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Water & Sanitation District Articles

Woodmoor Water and Sanitation District, Jan. 12 – Board hires new attorney

Highlights

  • The Woodmoor Water and Sanitation District board hired attorney Tamara Seaver at its 2026 meeting to replace retiring Erin Smith, highlighting Seaver's strong background in public-private partnerships and prior work with WWSD on joint facility agreements.
  • Smith said Seaver is an experienced district attorney from a leading firm in public-private partnerships, and Seaver noted her history with WWSD and other districts managing water rights, emphasizing her long practice and commitment to institutional clients.
  • The board passed Resolution 26-01 to govern operations and compliance, including filing a map of the service area, budgeting timelines, and posting notices on the district website, while authorizing the sale of old equipment and supplies.
  • District Manager Jessie Shaffer announced that Highway 105 Phase B easements are being handled by Transportation Resource Services, with WWSD utility lines affected and relocated before construction; the board authorized Shaffer to sign the related documents as they come.
  • Financially, revenues in November exceeded expenditures by $550,000, with construction budgeting shifting to 2026 and strong reserves noted; operational reports highlighted multiple water leaks, a blocked sewer line, and ongoing Loop water projects with 30% design progress and plans to hire an executive director for the Loop.

By James Howald

At its first meeting in 2026, the Woodmoor Water and Sanitation District (WWSD) board hired attorney Tamara Seaver to replace Erin Smith. Smith is retiring after representing WWSD for 26 years. The board took care of two pieces of housekeeping that are needed annually: an administrative matters resolution and authorization to dispose of equipment of “de minimis,” or insignificant, value.

District Manager Jessie Shaffer was authorized to sign Highway 105 Phase B easement agreements. The board heard operational and financial reports from District Manager Jessie Shaffer, Operations Superintendent Dan LaFontaine, board Treasurer Dana Franzen, and District Engineer Cydney Saelens. The meeting ended with an executive session.

Seaver’s experience with public-private partnerships a plus

Smith introduced Seaver, telling the board she is “an experienced district lawyer from an experienced district law firm.” Smith pointed out that Seaver’s experience with public-private partnerships would benefit the Loop water re-use project as well as WWSD. She said Seaver’s law firm, Icenogle Seaver Pogue P.C., was one of the strongest in the state regarding public-private partnerships.

Seaver said she began practicing law at 25 and had been retained by WWSD previously to litigate its Joint Use of Facilities Agreement that governs the Tri-Lakes Wastewater Treatment Facility that WWSD operates in partnership with the towns of Monument and Palmer Lake. She has served other districts that are managing their water rights portfolios, Seaver said. A Colorado native, Seaver said she had been with the same law firm since beginning to practice law, and she enjoyed serving institutional clients.

The board voted to authorize board President Brian Bush to sign a Letter of Engagement hiring Seaver as the district’s attorney.

Administrative resolution passed

The board adopted Resolution 26-01, which lays out the rules that govern the board’s operations and ensures compliance with state laws. The resolution addresses issues including:

  • The requirement to file a map of the district’s service area with the El Paso County Clerk and Recorder.
  • The schedule for preparing and filing a proposed and final budget.
  • The use of the district web page at https://www.woodmoorwater.com for posting regular and special meeting notices.

The board also authorized General Manager Jessie Shaffer to sell old computers, office furniture, used well drop pipe, and brass water meter bodies.

Highway 105 easements

Shaffer told the board that Transportation Resource Services Inc. is acquiring rights of way and easements required by El Paso County’s effort to widen Highway 105 to the east of Lake Woodmoor Drive to Martingale Road. Some of WWSD’s utility lines will be affected by the Phase B construction and will be relocated before construction begins. Board President Brian Bush recommended that Shaffer sign the necessary paperwork as it is submitted to the district.

Financial and operational reports

Franzen noted that in November, revenues exceeded expenditures by $550,000. “We are back in the sweet spot we were in a few months ago,” he said, noting that some construction budgeted for in 2025 was postponed until 2026. “We have strong reserves and are in excellent shape,” Franzen said.

In his Manager’s Report, Shaffer said all of the Loop’s consultants were getting their designs to 30% completion. He said the Loop’s participating districts had agreed to hire an executive director who would report to the Loop board. To date, the Loop has not hired any staff directly; it has used consultants instead.

LaFontaine reported seven water leaks and a sewer line blocked by 6 feet of tree roots.

In her Engineering Report, Saelens said she had given Lewis-Palmer School District 38 comments on its Safe Routes to Schools (SRTS) plan, which includes construction of a bridge over the spillway at the south end of Lake Woodmoor. Bush commented that the SRTS project has been under development for nine years.

Saelens also reported that El Paso County plans a traffic roundabout at the intersection of Deer Creek Road and Woodmoor Drive, with construction starting in March.

Executive session

The meeting ended with an executive session to receive legal counsel regarding potential agreements with El Paso County and Monument Fire District. No action was taken following the executive session.

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The next meeting is on Feb. 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

Monument Sanitation District, Jan. 21 – Buc-ee’s advances sewer plan

Highlights

  • The Monument Sanitation District board heard an update on Buc-ee's plan to install offsite sewer infrastructure along Beacon Lite Road for its proposed travel center, with final design review and bid preparations anticipated after a meeting next week.
  • District Manager Mark Parker noted that El Paso County's road improvements on Beacon Lite Road are underway, but the MSD sewer work is planned to occur before county crews finish paving to avoid tearing up recently repaved sections.
  • The board unanimously approved a yearly administrative resolution outlining rules for compensation, meeting schedules, budgeting, audits, and election management, as well as a second resolution designating the district's web page and offices as the official notices locations.
  • Public comments highlighted that the MSD website currently carries outdated board member information and lacks the 2026 budget posting, indicating a need for updated online information.

By Jackie Burhans and James Howald

At a brief meeting in January, the Monument Sanitation District (MSD) board heard a report from District Manager Mark Parker that focused on Buc-ee’s plans to install sewer infrastructure along Beacon Lite Road for its proposed travel center. The board also took care of some annual housekeeping requirements by approving an administrative resolution and a resolution naming the locations where notices will be posted. It also heard public comments.

Buc-ee’s sewer plan complete

Parker told the board that he is attending weekly meetings with El Paso County regarding the county’s project to straighten, level, pave, and add curbs and gutters to Beacon Lite Road. At a previous meeting, Parker explained that the county had planned to do this work years before Buc-ee’s announced its intention to build a travel center just east of the intersection of County Line Road and Beacon Lite Road. That work has already begun, Parker said.

Parker explained that MSD had received a complete design from Buc-ee’s for the offsite sanitary sewer service required by its proposed travel center. MSD reviewed the plans with GMS Inc., its consulting engineers, and had provided final edits to Kimley-Horn, the engineering company that created the plans for Buc-ee’s. Parker said a meeting was scheduled for next week, at which final approval for the sewer work would be given, allowing Buc-ee’s to put the work out to bid. Parker commented at a previous meeting that the sewer work should be completed before El Paso County completed its work on Beacon Lite Road to avoid the cost of tearing up a recently repaved road.

Compensation to be reviewed

The board voted unanimously to approve Resolution 01212026-1, its annual administrative resolution. The resolution ensures compliance with state laws and documents the rules under which the board will operate, such as:

  • Compensation for directors.
  • The schedules for board meetings, budget, and audits.
  • The district manager will serve as the budget officer.
  • The Designated Election Official will manage elections.

The board passed a second resolution designating the district’s web page and offices as the locations where notices of meetings will be posted. Notices are posted on the web page here: https://www.MonumentSanitationDistrict.org/board-meetings. The MSD offices are at 130 Second St., Monument.

Public comments

Resident Laura Kronick, a member of the Monument Town Council, pointed out that the MSD website had out-of-date information about who sits on the district’s board and did not yet have the 2026 budget posted.

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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. 18. See MonumentSanitationDistrict.org. For a district service map, see www.MonumentSanitationDistrict.org/district-map. For 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, Jan. 15 – 2026 rates and fees amended

Highlights

  • The Donala Water and Sanitation District approved corrections to the Water Investment Fee, set originally as $4,200 per single-family residence or equivalent, with the correction announced during the public hearing on Resolution 2026-2; new rates include a $3 per-day fee for late installations and inspections, a $750 bulk water deposit for developers, and a 5% increase to both the Minimum Water and Minimum Sewer Service Rates, effective immediately except for water and sewer rates which take effect in March.
  • The board approved the corrected resolution unanimously, and the changes were described by Interim General Manager Christina Hawker and Billing Administrator Ashley Uhrin; the changes also affect timing and implementation of the new rates.
  • The district discussed the process for filling the general manager position; two board members will evaluate resumes and, with Linda Glesne's briefing on the hiring process, proceed with the first-round review.
  • The NMCI project was revisited with CSU inviting DWSD to reconsider joining; participation could allow DWSD to send sewer flows to a CSU-owned treatment plant and reduce DWSD's operation of the Upper Monument Creek Regional Wastewater Treatment Facility, with TMD and FLMD expressing interest in NMCI, though DWSD previously favored the Loop water reuse project due to limitations on effluent reuse in NMCI.
  • An administrative Resolution 2026-1 was unanimously approved, establishing district budgeting rules, meeting locations, and a schedule for future board meetings, typically on the third Thursday each month at 1:30 p.m.
  • The meeting concluded with an executive session to discuss the Intragovernmental Agreement for the Upper Monument Creek Regional Wastewater Treatment Facility; no actions were taken in that session, and the next board meeting is scheduled for Feb. 19 at 1:30 p.m. (details available via the district).

By James Howald and Jackie Burhans

At its meeting in January, the Donala Water and Sanitation District (DWSD) board held a public hearing on corrections and amendments to its water and sewer rates and fees. The board discussed how to proceed with hiring a new general manager. DWSD’s possible participation in the North Monument Creek Interceptor (NMCI) project was briefly discussed in the open session and deferred to the executive session. Annual housekeeping matters were addressed in an administrative resolution and a board meeting schedule. The meeting ended with an executive session.

Water investment fee corrected

Board President Wayne Vanderschuere opened a public hearing on Resolution 2026-2, which documents changes to the water and sewer rates and fees approved in 2025. Interim General Manager Christina Hawker explained that the Water Investment Fee, which pays for the purchase of Willow Creek Ranch, the connection to Colorado Springs Utilities (CSU), and additional water resources, was originally set at $4,200 but should have been set at $4,200 per single-family residence or equivalent. The new resolution corrected that error, she said.

Billing Administrator Ashley Uhrin explained additional changes, which include:

  • A new $3 per-day fee will be imposed if installations and inspections are not completed within the designated time.
  • A $750 deposit, to be paid by developers, on bulk water provided by DWSD’s fill station.
  • An increase of 5% to the Minimum Water Service Rate over the 2025 rate.
  • An increase of 5% to the Minimum Sewer Service Rate over the 2025 rate.

Uhrin said the new rates would go into effect immediately, except for water and sewer rates, which will go into effect in March.

Vanderschuere closed the hearing, and the board voted unanimously to approve the resolution.

General manager position to be filled

Vanderschuere said the last time DWSD had interviewed candidates for its general manager position, it had assigned two board members to cull resumes and applications, then the board discussed that short list and interviewed selected candidates. He said Linda Glesne, DWSD’s attorney, had offered to brief the board on the hiring process. Directors Ken Judd and Kevin Deardorff will do the first round of resume evaluation, Vanderschuere said.

NMCI gets another look

Vanderschuere said CSU had contacted the district to ask if it would reconsider joining the NMCI project. Participation in the NMCI would enable DWSD to send its sewer flows to a CSU-owned treatment plan and remove the need for DWSD to continue to operate the Upper Monument Creek Regional Wastewater Treatment Facility (UMCRWWTF), which it shares with the Triview Metropolitan District (TMD), the Forest Lakes Metropolitan District (FLMD), and the Academy Water and Sanitation District. TMD and FLMD have expressed interest in joining NMCI.

