeting, Donala Water and Sanitation District (DWSD) heard from Water Operator Ronny Wright that one of the two tanks the district is rehabilitating needs more work than anticipated. Wright said the West Tank, which is 45 years old, has extensive issues with the I-beams supporting the top of the tank, and the district was obtaining a cost estimate before proceeding with the repair. The East Tank, he noted, is back in service. Photo courtesy of Donala Water and Sanitation District.

**********

The next board meeting is scheduled for Thursday, Oct. 17 at 1:30 p.m. Generally, board meetings are held the third Thursday of the month at 1:30 p.m. and include online access; call (719) 488-3603 or access www.donalawater.org to receive up-to-date meeting information. The district office is located at 15850 Holbein Drive, Colorado Springs.

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

Other Donala Water and Sanitation District articles

Woodmoor Water and Sanitation District, Aug. 12 – Board considers supplemental water for Waterside subdivision

By James Howald

In August, the Woodmoor Water and Sanitation District (WWSD) board met to review a request for supplemental water service from the developers of the Waterside subdivision. The board rescheduled its September meeting and heard operational reports. The meeting ended with an executive session, after which a vote was taken.

Developer requests supplemental water

District Manager Jessie Shaffer told the board that Lake Woodmoor Holdings LLC, the developers of the Waterside subdivision, had requested a supplemental water service agreement from the district.

According to materials provided in the meeting packet, the Waterside subdivision is a proposed 7.5-acre development at the intersection of Woodmoor Drive and Deer Creek Road, across from Lewis-Palmer Middle School. The developer plans to build four single-family homes and 40 multi-family homes on the property.

The Supplemental Water Service Agreement included in the packet explains that the developer is requesting a total of 12.2 acre-feet of water per year for the planned development. The default water service provided by WWSD is 0.5 acre-feet of water per acre of land, in this case, 3.76 acre-feet. The supplemental water service requested amounts to 8.42 acre-feet per year. 7.5 acre-feet per year will be provided at the Tier 2 price of $29,000 per acre-foot and 0.891 acre-feet will be provided at the Tier 3 price of $43,500 per acre-foot. The total cost of the supplemental water requested is $257,157 annually.

Shaffer said he wanted to discuss the request with the board in executive session and asked to have the request tabled until that discussion had taken place.

September meeting rescheduled

The board rescheduled its September meeting from Sept. 9 to Sept. 16 to allow board members to attend the Special District Association of Colorado conference.

Operational reports

  • Board President Brian Bush, on behalf of board Treasurer Roy Martinez, said water sales to date were less than the budgeted amount. Tap fees were higher than expected and interest income remains high due to high interest rates.
  • Cultivation of native grasses at the Woodmoor Ranch, required by the conversion of the ranch’s water rights from agricultural to municipal uses, is continuing. The revegetation effort is expected to be complete by 2025, according to Shaffer.
  • Operations Supervisor Dan LaFontaine told the board the effluent meter at the South Water Treatment Plant was inaccurate and he was working to find a company to test it.
  • Shaffer said that JVA Inc. was analyzing data from a sewer capacity study so that any capacity issues can be addressed.
  • Shaffer told the board that Cydney Saelens had accepted an offer to serve as the district engineer, replacing Ariel Hacker, who had accepted a job with a state agency.

Executive session

The meeting ended with an executive session to discuss negotiating positions regarding the district’s participation in the Loop water reuse project and discussions with Classic Homes. Following the executive session, the board voted to appoint Bush as the director responsible for representing the district in negotiations between member agencies of the Loop.

**********

The next meeting has been moved to Sept. 16 at 1 p.m. Meetings are usually held on the second Monday of each month at 1 p.m. at the district office at 1845 Woodmoor Drive; the September meeting is delayed by a week. Please see www.woodmoorwater.com or call 719-488-2525 to verify meeting times and locations.

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

Other Woodmoor Water and Sanitation District articles

Forest Lakes Metropolitan District and Pinon Pines Metropolitan District 3, Aug. 14 – Debt authorization ballot initiative approved

By Natalie Barszcz

The Pinon Pines Metropolitan District (PPMD) 3 board held a special meeting on Aug. 14 to approve a debt authorization ballot initiative for the November election.

Attending via teleconference were District Manager Ann Nichols, Forest Lakes Metropolitan District (FLMD), Tom Blunk, CP Real Estate Capital, representing Forest Lakes LLC and Forest Lakes Residential Development, District Attorney Nicole Peykov of Spencer Fane law firm, and the following board directors: President George Lenz, executive vice president of Finance for Classic Homes, Secretary Joe Loidolt, president of Classic Homes, Treasurer/Secretary Douglas Stimple, chief executive officer of Classic Homes, and Director James Boulton, vice president/project manager of Classic Homes.

Director Steve Schlosser, project manager for Classic Homes, did not attend.

Note: The timing for the meeting was unclear for some of the dial-in participants due to an early email exchange confirming 4:30 p.m. A meeting time of 4 p.m. was published on the district website. Peykov and Blunk joined the meeting late due to the miscommunication.

Debt authorization requires special election

Nichols said the need for a special election on Nov. 5 to approve a new debt authorization for PPMD 3 came about due to Blunk working with an underwriter to issue bonds from PPMD 3 a couple of years ago. Then an issue was raised by the Town of Monument with the building of warehouses, and Blunk pulled back on issuing bonds from PPMD 3 due to an unattractive bond market. The underwriter knew that the state statute to issue debt would expire after 20 years, and Spencer Fane informed the district that the statute had expired since the authorized debt had been approved in 2003, said Nichols.

Peykov said the only debt issued for PPMD 3 was voter approved in a 2003 election. Because the debt is only valid for 20 years under the Colorado Special Districts Act, the board needs to consider authorizing an election to gain voter approval again. The proposed ballot questions will only be mailed to the PPMD 3 board members, the only eligible electors. PPMD 3 does not have any residents and the commercial lot owners/businesses are not eligible to vote. For the district to issue any further debt, voter approval is required, said Peykov.

Lenz asked if the 2024 ballot would differ from the 2003 ballot, knowing the numbers are likely much higher now.

Peykov said the allocation in the PPMD 3 service plan is limited to a $21 million cap unless the board wanted to proceed with a service fund amendment up to $97.3 million for an intergovernmental agreement with FLMD (the operation district with the project). The amendment is limited to the $21 million cap for water, sewer, and street infrastructure.

Stimple said this election is necessary for Blunk to issue or receive financing for PPMD 3, and if the owners Forest Lakes LLC decided to lend funds to the district.

The board unanimously authorized the election to be conducted by Spencer Fane law firm on Nov. 5.

The meeting adjourned at 4:18 p.m.

**********

Meetings are usually held quarterly or when necessary, on the first Monday of the month at 4 p.m., via teleconference. Meeting notices are posted at least 24 hours in advance at https://forestlakesmetrodistrict.com. For general questions, contact Nichols at 719-327-5810 or anicholsduffy@aol.com.

Natalie Barszcz can be reached at nataliebarszcz@ocn.me.

Other Metro District articles