DWSD has debated joining the NMCI project for several years but has decided to join the Loop water re-use project instead, in part because the NMCI design does not provide a way for DWSD to re-use its effluent, which the Loop does provide.

Vanderschuere said there were legal ramifications involved in the decision, adding that Roger Sams of GMS Inc., DWSD’s consulting engineer, would go into the details of the legal decision in the executive session.

Administrative resolution passed

The board voted unanimously in favor of Resolution 2026-1, which established the rules and regulations that special districts must follow, such as the schedule for preparing, submitting, and amending their budget, and where their meetings will be held. The board also approved a schedule for its board meetings, which are typically held on the third Thursday of every month at 1:30 pm.

Executive session

The meeting ended with an executive session to confer with legal counsel regarding the district’s Intragovernmental Agreement for the UMCRWWTF. No actions were taken following the executive session.

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The next board meeting is on Thursday, Feb. 19, at 1:30 p.m. Generally, board meetings are held on 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, Jan. 22 – 2026 snowpack “really bad”

Highlights

  • The Triview Metropolitan District board discussed potential low snowpack and its impact on spring runoff, and approved closing Subdistrict A, which lies north of Higby Road.
  • District officials warned that 2026 could see unusually low snowpack, with the Arkansas River in the 3rd percentile and the upper Colorado River Basin below zero percentile, though they remain confident in supplying water to customers.
  • Water usage data for 2025 showed 989 acre-feet total, with 695 acre-feet from renewable sources via the Northern Delivery System, prompting a reevaluation of the 2026 water management plan.
  • The NMCI project, a proposed 10.1-mile pipeline to transport untreated wastewater to Colorado Springs Utilities for processing, is in the works with cost sharing and financing discussions slated for the February meeting.
  • Subdistrict A was declared inactive to avoid annual zero-budget filings, with reactivation requiring a future board resolution, and the district reported strong sales tax performance and a favorable year-end financial report for 2025.
  • In closing, the board noted that executive sessions were held to discuss legal and negotiation matters related to water, agreements, and the NMCI project, with no actions taken upon return to regular session.

By Natalie Barszcz

At the Triview Metropolitan District (TMD) meeting on Jan. 22, the board heard about the potential for low snowpack affecting spring runoff in the region. The board approved the closure of Subdistrict A (the area south of Higby Road).

The board held an executive session to receive legal advice relating to water matters, pending litigation, agreements with the Town of Monument (TOM) and other governmental and private entities, the potential participation in the Northern Monument Creek Interceptor (NMCI) project, and the AGRA Recharge Pond Easement.

Director Mark Demkowicz was excused.

Snowpack update

District Manager James McGrady said the snowpack is looking like a “really bad” year for 2026, with the Arkansas River in the 3rd percentile (just slightly above the worst year recorded) and the upper Colorado River Basin below zero percentile. Years 2002, 2011, and 2012 were dry, and the Northern Delivery System (NDS) was built to be reliant on snowpack spring runoff with the knowledge that there will be dry years when the district will be more reliant on wells. 2026 may be a meager year for snow runoff, but the district is in good shape to supply water to its customers, said McGrady.

Water Treatment Superintendent Gary Potter said the total water usage for 2025 was 989-acre feet of water, with 695-acre feet of renewable water delivered via the NDS. The extremely low snowpack has led the district to re-evaluate the water management plan for 2026.

Water operations update

Potter said the NDS produced 47% of the district’s water, with 53% from wells, for a total of about 13.91 million gallons in December. The district sold about 12.62 million gallons to customers, leaving 985,954 gallons or about 7.09% of non-revenue (water unbilled). The district had 16.13% unbilled water in December 2024, said Potter.

Assistant Manager Steve Sheffield thanked the team for working diligently to lower the water- unbilled percentage for the district. At a recently attended conference, he discovered the average U.S. utility non-revenue water loss is 12%, and 20% of utilities have non-revenue water loss of 30%.

Potter said the Environmental Protection Agency water testing samples from the district’s wells were all found to contain zero Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS). The testing occurs every three years.

NMCI project update

McGrady said the board would discuss the NMCI project during executive session, as lawyers are working on agreements and the costs of the project are being finalized. At the February regular meeting, the cost sharing and bond financing for the project will be discussed, said McGrady.

The NMCI project is a proposed 10.1-mile pipeline that would transport untreated wastewater from TMD and Forest Lakes Metropolitan District to Colorado Springs Utilities J.D. Phillips Water Resource Recovery Facility (located near I-25 and Garden of the Gods Road) for processing.

Subdistrict inactive

McGrady said subdistrict A overlays six filings in the north of the Jackson Creek development (south of Higby Road) that includes Creekside Developments. The Creekside Developments agreement was revised after five years of filing zero assessment for debt service. Resolution 26-01 declares the subdistrict inactive and avoids filing a zero budget every year.

General Counsel George Rowley said that reactivating subdistrict A in the future would require the board to approve another resolution. In a 4-0 vote, the board approved the resolution.

Financial update

McGrady said the district had a good year in sales tax revenue received and is expecting about another $300,000 for December sales tax revenue.

In a 5-0 vote, the board accepted the financial report as presented for the year-ending Dec. 31, 2025, and the checks presented over $5,000.

Executive session

The board moved into executive session at about 7:30 p.m. to receive legal advice pursuant to section 24-6-402(4)(e) Colorado Revised Statutes (CRS), for the purposes of determining positions relative to matters that may be subject to negotiations, developing strategies for negotiations and instructing negotiators as it relates to water matters, pending litigation, agreements with the TOM and other governmental entities, potential participation in the Northern Monument Creek Interceptor and the AGRA Recharge Pond Easement, and to receive legal advice pursuant to Section 24-6-402(4)(b) CRS as it relates to the subject matter above.

Sheffield confirmed to this reporter that upon returning to the regular session, no action was taken.

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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. 19 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, Jan. 15 – Board hears updates from Merrick and SpencerFane

Highlights

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

By James Howald

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

Change orders scrutinized

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

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

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

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

Financial report

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

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

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

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

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The next regular meeting is scheduled for Feb. 19 at 9 a.m. Regular meetings are held on the third Thursday of each month at 9 a.m. at the Monument Town Hall at 645 Beacon Lite Road. Please see loopwater.org or call 719-488-3603 to verify meeting times and locations.

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

Other El Paso County Regional Loop Water Authority articles

Donala Water and Sanitation District, Dec. 11 – 2026 budget adopted

Highlights

  • The Donala Water and Sanitation District finished its 2026 budget process, set fees and mill levies, appointed a DWSD representative to the Loop Water Authority, discussed security upgrades, and planned to search for a new general manager.
  • The 2026 budget includes 5% rate increases for water and sewer, with operating and administrative expenses projected at $7.1 million and debt service at $751,000, while capital projects are expected to cost about $1.8 million and total revenue is estimated at $11.6 million.
  • Mill levies were set: 21.296 mills for the bulk of the district and 10.648 mills for six properties near Stuthers Loop that receive only water service from DWSD, with both levies approved unanimously.
  • Director William George was appointed to represent DWSD on the Loop Water Authority board, replacing Jeff Hodge who is on paid administrative leave, while Christina Hawker will remain a second DWSD representative and Cade Pennington will be the alternate.
  • In other business, the board debated security upgrades and authorized Hawker to obtain an upgrade plan with two quotes, noting a recent alarm event, EPA compliance needs, and a potential cost range from $47,000 to $150,000.
  • The meeting also covered operational reports, such as potential grant reimbursement for Well 7D, a ranch trespass issue near Willow Creek Ranch, manganese reporting concerns, and routine treatment plant maintenance, ending with an executive session about a water court case.
  • The next meeting is scheduled for Thursday, Jan. 15 at 1:30 p.m., with details available through DWSD's website or by phone.

By James Howald and Jackie Burhans

In December, the Donala Water and Sanitation District (DWSD) board completed work on the district’s 2026 budget and set its fees and mill levies. It appointed a new member to the Loop Water Authority’s board and discussed upgrades to its security. The board heard operational reports and set a goal to begin a search for a new general manager. The meeting ended with an executive session.

2026 budget wrapped up

Board President Wayne Vanderschuere opened a public hearing on the budget, rates, and fees for 2026.

Interim General Manager Christina Hawker said the budget includes 5% rate increases for water and sewer service as discussed in previous meetings.

The Budget Message included in the packet for the meeting notes that the district’s operating and administrative expenditures are anticipated to be $7.1 million, with $751,000 earmarked for long-term debt service payments. Capital improvement projects, including tank and well rehabilitation, sewer line inspections, and water rights expenses, are expected to cost $1.8 million. Total operating and non-operating revenue is estimated at $11.6 million.

Following Hawker’s presentation, the board voted to approve Resolution 2025-8, which adopts the budget and Resolution 2205-9, which appropriates the required funds.

Mill levies set

Resolution 2025-10, which the board passed unanimously, sets the mill levy for the bulk of the district at 21.296 mills. Resolution 2025-11, also passed unanimously, sets the mill levy for six properties near Stuthers Loop at 10.648 mills. Those properties have a lower mill levy because they receive only water service from DWSD.

Director appointed to Loop board

The board appointed Director William George to represent DWSD on the Loop Water Authority board, replacing General Manager Jeff Hodge, who is on paid administrative leave (see https://wp.ocn.me/v25n9dwsd/ for details). Hawker will continue as DWSD’s second representative on the Loop board. Water Operator Cade Pennington is DWSD’s alternate.

New general manager sought

During Director’s Comments, Vanderschuere asked the board to begin thinking about how to appoint a new permanent general manager in the first quarter of 2026.

Security upgrade

Hawker told the board she had been looking into improving the district’s physical security and its emergency response plan. Because the cost might exceed $50,000, Hawker required board approval and two quotes for the work. Hawker said a recent alarm event brought to her attention a gap in the district’s camera footage, and the Environmental Protection Agency is putting rules in place in 2026 with which DWSD’s emergency response plan must comply.

Hawker said the quotes for the work were far apart; the lower was $47,000 and the higher was $150,000. The board voted to authorize Hawker to continue her comparison and move forward with the best option.

Operational reports

In her acting general manager’s report, Hawker mentioned she was trying to determine if Well 7D is eligible for reimbursement under a grant for radium abatement.

Hawker said she had received a call from a trusted source regarding unauthorized hunting on the district’s Willow Creek Ranch. The board recently discussed granting access to the ranch to nearby residents in return for their agreeing to contact the district in the event of unauthorized uses of the ranch. Hawker contacted Colorado Parks and Wildlife to begin a poaching investigation and advised the board to press trespassing charges. She said she had communicated with the person in question to let him know he did not have permission to use the ranch.

Hawker noted that high manganese levels had initiated a Discharge Monitoring Report, but Waste Plant Operator Aaron Tolman believed the reporting method had been misinterpreted and the district was not in violation.

In his report, Tolman said he was working on clarifying the manganese reporting, and all other wastewater measurements were within limits.

Superintendent of Water Operations Ronny Wright noted that water sales were slow. He reported on an issue with a hatch gasket on a water storage tank that required the tank to be disinfected and refilled. He said the Holbein treatment plant and the R. Hull treatment plant were scheduled for backwashing and filter replacement over the next few months.

Executive session

The meeting ended with an executive session to confer with legal counsel regarding the district’s pending water court application in Case 24CW3019. No actions were taken following the executive session.

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The next board meeting is on Thursday, Jan. 15, at 1:30 p.m. Generally, board meetings are held on 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. 11 – Water and wastewater rates increase; 2026 budget approved

Highlights

  • The Triview Metropolitan District held public hearings on the 2026 utility rates, fees, and the 2026 budget, and ratified an agreement with PFM Consulting LLC.
  • A rate forecast was presented for water and wastewater services, followed by approval of Resolution 2025-15 to set 2026 rate tables, with details available in the district's December newsletter.
  • The 2026 budget aims to increase cash reserves, advance the Higby Road widening project, offer strong employee benefits with a 3.5% COLA, invest in equipment, maximize renewable water use, maintain facilities, complete the district's operations building, participate in NMCI, and pursue infrastructure projects like a roundabout at Jackson Creek Parkway and Lyons Tail Road.
  • The board also approved the property tax debt service mill levy of 13.5 and the operations mill levy of 7, totaling 20.5 mills, along with related measures including administrative resolutions, an amended contract with FLMD, an audit engagement letter, an MVEA undergrounding work order, an easement with Stonewall Springs Reservoir Co., and an agreement with PFM Consulting LLC for real property matters.
  • Water operations showed Northern Delivery System delivering roughly 69% of the district's water in November and expected to do so in December, with a small amount of non-revenue water, while a water storage tank project at Plant B remains on hold until spring 2026.
  • In an executive session, the board discussed water matters, TOM agreements, NMCI funding timelines, and related negotiations, per Colorado law.
  • The next regular meeting is scheduled for Jan. 15 at 5:30 p.m., and meeting details are available on the district's website.

By Natalie Barszcz

At the Triview Metropolitan District (TMD) meeting on Dec. 11, the board held a public hearing on the 2026 utility rates, fees, connection charges, public works fees such as drainage fees, parks and open space fees, and road and bridge fees, and a public hearing on the district’s 2026 budget. The board ratified an agreement with PFM Consulting LLC.

The board held an executive session to receive legal advice regarding water matters, pending litigation, agreements with the Town of Monument (TOM) and other governmental and private entities, the Central Reservoir, the acquisition of a right-of-way for Blevins Buckle, and the Northern Monument Creek Interceptor (NMCI) project.

Director John Gibbons was excused.

Water and wastewater rates

The board received a rate forecast presentation from consultants Andrew O’Brien and Payton Gibson of Waterworth. O’Brien explained the timeline for the suggested rate increases and the management of revenue through 2030. Waterworth provides a software platform to manage and predict the future revenues needed to maintain the district’s level of services to its customers.

After holding a public hearing with no comments during or received before the meeting, the board reviewed and approved Resolution 2025-15 establishing rates and fees for the provision of water and wastewater services for TMD. For the rate tables effective Jan. 1, 2026, and other updates, see the TMD December newsletter at www.triviewmetro.com.

2026 budget

District Manager James McGrady said the budget goals are:

  • Increase cash reserves to the fullest extent possible, start and complete the Higby Road widening project (could extend into 2027).
  • Provide strong benefit packages to reward employees and foster employee retention with a 3.5% COLA increase.
  • Provide equipment and vehicles to ensure jobs can be performed.
  • Maximize the use of the district’s renewable water resources.
  • Ensure the district’s facilities, including roads, parks, open space, reservoirs, diversion structures, wells, and pump stations, are maintained and enhanced.
  • Complete the district’s utility operations and administration building.
  • Fund and participate in the NMCI.
  • Maximize the use of existing infrastructure in order to maximize revenues and build a roundabout on Jackson Creek Parkway at Lyons Tail Road.

After holding a public hearing with no comments, the board reviewed and approved Resolution 2025-16, certifying the district’s property tax debt service mill levy set at 13.5 mills, and the property tax operations mill levy used to pay for the voter-approved Higby Road project bond payments, set at 7 mills, for a total of 20.5 mills.

In a 4-0 vote, the board approved the 2026 budget, appropriating the funds for the district.

McGrady said the district also receives revenue via a sales tax share back with the TOM for operations, and the Specific Ownership Tax (vehicle registrations) and other revenue from building permits, use tax, Forest Lakes Metropolitan District (FLMD), Colorado Conservation Trust Fund, grants, programming fees from Sanctuary Pointe Park, and interest earnings.

In a 4-0 vote, the board also approved the following:

  • Resolution 2025-17, the annual administrative resolution.
  • The fifth amendment to an agreement between FLMD and TMD for Contract Operation Services (provided by the district), effective Jan. 1, 2026.
  • An audit engagement letter between TMD and Haynie and Co. to perform the district’s 2025 financial audit in 2026.
  • An approval for Mountain View Electric Association Inc. (MVEA) work order 230923 for the undergrounding of about 5,500 feet of overhead power line from Jackson Creek Parkway to a point about 600 feet east of Harness Road in the amount of $993,838.
  • An easement agreement between TMD and the Stonewall Springs Reservoir Co., a Colorado Mutual Water Company, and the district.
  • The board approved an agreement with PFM Consulting LLC. to provide consulting services at a rate of $150 per hour plus expenses relating to mining, environmental permitting, and all related matters associated with real property at the Stonewall Springs Reservoir complex located in Pueblo.

Water operations update

The report submitted by Water Treatment Superintendent Gary Potter stated that the Northern Delivery System produced 69% of the district’s water in November, and the same percentage is expected for December in keeping with the budget. The district produced about 14,257gallons in the October billing cycle and sold about 13,883 gallons to customers, leaving 337,847 gallons or about 2.62% of non-revenue (unbilled) water. Potter is optimistic that Triview is at the start of a new trend after two months in a row of very low water loss.

Additional water storage

Assistant Manager Steve Sheffield said the water storage tank project at Plant B in Promontory Pointe is on hold until spring 2026. The construction of the tank will be determined after the project goal of preparing the site for the construction of the concrete tank is completed. The site requires the installation of additional underground piping, new stormwater alignments, and final grading in 2026.

Executive session

The board moved into executive session at about 7:54 p.m. to receive legal advice pursuant to Colorado Revised Statutes (CRS) section 24-6-402(4)(b), as it relates to water matters and agreements with the TOM and other governmental entities, acquisition of right-of-way for Blevins Buckle, NMCI project funding timeline and discussions with DWSD, and the Monument 2040 Plan. The session also involved determining positions related to matters that may be subject to negotiations, developing strategies for negotiations, and instructing negotiations as it relates to the previously mentioned subjects, pursuant to CRS section 24-6-402(4)(e).

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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 Jan. 15 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. 15 – 2026 budget adopted and rates set

Highlights

  • The Woodmoor Water and Sanitation District held a December public hearing on 2026 rates and concluded the budget hearing from the prior meeting, while also renewing its contract with the Chilcott Ditch Co. and considering supplemental water service for a new Monument Fire District station.
  • During the rate hearing, the district announced increases for water and sewer taps of 10% and 3%, respectively, with base water and sewer charges rising 7% and 5%, while the Renewable Water Infrastructure Fee stays at $40 per month.
  • In the budget discussion, District Manager Jessie Shaffer noted 2026 expected revenue of just over $14 million and expenditures of $19.5 million, needing about $5.4 million from reserves, with total reserves projected at $18.5 million by year-end 2026, and the board approved two resolutions setting 2026 rates and adopting the budget.
  • Monument Fire District requested 2.7 acre-feet per year of supplemental water at $34,500 per acre-foot per year, and the board asked Shaffer to draft an agreement for later approval.
  • The Chilcott Ditch Co. contract was renewed without changes, maintaining WWSD's role in management and ditch rider services as part of the Loop water re-use project.
  • Woodmoor Ranch revegetation, managed by contractor Paul Flack, was nearly complete with 98% of the land restored to native grasses; the remaining 2% could not be revegetated due to high water tables and natural runoff.
  • Flack plans to prepare a formal report to a water judge, and a thank-you note highlighted his strong work and suggested honoring him with a named warehouse at the ranch.
  • Operational updates described ongoing Loop water re-use project work, including a preliminary design for a water treatment facility and anticipated completion of pipeline and pump design in January, with plans to expand the Calhan Reservoir and coordinate access with the Sundance Pipeline.
  • The meeting closed with a short executive session to discuss potential legal agreements with LWA and MFD, after which no action was taken, and the district announced its next meeting for January 12 at 1 p.m. at the district office.

By James Howald

At its December meeting, the Woodmoor Water and Sanitation District (WWSD) board held a public hearing on its rates for 2026 and concluded a public hearing on its budget opened at its previous meeting. It discussed a request for supplemental water service from the Monument Fire District (MFD) for a new station it plans to build on the west side of Jackson Creek Parkway and renewed WWSD’s contract with the Chilcott Ditch Co.

Paul Flack, the contractor managing the revegetation project at Woodmoor Ranch, gave the board a final report on the 10-year effort. The board heard operational and financial reports from District Manager Jessie Shaffer, Operations Superintendent Dan LaFontaine, board Treasurer Dana Franzen, and District Engineer Cydney Saelens. The meeting ended with an executive session.

Rate increases and budget approved

At the public hearing on rates, Shaffer told the board that water and sewer tap fees would increase by 10% and 3%, respectively. The base fee and volumetric rates for water service would increase by 7% and the base fee for sewer service would increase by 5%. The Renewable Water Infrastructure Fee would remain unchanged at $40 per month. A complete schedule of fees for 2026 is on the district’s website here: https://tinyurl.com/4hwwt2ts.

There were no comments from the public, and the hearing was closed.

At the continuation of the hearing on the 2026 budget, Shaffer said there were few changes to the draft presented at the November meeting, just some adjustments to when the district would pay retainage fees to contractors. He said he added documentation to the November draft for the board’s information.

Shaffer said the 2026 budget anticipated revenue just above $14 million and expenditures of $19.5 million, requiring about $5.4 million to be spent from reserves. Total reserves of $18.5 million were expected at the end of 2026, Shaffer said.

The budget hearing was closed, and the board voted unanimously in favor of Resolution 25-04, which sets the rates and fees for 2026, and Resolution 25-05, which adopts the budget and appropriates the required funds.

Supplemental water requested by MFD

MFD Division Chief of Support Services Jamey Bumgarner asked the board to consider providing 2.7 acre-feet per year of supplemental water service to a new fire station planned for a site west of Jackson Creek Parkway and north of the Tri-Lakes YMCA. Supplemental water service costs $34,500 per acre-foot per year. Bumgarner said MFD’s request complied with WWSD’s water demand methodology.

Board President Brian Bush directed Shaffer to draft an agreement with MFD for the board to approve at a later meeting.

Contract with Chilcott Ditch Co. renewed

Shaffer asked the board to consider renewing the district’s contract with the Chilcott Ditch Co. The contract, which is renewed every year, obligates WWSD to provide management, administrative, and ditch rider services to the company. WWSD is the largest shareholder in the ditch company, and the Chilcott Ditch, which conveys water from Fountain Creek to shareholders and to the Calhan Reservoir, will be used as part of the Loop water re-use project. Shaffer told the board there were no changes to the previous year’s contract, and the board voted unanimously to approve it.

Woodmoor Ranch revegetation project complete

In his introduction of Flack, Shaffer told the board that the work to revegetate Woodmoor Ranch with native grasses, required by the district’s conversion of the ranch’s water rights from agricultural to municipal uses, was substantially complete and had met the terms and conditions of WWSD’s water decree. The active part is done, Shaffer said, and now the focus would be on stewardship and land management practices around weed management. He thanked Flack for doing a phenomenal job.

Flack gave the board an overview of the report he will write on behalf of the district. The report will be written to sum up the project to a water judge in the unlikely event that the work is ever disputed.

Flack said 98% of the ranch had been successfully revegetated with native grasses and explained why the other 2% could not be revegetated. Some portions could not be revegetated because the water table was too high, making the land too salty to allow grass to grow. Another portion was not suitable for revegetation because it was naturally irrigated by runoff from nearby hills.

In his conclusion, Flack gave Shaffer some tools and notebooks that survived a tornado at the ranch in 2019 as keepsakes. Bush suggested that the warehouse at the ranch be named in Flack’s honor.

Operational reports

In his manager’s report, Shaffer said 2026 would be a busy year for the Loop water re-use project. He said Burns & McDonnell had submitted a preliminary design for the water treatment facility, and the Loop’s board had provided comments that Burns & McDonnell were incorporating into its design. Shaffer said the design of the pipelines and pumps, also assigned to Burns & McDonnell, was expected to be completed in January. The plan to enlarge the Calhan Reservoir is 30% complete, and the Loop board is discussing access to the Sundance Pipeline with its owner, the Cherokee Metropolitan District. “We are wound tight,” Shaffer said.

In response to a question from Director Roy Martinez, LaFontaine explained some of the technical details of the water treatment plant design. He explained that after an initial filtration, the Loop’s water would be filtered again through Granular Activated Carbon (GAC), which can remove so-called “forever chemicals,” pharmaceuticals, endocrine disruptors, and other emergent contaminants. LaFontaine said the use of GAC “future-proofed” the water treatment design. A further stage of treatment would keep the level of Total Dissolved Solids at an acceptable level, LaFontaine said. The treatment plant would initially have two filtration trains providing redundancy and capable of delivering 2 million gallons of treated water daily. The design anticipates the addition of another two filtration trains at buildout, LaFontaine said.

In his financial report, board Treasurer Dana Franzen said revenue from water sales would not reach projected levels for the year, and revenue from tap fees was also less than expected. Expenses were in line with revenues, Franzen said, adding, “Everything looks good.” Shaffer commented that there had been less legal work related to water rights in 2025 than expected. Professional fees related to Woodmoor Ranch were also falling, he said.

District Engineer Cydney Saelens reported that the drilling for Well 12R is complete, and welders were brought in to address structural issues with the south water tank so that recoating can continue. She said that the Northbay development, which is just north of Lake Woodmoor and east of The Cove, is active again and a Planned Unit Review had been submitted for zoning review. The number of homes in the development has been reduced from 28 to six, Saelens said. The Monument Ridge East project had just submitted another round of plans for review by WWSD, addressing just the single-family homes planned for the east edge of the property, Saelens said,

Executive session

The meeting ended with an executive session for the board to receive legal counsel regarding potential agreements with the LWA and the MFD. No action was taken following the executive session.

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The next meeting is on Jan. 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, Dec. 17 – 2026 budget approved; compensation debated

Highlights

  • The Monument Sanitation District board approved the 2026 budget and the 2026 rates and fees, with the only changes to the fee schedule being higher lien filing and certification fees to cover El Paso County's processing costs.
  • The budget projects a starting fund balance of $934,000, about $1.37 million in income, $2.31 million in expenditures, and an ending balance of roughly $976,000. The public hearing closed without comments.
  • During the meeting, the board approved Resolution 12172025-1 for the budget and noted that a 5% salary increase was included in the budget but would be decided later, as part of a separate discussion on compensation and potential cost-of-living adjustments.
  • Director Shannon Clark abstained from the vote on the budget resolution due to insufficient information, while the rest of the board voted in favor.
  • On compensation, board member Dan Hamilton and Director Clark reviewed pay levels at comparable districts and pushed to align MSD's compensation more closely with those benchmarks by March, noting the current use of bonuses was unusual.
  • Hamilton proposed a 3% cost-of-living increase for Parker starting January, plus $1,000 for Parker and $750 for Allsup as cash gifts to maintain continuity with past practices, and the board unanimously supported those moves as a step toward restructuring compensation away from bonuses.
  • Conclusion: The district moves forward with a balanced 2026 budget and adjusted compensation plans, aiming for greater alignment with peer districts while maintaining stable lien-related fees and a measured approach to wage adjustments. The next meeting is January 21, with details available on the district's website.

By Jackie Burhans and James Howald

At its December meeting, the Monument Sanitation District (MSD) board concluded its work on its 2026 budget and approved rates and fees that are unchanged except for lien fees. It also discussed how to align its compensation with similar districts.

Budget approved and funds appropriated

Board President Dan Hamilton opened a public hearing on the proposed 2026 budget and on the rates and fees, both of which the board had hammered out at a workshop meeting and at its November meeting. Parker noted that the only changes to the fee schedule were increases to the fees for filing and certifying liens. Parker explained that the increases were due to El Paso County (EPC) increasing what it charges to handle the liens that MSD files against delinquent accounts. The fees compensate EPC for the work it does to collect the liens. EPC deposits the money due to MSD in MSD’s bank account, Parker explained.

The 2026 budget specifies a beginning fund balance of $934,000. It anticipates $1.37 million in income and $2.31 million in expenditures, for an ending fund balance of $976.

There were no comments from the public, and the hearing was closed.

The board considered Resolution 12172025-1, which adopts the 2026 budget and appropriates the required funds. Parker said the budget allowed for 5% salary increases. Hamilton said he wanted to discuss cost-of-living increases and bonuses included in the budget later in the meeting during the Director’s Matters agenda item.

Director Shannon Clark said she intended to abstain from the vote on the resolution because she didn’t have enough information. She noted that other sanitation districts were increasing wages by only 3%, and she didn’t understand why MSD was budgeting for a 5% increase.

Parker explained that, while the budget contained funds for a 5% increase, any increase would be decided as a separate issue later. Director Janet Ladowski said that was the process used the previous year.

The board, including Clark, voted to approve the resolution.

The board then took up Resolution 12172025-2, which approves the rates and fees for 2026. Parker said he had researched the fee schedules of surrounding districts and thought MSD’s fees were in line with the districts he investigated.

The board voted unanimously for the resolution.

Compensation to be reviewed

Hamilton said he and Clark had reviewed the compensation in place at some comparable districts, and as a result, he and Clark were not sure MSD’s compensation for Parker and Accounts Administrator Cheran Allsup aligned with other districts. He said he wanted to continue to study that issue with the goal of aligning MSD’s compensation by March. He said he wasn’t going to push for major changes at the December meeting because he did not have all the facts. He noted that he has not been doing annual performance reviews with Parker. Hamilton said MSD was alone in its use of bonuses, which were “left over from the past.”

Clark handed out compensation schedules she had collected from comparable sanitation districts. Hamilton pointed out that the salaries for district managers varied from $73,000 to $343,000—a huge range.

Hamilton moved to give a cost-of-living increase of 3% for Parker, to begin in January. He also recommended cash gifts of $1,000 to Parker and $750 to Allsup, because he did not want to depart from previous years’ practice too abruptly. Hamilton said he wanted to move away from bonuses and gifts by getting Parker’s compensation properly set. The board voted unanimously in favor of Hamilton’s motion.

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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. 21. See MonumentSanitationDistrict.org. For a district service map, see www.MonumentSanitationDistrict.org/district-map. For 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, Dec.18 – Board considers hiring executive director

Highlights

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

By James Howald

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

Executive director to ease workload

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

DWSD’s William George to succeed Jeff Hodge

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

Merrick update

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

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

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

Financial report

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

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

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

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

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The next regular meeting is scheduled for Jan. 25 at 9 a.m. Regular meetings are held on the third Thursday of each month at 9 a.m. at the Monument Town Hall at 645 Beacon Lite Road. Please see loopwater.org or call 719-488-3603 to verify meeting times and locations.

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

Other El Paso County Regional Loop Water Authority articles

Woodmoor Water and Sanitation District, Nov. 17 – Rate increases for 2026 discussed

By James Howald

The Woodmoor Water and Sanitation District (WWSD) board met in November to hear a presentation from Andrew Rheem, a senior manager at Raftelis, the company that advises WWSD about rates and financial modeling. Rheem advised the district to continue with a schedule of rate increases proposed in 2024 and characterized the impact of those increases on the district’s ratepayers. The board held a public hearing on its proposed 2026 budget and awarded a contract to eliminate a lift station. District staff gave operational reports. Finally, Erin Smith, WWSD’s attorney for 26 years, announced her retirement.

Rates and tap fees to rise

District Manager Jessie Shaffer said that in previous workshops and discussions, the board had decided to increase the base fee and volumetric rates for water by 7% in 2026, and to increase the fee for sewer service by 5%. Tap fees for water and sewer connections were set to increase by 10% and 3%, respectively. The Renewable Water Infrastructure Fee (RWIF), which funds WWSD’s purchase of the Woodmoor Ranch and its renewable water rights, would remain unchanged at $40 per month.

Rheem presented a schedule of further rate increases from 2027 through 2034. In 2027 and 2028, water rates will rise by 5% and sewer rates will rise by 4%. Then, from 2029 through 2034, both rates will rise by 3%. The RWIF will remain unchanged. Rheem said his projected rates would be subject to adjustments as needed.

According to Rheem, for residential customers, the 2026 increases will mean the monthly sewer fee will increase from $37.47 to $39.34 and the monthly water fee from $11.56 to $12.27. For the first 6,000 gallons of water used, the cost of 1,000 gallons will rise from $7.33 to $7.84. The median annual user’s bill will rise from $111 to $125.

Shaffer pointed out that the increases were largest in the first year of the schedule to avoid major increases in the future, and the increases were planned considering the district’s payments for its participation in the Loop water reuse project. Shaffer also noted that customers are using less water than they used in 2006 due to more efficient appliances and landscaping choices that are more oriented toward water conservation.

2026 budget hearing

Shaffer opened a public hearing on the 2026 proposed budget and briefly reviewed the changes he had made to it in response to the board’s input at a workshop. The rate increases proposed by Rheem were incorporated into the 2026 budget, and he had reduced the estimated revenue from supplemental water service. Supplemental water service for a new fire station to be built by the Monument Fire Department on Jackson Creek was included, Shaffer said.

There were no comments from the public; the budget hearing was left open until the next board meeting on Dec.15. A public hearing on the proposed rate increases will also be held at that meeting.

Construction contract awarded

Richard Hood, of JVA Consulting Engineers Inc., recapped the events that led to the decision to eliminate rather than update a lift station on Lost Arrowhead Drive. In January 2025, Hood explained, WWSD had requested bids to update the lift station, but the cost was prohibitive. JVA was able to design a gravity sewer reroute that eliminated the need for the lift station.

In October 2026, WWSD requested bids to demolish the lift station. Six bids were received. Mid-City Corp. submitted the lowest bid at $325,000, but JVA’s examination of the bid showed that it was “unbalanced and non-responsive” because its unit price was significantly lower than past projects. It appeared that upfront costs were too great, and material suppliers were not included as the request for proposal required. JVA recommended the contract be awarded to Native Sun Construction, whose bid was $13,000 more than Mid-City’s bid.

The board voted unanimously to award the contract to Native Sun, with a $30,000 change order contingency included.

Financial and operational reports

In his review of October’s finances, board Treasurer Dana Franzen said the district’s financial performance was where he expected it to be, with net profit down temporarily due to a higher-than-usual number of contract payments.

In his Manager’s Report, Shaffer updated the board on the Loop water reuse project, in which WWSD is a participant. Contracts have been signed with CDM Smith to increase the capacity of the Calhan Reservoir and with Burns & McDonnell to design the water treatment plant and the pumps and pipelines. Discussions are underway with Tallgrass Colorado Municipal Water LLC to finance the project through a public-private partnership.

Shaffer said that in 2026 the Loop should advance all design work to 60% completion, and if the public-private financing does not come to fruition, then the Loop will need to get contractors more involved, perhaps through a Construction Manager at Risk (CMAR) framework, in which the contractor is more involved in the design and is required to provide a guaranteed maximum price. Board President Brian Bush said that in 2026 the Loop would need to decide between a public-private partnership or issuing bonds.

Office Manager Cory Lynch told the board about the implementation of TextMyGov, a new way to communicate with the district’s customers during emergencies by sending alerts via text messages. Customers must opt in to the program using a link on the district’s webpage, which can be found at https://woodmoorwater.com. Customers with cell phones can text “WWSD” to 91896 to opt in to the service, Lynch said, and they will be notified by text when there is an interruption to their service.

In her Engineer’s Report, District Engineer Cydney Saelens said the Monument Ridge East development was moving ahead with plans for 37 single-family residences planned for the eastern boundary of the property, adjacent to Misty Acres.

Attorney to retire

Attorney Erin Smith, who has advised and represented the district for 26 years, announced her retirement. She said she was immensely grateful for the honor of serving the WWSD board and its outstanding staff and district management. She said she would provide Bush and Shaffer with a list of potential replacements. She hoped the transition could be complete by mid-February.

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The next meeting is on Dec. 15 at 1 p.m. Meetings are usually held on the second Monday of each month at 1 p.m. at the district office at 1845 Woodmoor Drive. Please see www.woodmoorwater.com or call 719-488-2525 to verify meeting times and locations.

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

Other Woodmoor Water and Sanitation District articles

Monument Sanitation District, Nov. 19 – Draft of 2026 budget reviewed

By Jackie Burhans and James Howald

The Monument Sanitation District (MSD) board met in November to review a draft of its 2026 budget. It also voted on a resolution authorizing the El Paso County treasurer to collect MSD’s delinquent accounts. District Manager Mark Parker updated the board on the work that the county has planned for Beacon Lite Road.

Budget process begins

Parker presented the board with a draft of the district’s 2026 budget. He focused on the differences with the previous year’s budget, noting:

  • A change in janitorial companies led to a reduction of a few hundred dollars in that line item to $3,500.
  • Parker used a Cost of Living Adjustment (COLA) of 2.7% to calculate wage increases. Money for merit raises was included.

Director Shannon Clark noted that the previous year’s budget included two rounds of PFAS testing that had been budgeted for but not performed. PFAS chemicals are sometimes referred to as “forever chemicals” because they break down very slowly. They are associated with many health issues, such as an increased risk of kidney cancer.

Parker said the 2026 budget anticipated lower revenue from tap fees due to some building projects being delayed. He said he estimated expenses as high and income as low to avoid amending the proposed budget.

Clark noted a decrease in postal costs due to the district’s successful implementation of online billing. Parker added that office supplies were reduced by half in the 2026 budget for the same reason.

Parker told the board a final version of the budget would be available to vote on at its December meeting.

Delinquent accounts go to county treasurer for collection

The board voted unanimously to approve Resolution 10152025-1, which authorizes the El Paso County treasurer to collect MSD’s delinquent accounts as part of its collection of property taxes. The cost of collection will be added to the amount due.

Parker estimated 22 delinquent accounts will be collected.

Beacon Lite Road work begins

Parker told the board that regular meetings including MSD, El Paso County, engineering firm Kimley Horn, and the Town of Monument had begun. GMS Inc., MSD’s consulting engineers, will also attend the meetings, Parker said, to ensure the changes meet MSD’s requirements

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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. 17. See MonumentSanitationDistrict.org. For a district service map, see www.MonumentSanitationDistrict.org/district-map. For 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. 20 – Water rights and exchange options reviewed

By James Howald and Jackie Burhans

In November, the Donala Water and Sanitation District (DWSD) board heard a presentation on its water rights and exchange options from Kelsey Briggs, a project manager at LRE Water. Acting General Manager Christina Hawker updated the board on changes to the proposed 2026 budget. The board considered a petition for inclusion into the district from the Bill and Vickie Hancock Living Trust and approved a license agreement to grant limited access to the district’s Willow Creek Ranch property. The meeting ended with two executive sessions, after which no action was taken.

Surface water and exchanges key to district’s future

Briggs walked the board through a detailed memo she had prepared documenting DWSD’s surface water rights and exchange options. An exchange is a mechanism to move water to where it can be used without the use of pumps or pipelines. Exchanges divert water from a river, stream, or other source and then return an equal amount from a different source so that the water rights owned by downstream users remain intact. Briggs discussed an example exchange in which water was diverted from the Fountain Creek Mutual Canal (FCMC) to the Big Johnson Reservoir, and then water was conveyed from the Pueblo Reservoir to the confluence of the FCMC and the Arkansas River, so that users of the Arkansas River downstream from the exchange point would have an equal amount of water available to them after the exchange.

Briggs said DWSD currently depends primarily on groundwater pumped from the Denver basin aquifers but has three renewable surface water rights: Laughlin Ditch water rights diverted from Fountain Creek, Willow Creek Ranch water rights diverted from the Arkansas River, and the district’s reuseable return flows of treated effluent from the Upper Monument Creek Regional Wastewater Treatment Facility (UMCRWWTF). As aquifers deplete, well water will become more expensive, Briggs said, so it is important to move to renewable surface water to control costs in the long term.

The Laughlin Ditch water rights were purchased in 2017. The district currently does not have a method to convey, treat, and deliver this water to its customers; the water is leased to the Arkansas Groundwater and Reservoir Association (AGRA).

The Willow Creek Ranch water rights were acquired in 2009. This water is currently stored in the Pueblo Reservoir and then treated and conveyed to DWSD customers through a contract with Colorado Springs Utilities. When the Pueblo Reservoir reaches its storage capacity, DWSD’s water is the first to be released downstream to keep the reservoir within its limits.

The reusable return flows from the UMCRWWTF will be treated and conveyed to DWSD customers by the Loop water reuse project.

According to Briggs, DWSD has four “exchange-to” locations from which water can be diverted, Briggs said, which are:

  • The Chilcott Ditch headgate.
  • The Fountain Mutual Ditch (FMD) headgate.
  • The confluence of Beaver Creek and Monument Creek.
  • A point to be decided between the Tri-Lakes Wastewater Treatment Facility and the UMCRWWTF.

The district has five “exchange-from” locations to which water can be directed:

  • The confluence of the Arkansas River and Fountain Creek.
  • Stonewall Springs Reservoir complex.
  • Big Johnson Reservoir.
  • Spring Creek Augmentation Station on the FMD.
  • Chilcott Augmentation Station.

Briggs said the district will need to develop a long-term strategic plan to identify the most efficient ways to combine the “exchange-to” and “exchange-from” points to deliver water to its customers. The district’s water lawyer, Matt Poznanovic, would need to handle related issues in the water court. Briggs said she could develop a flow model in six months that would help the board decide how to use its water rights and exchanges. The board directed her to do so.

Proposed 2026 budget

Hawker updated the board on changes she made to the proposed 2026 budget since the board meeting in October. The cost of inspecting the sewer system by video camera was reduced from $296,000 to $99,000 due to a decision to inspect just a third of the system. The cost of participating in the Loop was increased from $250,000 to $550,000. Hawker said she increased this line item after receiving the Loop’s proposed budget for 2026. The amount for the Loop includes DWSD’s portion of the first option payment for the Loop’s purchase of the Sundance Pipeline from the Cherokee Metropolitan District.

Hawker added that she is working with the El Paso Board of County Commissioners to get reimbursement for $400,000 of the cost to redrill Well 7D as part of the district’s American Recovery Plan Act grant for radium reduction.

The board’s December meeting has been rescheduled to the 9th so that the board can have a final vote on the budget before Dec. 15, when the district must submit the final version of the budget to the state.

Petition for inclusion

Director Bill George opened a public hearing on a petition from the Bill and Vickie Hancock Living Trust to include a property it owns at 15220 Leather Chaps Drive into the district’s water service area. The property is too far from DWSD’s sewer collection system to be included for sewer service. George was facilitating the meeting because board President Wayne Vanderschuere was attending from his home via Zoom.

Hawker reviewed the history of the property, which was included in the district’s service area in 2022 but was later subdivided. The trust decided it would be cheaper to have a well and septic system and requested exclusion from the district, becoming part of unincorporated El Paso County. The county later decided well and septic systems would not be allowed on properties smaller than five acres, prompting the trust to make the petition for inclusion before the board.

The board voted unanimously to grant the petition.

Willow Creek Ranch license agreement

At its meeting in October, the board discussed allowing neighbors of its Willow Creek Ranch property near Leadville to have access to the ranch in return for alerting the board to any unauthorized use of the ranch. Staff was directed to draft a license agreement and release that would grant limited access. Director Ken Judd asked Hawker to draft a waiver to allow horse riding on the property. Hawker said she would draft the waiver, and no vote was needed on the license agreement.

Executive sessions

Following its regular meeting, the board held two executive sessions. Each was a separate item on the agenda and was attended by varying staff and consultants.

The first session was to confer with counsel regarding personnel matters. This session was attended by board members only.

The second session was to receive legal advice regarding the district’s water court application in Case No. 24CW3019.

No actions were taken following the executive sessions.

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The next board meeting is on Tuesday, Dec. 9 at 1:30 p.m. Generally, board meetings are held on 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, Nov. 20 – Land inclusion approved; legal counsel charges defined

By Natalie Barszcz

At the Triview Metropolitan District (TMD) meeting on Nov. 20, the board approved a petition for inclusion of land into the district from All in Investments LLC and an engagement letter from White Bear Ankele (WBA) Local Government Law PC to provide a continuance of general counsel legal services to the district. The board heard the Higby Road project was delayed, and additional well water was being delivered to customers to supplement the district’s surface water delivered via the Northern Delivery System (NDS).

The board held an executive session to discuss the purchase and sale of water and land, agreements with the Town of Monument (TOM) and other governmental and private entities, the acquisition of right-of-way for Blevins Buckle, the Northern Monument Creek Interceptor (NMCI) project funding timeline and discussions with Donala Water and Sanitation District (DWSD), and the Monument 2040 Plan.

Petition for land inclusion

District Manager James McGrady requested the board approve a petition for land inclusion from All in Investments LLC for about 8.07 acres at 16050 Old Denver Road.

Water Counsel Chris Cummins said it is unknown what will eventually be developed on the property and the land inclusion will not be presented for board approval until such time. There is no commitment for the district, but the request for a petition for land inclusion allows for a letter of intent to provide water to the west side of Old Denver Road and allows for next-step discussions for the district to provide utilities, said Cummins.

The board unanimously accepted the petition for land inclusion and continued the discussion in executive session.

General counsel engagement

General Counsel George Rowley of WBA Local Government Law PC said new legislation requires law firms to provide clients with transparency of pricing (the fixed costs). The board was presented with an engagement letter stipulating the legal fees.

The board unanimously approved the engagement letter.

Higby Road project update

Assistant Manager Steve Sheffield said the Higby Road project ran into some unforeseen delays due to other utility conflicts with the district storm drain infrastructure. The delay is significant enough to put the project into mid-March 2026. The district is working with Kiewit to release a new schedule for spring and fall 2026.

McGrady said the original plan would have paused in October for the winter months and the new design is expected to be finalized within days.

Note: For additional information about the project and updates, visit https://triviewhigbyroad.com.

Road sign updates

Parks and Open Space Superintendent Matt Rayno said the district installed additional pedestrian crossing warning signs at Toreva Drive and speed limit signs on Leather Chaps Drive. The signs are needed to get drivers to slow down, he said.

Tap fee update

McGrady said the district budgeted 85 tap fees from residential homes and year-to-date 84 taps have been received, but it is difficult to project the commercial taps fees. Year-to-date the district has received about $4.627 million in tap fee revenue (includes some commercial tap fees). The tap fee revenue is very important to maintain the utility enterprise fund used to expand the distribution and collection system that supplies the districts water. The fund is supporting the Bale Ditch and Arkansas Valley Irrigation Co. headgate/diversion construction projects, said McGrady. For more information on the district projects, visit https://triviewmetro.com.

Water operations update

Water Treatment Superintendent Gary Potter said the NDS produced 39% of the district’s water in October, using more wells to lower production costs to meet budget goals, said Potter.

McGrady said the district is supplementing the NDS water with pumped well water to ensure the allocated 700 acre-feet of surface water lasts through the remainder of the year.

Potter said issues continue with the reading accuracy of the flow measuring equipment at the Upper Monument Creek Regional Wastewater Treatment Facility. Additional meters have been added to help determine the district’s daily flow rate.

The district produced about 22,745 gallons in the October billing cycle and sold about 21,830 gallons to customers, leaving 807,960 gallons of non-revenue water (unbilled). The following counter-measures took place:

  • Several irrigation meters were found to be severely under registering water usage and have been replaced.
  • The billing data was analyzed, and anomalies were found that were creating inaccuracies.
  • Leaks in the distribution system have been identified and repaired.
  • Water meter bypasses have been identified and removed (one had been running for a long time in a neighboring HOA east of the district).
  • The district is improving the accuracy of unbilled water usage.

Since working for the district, it is the first time the non-revenue water is a six-figure number but it may never be zero, said Potter.

District Administrator Sara Lamb said the irrigation season has ended for 2025, and the district’s irrigation and domestic accounts had been checked for leaks after winter shut-off using the Beacon data (meter reading system), and no leaks were found as of Nov. 13.

Executive session

The board moved into executive session at 7:56 p.m. to receive legal advice pursuant to Colorado Revised Statutes (CRS) section 24-6-402(4)(b), as it relates to water matters and agreements with the TOM, and other governmental entities, acquisition of right-of-way for Blevins Buckle, NMCI project funding timeline and discussions with DWSD, and the Monument 2040 Plan. The board was working to determine positions related to matters that may be subject to negotiations, developing strategies for negotiations, and instructing negotiations as it relates to the previously mentioned subjects, pursuant to CRS section 24-6-402(4)(e).

Sheffield confirmed to this reporter that when the board returned to the regular session at 9:04 p.m., a question/answer session took place with McGrady and Cummins regarding the need to hire a consultant to begin the process of building the Central Reservoir. The board unanimously approved the hiring of Jody Schreiber as a consultant for the Stonewall Springs Central Reservoir project.

No further action items were discussed and the meeting adjourned at 9:12 p.m.

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Meetings are usually held on the third Thursday of the month at the district office located at 16055 Old Forest Point, Suite 302. A public hearing for the proposed 2026 budget will be held at the next regular board meeting scheduled for Dec. 11 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, Nov.20 – 2025 budget reviewed; 2026 budget adopted

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

By James Howald

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

2025 budget reviewed; 2026 budget adopted

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

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

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

Merrick update

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

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

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

Financial report

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

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

The board approved payment of the invoices.

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

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

Executive session

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

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The next regular meeting is scheduled for Dec. 18 at 9 a.m. Regular meetings are held on the third Thursday of each month at 9 a.m. at the Monument Town Hall at 645 Beacon Lite Road. Please see loopwater.org or call 719-488-3603 to verify meeting times and locations.

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

Other El Paso County Regional Loop Water Authority articles

Woodmoor Water and Sanitation District, Oct. 13 – Schedule set for 2026 budget

By James Howald

In October, the Woodmoor Water and Sanitation District (WWSD) board decided on the process and schedule it would use to complete its 2026 budget. It heard operational and financial reports from District Manager Jessie Shaffer, board Treasurer Dana Franzen, Operations Superintendent Dan LaFontaine and District Engineer Cydney Saelens. The meeting ended with an executive session.

2026 budget workshop, hearing and vote scheduled

Shaffer asked the board to schedule a workshop on the 2026 budget for Oct. 23. Board President Brian Bush said that most line-items in the budget don’t change from year to year, so the board’s past approach has been to concentrate on just a few items of importance and discuss them in depth. He asked the board members to read the draft budget before the workshop and bring their questions. The board scheduled the workshop as Shaffer recommended.

Shaffer asked the board to schedule public hearings on the budget and on possible rate increases at its meeting in November, and to hold a vote on the completed budget and rates at its December meeting. To comply with deadlines set by the state, the board rescheduled its November meeting to Monday, Nov. 17, at 1 p.m. and its December meeting to Monday, Dec. 15, at 1 p.m.

Financial and operational reports

In his review of September’s finances, Franzen noted that receivables were down, but everything else was as expected. He said a software problem that caused liabilities to show $42,000 higher than they should be had been fixed.

Franzen commented that supplemental water sales were much lower in the last three months than in the previous five months. Shaffer said those sales are “wildly volatile.” Bush said tap fees for the year were lower than expected, but that was offset by less spending on construction.

Shaffer reported on the Joint Use Committee, which manages the operations of the Tri-Lakes Waste Water Treatment Facility, which WWSD operates with the Towns of Monument and Palmer Lake, noting that he had just received its proposed budget for 2026 and would provide feedback.

LaFontaine updated the board on operations of the Chilcott Ditch Co. The Chilcott Ditch conveys water from Fountain Creek to the Calhan Reservoir and provides irrigation water to the shareholders in the company. WWSD is the largest shareholder. The Chilcott Ditch will play a role in the Loop water re-use project. LaFontaine said he anticipated shutting down the ditch for the winter by October’s end.

In his Manager’s Report, Shaffer noted that the Pikes Peak Regional Water Authority is moving forward with a study of Indirect Potable Reuse (IPR), an approach to water management in which treated effluent is returned to customers after having been discharged into rivers or streams after treatment. (The Loop is an example of applied IPR.) Shaffer said the study could guide Colorado Springs Utilities’ approach to this technology. Bush pointed out that the study is on a 10- to 20-year timeline—much longer-term than the Loop.

In his Water Report, LaFontaine noted a low water loss of 3% for the previous month. He said the measurement was complicated by the fact that one water tank was being filled and another being emptied while the measurements were being collected. He said many of the wells in the northern part of the district were offline in September to allow aquifers to rest.

Regarding Woodmoor Lake, La Fontaine said about 400,000 gallons of water per day were going into the lake from Monument Creek, and he expected the lake to be filled by spring of next year. The lake is still recovering from having been entirely drained four years ago so that repairs could be made to the dam, and so water from the lake could be delivered to both of the district’s water treatment plants.

In her Engineer’s Report, Saelens said most of the equipment had been moved off the Well 12R site in the South Preserve. Erosion control and site piping are underway. She said the site should be restored by spring.

Saelens updated the board on the project to proactively replace saddles, which connect residential service lines to main lines. She said two crews were replacing saddles and 70 have been replaced so far. LaFontaine commented that many of the saddles are 40 years old and so badly degraded that they are only being held in place by the soil.

Saelens said the Monument Ridge East development, east of I-25 and south of County Line Road, was moving forward with its first filing for 37 single-family residences.

Executive session

The meeting ended with an executive session for the board to receive legal counsel regarding potential agreements with the Loop Water Authority and Tallgrass Colorado Municipal Water LLC and Atlantica Sustainable Infrastructure. No action was taken following the executive session.

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The next meeting is on Nov. 17 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. 15 – Draft of 2026 budget reviewed

By Jackie Burhans and James Howald

The Monument Sanitation District (MSD) board met in October to review a draft of its 2026 budget. It also voted on a resolution authorizing the El Paso County treasurer to collect MSD’s delinquent accounts. District Manager Mark Parker updated the board on the work that the county has planned for Beacon Lite Road.

Budget process begins

Parker presented the board with a draft of the district’s 2026 budget. He focused on the differences with the 2025 budget, noting:

  • A change in janitorial companies led to a reduction of a few hundred dollars in that line item to $3,500.
  • Parker used a Cost of Living Adjustment (COLA) of 2.7% to calculate wage increases. Money for merit raises was included.

Director Shannon Clark noted that the previous year’s budget included two rounds of PFAS testing that had been budgeted but not performed. PFAS chemicals are sometimes referred to as “forever chemicals” because they break down very slowly. They are associated with many health issues, such as increased risk of kidney cancer.

Parker said the 2026 budget anticipated lower revenue from tap fees due to some building projects being delayed. He said he estimated expenses high and income low to avoid amending the proposed budget.

Clark noted a decrease in postal costs due to the district’s successful implementation of online billing. Parker added that office supplies were reduced by half in the 2026 budget for the same reason.

Parker told the board a final version of the budget would be available to vote on at its December meeting.

Delinquent accounts go to treasurer for collection

The board voted unanimously to approve Resolution 10152025-1, which authorizes the county treasurer to collect MSD’s delinquent accounts as part of its collection of property taxes. The cost of collection will be added to the amount due.

Parker estimated there are 22 delinquent accounts.

Beacon Lite Road work begins

Parker told the board that regular meetings on Beacon Lite Road work had begun, with participation by MSD, the county, engineering firm Kimley Horn, and the Town of Monument. GMS Inc., MSD’s consulting engineers, will also attend the meetings, Parker said, to ensure the changes meet MSD’s requirements

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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.19. See MonumentSanitationDistrict.org. For a district service map, see www.MonumentSanitationDistrict.org/district-map. For 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. 9 – 2026 budget planning

By James Howald and Jackie Burhans

The Donala Water and Sanitation District (DWSD) board met in October to hear more on the proposed 2026 budget from Acting General Manager Christina Hawker. Hawker also covered the district’s finances for September. The board voted to give a paid day off to staff who participated in the district’s open house on Sept. 25. The board heard operational reports and ended with four executive sessions, each of which was held separately because each required different attendees.

Proposed 2026 budget

Hawker gave the board a high-level summary of the proposed 2026 budget that she first presented at the September board meeting. The proposed budget puts operating revenue at $6.8 million and estimates water sales will be 5% lower than in 2025. $4 million in non-operating revenue is anticipated, including tap fees from the Urban Landing development and 50 homes that will be built near the Big R Store proposed site just north of the intersection of Spanish Bit Drive and Struthers Road. Hawker estimated total revenue at just over $11 million, factoring in a 5% rate increase for water and sewer service.

On the expense side, Hawker estimated operating expenses would be 5.4% higher than in 2025 due to increased electrical costs and general inflation. She said she had budgeted for DWSD to receive its full allotment of water from Colorado Springs Utilities (CSU), even though it typically does not use that entire amount.

General and administrative expenses will increase by 4%, driven by a 17% increase in health and commercial insurance and a 3.5% increase in salary and wages.

The proposed budget includes $1.6 million in capital costs for projects like the Loop, water tank rehabilitation, Well 9A, sewer system inspections, and securing the district’s Laughlin water rights. She estimated total expenses would be $9 million, and the proposed budget would increase the district’s reserves for future projects.

Hawker said the board could discuss changes to the proposed budget at its meeting in November. The board’s December meeting has been rescheduled to the 9th so that the board can have a final vote on the budget before Dec. 15, when the district must submit the final version of the budget to the state.

Financial report

In her financial report, Hawker said revenue from water sales was “a little short.” The district is within 26% of meeting its revenue goals for the year. 52% remains on expenses, she said, adding she expects a larger bill from CSU in coming months because the district opened its water connection with CSU in September. There were no large unanticipated expenses in September, she said.

Open house a success

Hawker said the open house DWSD held for its customers in September was successful; customers liked learning about the district’s operations and meeting staff. She said 72% of the attendees who took a survey to determine how they wanted to receive information from the district preferred email, 23% wanted a newsletter, and only 4% wanted the district to communicate through social media.

Hawker commended Helen Malenda-Lawrence of LRE Water for her hands-on presentation regarding well field management.

As a gesture of appreciation to the DWSD staff who helped with the open house, Hawker proposed they receive a paid day off. The board agreed to Hawker’s suggestion.

Operational reports

In her acting general manager’s report, Hawker discussed a court case that Parker Water & Sanitation District had taken first to the Water Division 1 court and then to the Supreme Court of Colorado. Both courts upheld the decision of the state engineer that the statewide non-tributary groundwater rules impose a total volumetric limit on groundwater withdrawals over the lifetime of the well permit, and the state engineer can specify that limit in well permits. The decision imposes new record-keeping requirements on water districts to document they are not exceeding their water withdrawal limits.

Hawker said LRE Water has been monitoring the case for DWSD and has advised the district that its current record-keeping and accounting practices mean DWSD should not have negative consequences from this ruling.

Matt Poznanovic, of Hayes Poznanovic Korver LLC, the district’s water attorney, said DWSD was well-positioned because it has strong data regarding well production.

Hawker asked the board for direction regarding access to the district’s Willow Creek Ranch property near Leadville. She said neighbors had recently requested access to the property so that they could walk to the adjoining national forest to go hunting, and that had been allowed in the past. She said the neighbors provided eyes and ears on the ranch, which is remote. She noted the district had some risks regarding liability to consider before granting access.

Board President Wayne Vanderschuere proposed requiring a liability waiver from anyone accessing the ranch, to include prohibitions on fires and shooting. He said the board wanted to maintain the ranch in its current pristine condition. He asked Hawker to prepare a liability waiver and bring it to the board at a future meeting.

Executive sessions

Following its regular meeting, the board held four executive sessions. Each was a separate item on the agenda and was attended by varying staff and consultants.

The first session was to confer with counsel regarding the Intergovernmental Agreement concerning the Upper Monument Creek Regional Wastewater Treatment Facility. It was attended by Directors Kevin Deardorff, Bill George, Ken Judd, Scott McCulloch, and Vanderschuere. Hawker, Poznanovic, and Roger Sams of GMS Inc. also attended.

The second was to receive legal advice on workplace complaints. It was attended by the board members and attorneys Dakota Spence and Linda Glesne.

The third session was to receive legal advice regarding the district’s water court application in Case No. 24CW3019. It was attended by the board members, Hawker, Poznanovic, and Brett Gracely, a water planning practice leader at Plummer.

The last executive session was held to determine negotiating positions concerning potential agreements with The Loop Water Authority and Cherokee Metropolitan District.

No actions were taken following the executive sessions.

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The next board meeting is on Thursday, Nov. 20, at 1:30 p.m. Generally, board meetings are held on 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, Oct. 16 – Proposed 2026 budget presented

By Natalie Barszcz

At the Triview Metropolitan District (TMD) meeting on Oct. 16, the board received the proposed 2026 budget that includes an increase in water volume for delivery through the Northern Delivery System (NDS). There is a potential for a small increase in water and wastewater fees in 2026. The board heard about the additional revenue received from tap fees, the efforts to resolve the accuracy of wastewater flows and the accounting of unsold produced water, and the hiring of a Public Works inspector/project manager.

The board held an executive session to discuss the purchase and sale of water and land, and agreements with the Town of Monument (TOM) and other governmental, private, and associated entities.

Secretary/Treasurer Amanda Carlton was excused.

President Jason Gross did not attend.

2026 proposed budget

District Manager James McGrady presented the proposed 2026 budget and highlighted the following:

  • 1,000 acre-feet of the district’s water will be budgeted for delivery via the NDS at $9.99 per 1,000 gallons (the district budgeted 700 acre-feet in 2025 for Colorado Springs Utilities to convey, treat, and deliver at $9.34 per 1,000 gallons).
  • $250,000 will be budgeted for the district administration/utility office building (the district is using a 10-year loan with a fixed 4.75% interest rate. The loan may be paid off early.
  • The mill levy is proposed to remain at 21 mills for the main district debt service.
  • A small increase in the water and wastewater rates may be necessary in 2026 to keep up with inflation.
  • The district plans to update the Kitchener Way playground with an accessible design to include activities for children on the autism spectrum.

Director John Gibbons stated he had reviewed all of the fund balance sheets and confirmed the district has a workable budget.

The public hearing for the proposed 2026 budget is scheduled for the Dec. 11 board meeting.

Note: The September financial report was included as part of the proposed 2026 budget. Board financial reports are available at https://triviewmetro.com.

Tap fee update

District Administrator Sara Lamb said that year to date, the district had received 75 taps generating almost $4 million in revenue.

Vice President Ann Marie Jojola said tap fee income will eventually go away for residential property.

McGrady said the district anticipates several years of residential tap fee collection with about 85 taps expected in 2026, but tap fees for future commercial properties will continue after residential buildout is completed. The warehouse-type properties have a single tap and generate high revenue property tax using little water compared to multi-family apartment properties. The district is expecting to finalize about 12 taps for the apartment complex planned south of Higby Road before the end of the year, bringing the total revenue to about $4.5 million, said McGrady.

Higby Road project bank accounts

Lamb thanked the board directors for approving two new bank accounts for the Higby Road project.

McGrady said the two new bank accounts, titled Higby Road Project and Developer Agreement Fund, will provide transparency for billing purposes during the project and avoid any co-mingling of funds with the General Operations Fund. About $500,000 in developer fees have already been collected, and using the voter-approved $12.6 million bond funding at 5.05% interest, Kiewit will be paid from the new accounts.

Note: The $12.6 million bond was voter-approved on May 6 with 344 votes for and 230 votes against. For additional information about the project and updates, visit https://triviewhigbyroad.com.

Water operations update

Water Treatment Superintendent Gary Potter said Well A7 and Well D7 need to be rehabilitated with new pumps in 2026, and costs will be included in the 2026 budget. The district will need the wells online to supplement the district’s NDS water if 2026 is a dry year. The NDS produced 52% of the district’s water in September, said Potter.

McGrady said the district needed to supplement the NDS water with pumped well water to have enough of the allocated 700 acre-feet available for the remainder of the year.

Potter said issues continue with the reading accuracy of the flow-measuring equipment at the Upper Monument Creek Regional Wastewater Treatment Facility. A technician recently recalibrated the equipment, and after a couple of weeks of data, the district will decide how to proceed.

The district produced 40.272 million gallons in the Sept. billing cycle and sold 37.567 million gallons to customers, leaving 2.628 million gallons of non-revenue water. The staff is trying to determine if the loss is an apparent loss or a real loss and is testing meters and installing new meters to verify accuracy. The district is also analyzing billing data to find and correct anomalies, and several irrigation meters were found to be severely under-registering water usage, said Potter.

AmCobi (third party billing)

Lamb said the administrative staff had its annual meeting with American Conservation & Billing Solutions (AmCobi, the district’s third-party water/wastewater billing service) to discuss a clear vision regarding customer service goals, finding strengths and weaknesses in billing. A decision to meet quarterly to focus on a more collaborative process in shared responsibilities was made.

Gibbons said that he usually receives his monthly bill with only two days before the due date and his bank locks out the due date via electronic payment, resulting in a late payment.

Lamb thanked Gibbons for the feedback.

Assistant manager’s update

Assistant Manager Steve Sheffield said the district hired Tom Martinez for the position of Public Works inspector/project manager in October.

Executive session

The board moved into executive session at about 8:25 p.m. 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 entities.

Sheffield confirmed to this reporter that no action was taken when the board returned to the regular session.

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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 meeting is scheduled for Nov. 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

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

By James Howald

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

Financial report

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

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

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

Workflow update

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

Executive session

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

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The next regular meeting is scheduled for Nov. 20 at 9 a.m. Regular meetings are held on the third Thursday of each month at 9 a.m. at the Monument Town Hall at 645 Beacon Lite Road. Please see loopwater.org or call 719-488-3603 to verify meeting times and locations.

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

Other Loop articles

Woodmoor Water and Sanitation District, Sept. 8 – Board plans for Accessory Dwelling Units

By James Howald

At its September meeting, the Woodmoor Water and Sanitation District (WWSD) board began planning how to integrate Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs) into its existing policies, specifications, and procedures. The board also heard financial and operational reports. District Manager Jessie Shaffer told the board that he, in consultation with the office staff, had decided to continue with Xpress Bill Pay as the district’s online billing provider. The meeting ended with an executive session.

ADUs present challenges

District Manager Jessie Shaffer told the board that he, District Engineer Cydney Saelens, and Operations Superintendent Dan LaFontaine had discussed the many issues raised by ADUs and had decided to come to the board for direction.

Shaffer said he had received two requests from district residents for approval to move forward with construction of ADUs. An ADU is a secondary housing unit on a single-family residential lot that does not require subdivision. They are also called guest houses, granny flats, mother-in-law suites, and backyard cottages, Shaffer said. They may be attached, detached, or integrated, Shaffer said. Integrated ADUs use basements or upper floors as the secondary unit.

Last year, the Colorado Legislature passed House Bill 24-1152, Shaffer said, which requires certain land use jurisdictions to allow ADUs. The law says jurisdictions can’t regulate parking or require the primary unit to be occupied by the owner. The law, which went into effect June 30, also prevents the unreasonable restriction of ADUs, he said.

Shaffer pointed out that WWSD’s existing regulations do not define or provide guidance regarding ADUs. He listed several questions and concerns, including:

  • Must ADUs have their own water and sewer taps, and require the payment of tap fees?
  • People are trying to figure out how to get an ADU approved without paying additional fees.
  • “Daisy-chaining” of service lines—essentially adding the ADU to the existing service lines—raises concerns about water pressure and sewer flow.
  • El Paso County mandates that ADUs not have separate metering.

Shaffer said WWSD needed to update its rules and regulations to include a clear definition of an ADU. He opened a discussion with the board concerning tap fees, service line sizes, and several other technical aspects.

Following a lengthy discussion, Shaffer summarized the direction of the board as follows:

  • ADUs cannot buy separate taps; they must use a “daisy-chain configuration.”
  • Water lines must be upgraded from ¾-inch lines to 1-inch lines, and the ADU owner must pay the differential costs arising from the larger service line.
  • ADUs will not require an increase in sewer fees.
  • ADUs will not pay an additional Renewable Water Infrastructure Fee.
  • The volume tiers for ADUs will not change.
  • Separate billing will not be allowed.

Board President Brian Bush said he thought interest in ADUs would diminish once the costs were understood.

Financial and operational reports

Director Roy Martinez gave the board a financial report in place of board Treasurer Dana Franzen, who was excused from the meeting. Martinez said the district’s finances are “on track overall.” Bush commented that revenue from water sales was lower than expected, but the water level in Woodmoor Lake was higher than expected.

The board voted unanimously to accept Martinez’s report.

In his operations report, LaFontaine noted that water usage in August was up over July, but still less than normal. Reduced usage contributed to the fact that the water level in the lake was seven feet higher than expected.

In her Engineering report, Saelens updated the board on work being done on two water storage tanks. Preload, which is constructing a new concrete water tank, has finished construction and planned to start coating the tank on Sept. 15. Coblaco, the company hired to recoat the existing storage tank, was scheduled to begin its work on Sept. 22.

District to remain with Xpress Bill Pay

Shaffer told the board that Xpress Bill Pay had fixed its problems with billing errors, and he and Office Manager Cory Lynch recommended remaining with that vendor instead of transitioning to Cassell.

Executive session

The meeting ended with an executive session for the board to receive legal counsel regarding potential agreements with the Loop Water Authority and Tallgrass Colorado Municipal Water LLC. No action was taken following the executive session.

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The next meeting is on Oct. 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

Monument Sanitation District, Sept. 17 – Beacon Lite Road due for upgrades

By Jackie Burhans and James Howald

At a brief meeting in September, the Monument Sanitation District (MSD) board heard an operational report from District Manager Mark Parker that focused on the work that El Paso County has planned for Beacon Lite Road. The board also discussed the process for developing a budget for 2026.

County plans to level and straighten road

Parker told the board that El Paso County was pressing ahead with plans to level Beacon Lite Road, straighten it, and add curbs and gutters. The county’s current focus was on planning the changes required to utilities. Parker said there had been several meetings with the county, and its construction plans are 90% complete. MSD’s portion of the project, which lies between Wakonda Way North and County Line Road, was being worked on by GMS Inc., Parker said.

Parker said the sewer service portion of the project depends on whether the Buc-ee’s travel center is built, because Buc-ee’s would have to pay for any required improvements. If the travel center is not built, then any other development at the site would have to bear the expense of digging up a new road.

Budget process begins

Parker told the board that he had a draft of the 2026 budget but was waiting for some final numbers from the Tri-Lakes Wastewater Treatment Facility. He said he was on track to have the budget prepared for discussion at the end of the year.

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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 15. See MonumentSanitationDistrict.org. For a district service map, see www.MonumentSanitationDistrict.org/district-map. For 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, Sept. 18 – Road enhancement project delayed

By Natalie Barszcz

The Triview Metropolitan District (TMD) meeting on Sept. 18 began several minutes before the scheduled time. The board heard the Higby Road project had been delayed until early October. The board president requested that the staff provide a fire mitigation plan for areas around Sanctuary Pointe, heard about a beautification and safety plan for the drainage area north of Strata Drive in Home Place Ranch, and asked that residents be provided with a trail map of the district.

The board held an executive session to discuss the purchase and sale of water and land and agreements with the Town of Monument (TOM) and other governmental, private, and associated entities.

Secretary/Treasurer Amanda Carlton was excused.

Note: This reporter attended via Zoom, but sound issues occurred throughout the meeting.

Meeting began earlier than scheduled

The meeting was called to order before the designated 5:30 p.m. scheduled start of the meeting. Board President Jason Gross requested approval of item 4, the meeting agenda, at 5:28 p.m.

Note: In Colorado, a special district meeting called to order earlier than the publicly announced time defeats the purpose of the public notice requirements.

Financial report

Director John Gibbons had many comments and questions regarding the financial reports, and he requested the financial report pages indicate the year-to-date actual month for whatever month the report represents. He said the requested changes were made in August but had not been made in time for the September meeting. He requested the changes be made before the October meeting.

Note: This reporter has not received a financial report from TMD for the past several months. The board financial reports are available up to May 31, 2025 at https://triviewmetro.com.

In a 4-0 vote, the board accepted the financial report and the checks over $5,000.

Higby Road project update

District Manager James McGrady said Kiewit had anticipated beginning the Higby Road project in early September, but after discovering the utility pipes were buried at different levels, the widening/enhancement project will begin in early October. For additional information about the project, visit https://triviewhigbyroad.com.

Water operations update

Water Treatment Superintendent Gary Potter said Well A7 was underproducing at 60 gallons per minute and usually produces 200 gallons per minute. He proposed the pump be replaced in 2026. Taking Well A7 offline does not limit the district because of the arrival of cooler weather. The well is located at B Plant alongside another well that is offline. The repairs for both will be discussed during the budget process. He said it is good to ensure the wells are able to pump when needed to supplement the district’s water conveyed through the Northern Delivery System (NDS) via Colorado Springs Utilities. The district will be back to delivering 95% of the district’s water through the NDS for the winter, said Potter.

Water quality testing

Assistant Manager Steve Sheffield said the fourth set of water quality samples at the Stonewall Springs Reservoir Complex were taken in September. The water quality testing of five sets of water samples is required by the state Division of Mining, Reclamation Safety before a permit can be issued for the district to construct a slurry wall for the Central Reservoir.

Director requests

Gross requested the district pursue the following:

  • A fire mitigation plan for the entire district to eliminate excess brush and the potential for wildland fire. He requested the staff present a formal plan by July 2026 to share with Homeowners Associations.
  • Develop a plan for the Home Place Ranch retaining pond to avoid a massive eyesore and the potential for a liability issue.
  • A map showing all of the official trails in the district, potentially closing unmaintained trails, and hiring a trained staff member to build trails with erosion control and trail maintenance knowledge. Documenting the trails on a map to show who maintains the trails and noting the mileage and the elevation changes. When loaded on the website, it will benefit the residents.

McGrady said the following:

  • The Fire Department has assessed areas in the past. Some HOAs have already held chipping days and become Firewise neighborhoods.
  • Due to safety issues, something may need to be done ahead of build-out, but Home Place Ranch will likely need to reach build-out before the detention pond area can be completed because the area has its own sub-district. It could take time to complete since only 50 homes have sold, sales have slowed, and about 300 homes are planned.
  • The district has documented the trails it is responsible for maintaining, and a base map exists. Some of the trails in Sanctuary Pointe were built by the developers, some belong to El Paso County, and others in that area are unofficial single-track hiking trails that are steep and difficult to maintain. The district staff will need to walk the trails to document the distances, and during slow periods crews can provide maintenance.

Executive session

The board moved into executive session at about 8:25 p.m., 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 entities.

Sheffield confirmed to this reporter that no action was taken when the board returned to the regular session. The meeting adjourned at 9:35 p.m.

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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 Oct. 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

Donala Water and Sanitation District, Sept. 11 – 2026 budget planning kicks off

By James Howald and Jackie Burhans

At its September meeting, the Donala Water and Sanitation District (DWSD) board heard a financial report and a presentation on the 2026 budget from Acting General Manager Christina Hawker. The board heard operational reports from district staff. The meeting ended with an executive session

Financial report

Hawker told the board the district would not reach its budgeted water sales for the year unless September and October were warmer and drier than usual instead of cooler and wetter. Expenditures are also under budgeted amounts, she said. The Upper Monument Creek Regional Wastewater Treatment Facility (UMCRWWTF) was “spot on” with 32% of its budget remaining.

She noted larger expenses for water tank rehabilitation, the Well 7D redrill, and water storage in the Pueblo Reservoir.

The board voted unanimously to accept the financial report.

Budget highlights

In her preview of the 2026 budget, Hawker noted inflation factors including:

  • Tariffs are contributing to the rise in health insurance premiums, primarily due to increased costs for imported medications. She anticipated a 17% increase in insurance costs.
  • Building and automotive insurance costs are rising because of tariffs on lumber, steel, and aluminum. She expects those costs to increase 8% to 25%.
  • The cost of chemicals will increase by 4%.
  • Salary and wage increases are projected to be 3.5%, which is in line with the utility industry across the board.
  • DWSD’s payment to Colorado Springs Utilities to convey, treat, and deliver its Willow Creek Ranch water to DWSD customers is expected to rise by 6.5%.
  • Electricity costs for the second half of 2026 are predicted to increase by 9%.
  • In her cost-of-service review, Hawker discussed three scenarios:
  • Scenario 1, in which the R. Hull Plant is rehabilitated, the Aquifer Storage and Retrieval (ASR) pilot project is fully funded, and water and sewer rates are increased by 5% annually from 2025 to 2033. This scenario has a total capital improvement cost of $17.87 million.
  • Scenario 2, in which the ASR pilot is fully funded, the Loop water reuse project annual payments are made, $2.8 million is spent on well rehabilitation, and rates are increased by 5% from 2025 to 2033. This scenario has a total capital improvement cost of $23.6 million.
  • Scenario 3, in which only the 5% rate increases are put in place. Hawker did not give a total capital improvement cost for this scenario.

Hawker reviewed DWSD’s reserve fund balances:

  • The Bond Reserve balance is $1.25 million.
  • The Capital Reserve balance is $3.7 million.
  • The Operating Reserve balance is $3.2 million.
  • The Strategic Planning Reserve is $3.9 million.
  • Total reserves are $12.1 million.

Hawker listed the costs of six capital projects to be addressed in 2026:

  • Latrobe tank rehabilitation: $500,000.
  • Camera inspection of sewer system: $296,000.
  • Well 9A maintenance: $350,000.
  • Cost analysis for the R. Hull Treatment Plant: $119,000.
  • Laughlin water rights legal work: $73,535.
  • Total costs: $1.6 million.

Operational reports

In her Acting General Manager’s report, Hawker noted that the board of the Loop water reuse project had agreed to move ahead with its discussion of a public-private partnership agreement with Tallgrass Water. Public-private partnership agreements often involve the private party providing the funds to build a project and then receiving reimbursement, plus interest, from the operating revenue.

Hawker also gave the board an update on the open house the district held on Sept. 25 at the district’s offices at 15850 Holbein Dr., adjacent to the newly redrilled Well 7D. Attendees saw highlights of the district’s 2025 projects and met district staff. She said 100 people had RSVPed for the event. See the snapshots section on page < 21 >.

In his water report, Superintendent of Water Operations Ronny Wright told the board that the recoating of the West Tank was almost complete, with only paint touchups, washing and disinfection, and a 24-hour rest period yet to be completed.

Waste Plant Operator Aaron Tolman told the board that all wastewater measurements were well within limits. He commented on district staff encountering people camping under the train trestle bridge near the UMCRWWTF, and said the El Paso County Sheriff’s Office had been contacted.

Executive session

The September meeting ended with an executive session for the board to confer with the district’s attorney on workplace complaints.

After the executive session, the board returned to open session and voted “to reaffirm the President and Vice President’s authority to liaise with General Counsel on legal matters on behalf of the board.”

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The next board meeting is on Thursday, Oct. 16 at 1:30 p.m. Generally, board meetings are held on 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, Sept. 25 – Contract for reservoir expansion design awarded

By James Howald

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

CDM Smith to design reservoir expansion

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

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

Financial matters

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

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

Workshop meetings discontinued

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

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The next regular meeting is scheduled for Oct. 16 at 9 a.m. Regular meetings are held on the third Thursday of each month at 9 a.m. at the Monument Town Hall at 645 Beacon Lite Road. Please see loopwater.org or call 719-488-3603 to verify meeting times and locations.

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

Other Loop articles

Woodmoor Water and Sanitation District, Aug. 11 – Water tank recoat contract awarded

By James Howald

At its August meeting, the Woodmoor Water and Sanitation District (WWSD) board heard a summary of the bids to recoat a water storage tank from Richard Hood, a project manager with JVA Consulting Engineers Inc. His presentation was followed by a vote to award the contract. The board got a recommendation to move to a new online billing company from Office Manager Cory Lynch. Finally, the board heard financial and operational reports.

Recoat contract awarded to Coblaco

Hood told the board that the district’s 1-million-gallon steel water storage tank located between Jackboot Way and Caribou Way in south Woodmoor needs to be sandblasted and coated with Sherwin-Williams paint. Corroded joints will need to be rewelded, Hood said.

Hood explained that the schedule for the recoat is critical because it is tied to the construction of a new concrete water storage tank at the same location that will increase the district’s capacity to store water. The concrete tank, which is being built by Preload, must be complete and filled with water before the existing tank can be emptied and recoated. The recoating must be complete before the start of cold weather, Hood said.

Five bids were received. Coblaco submitted the lowest bid, at $336,000; Viking Painting LLC submitted the highest at $1.3 million. Hood recommended awarding the contract to Coblaco. The board voted unanimously to do so.

New online billing provider chosen

At previous meetings, Lynch discussed inaccuracies in bills calculated by Xpress Bill Pay, the district’s online billing provider, and the steps staff were taking to ensure customers receive correct bills. At the August meeting, Lynch recommended the district move to a new provider: Caselle. WWSD is already using Caselle for other services and the company has recently added online bill payment to its portfolio.

District Manager Jessie Shaffer said Caselle charges more for spot Automated Clearing House (ACH) payments than Xpress Bill Pay. ACH payments move money from one bank to another without a physical exchange of currency. He recommended that spot, or on-demand, ACH payments be dropped in favor of ACH payments only on the 20th of each month to keep costs low.

The board had no objections to the transition to Caselle, and Shaffer said he would review the issue with the board when implementation was 30 days away.

Financial and operational reports

In his financial report, board Treasurer Dana Franzen noted Accounts Receivable were high because he was reporting right after bills had been sent but before customers had time to pay their bills. Overall, the district was “on track budget-wise—where we should be,” he said.

The board voted unanimously to accept Franzen’s report.

In his manager’s report, Shaffer gave the board an update on the Loop water re-use project. He said the Loop’s consultants were in full swing on design issues such as the engineering for the advanced water treatment facility, the lift stations, and pipelines. A Request for Proposals to expand the capacity of the Calhan Reservoir would be published in the next few days, Shaffer said.

Negotiations to purchase the Sundance Pipeline from the Cherokee Metropolitan District were underway. Plans for lift stations, pipelines, water treatment and reservoir expansion were 30% complete, Shaffer said. The Loop is still being funded primarily by dollars from the American Recovery Plan Act, he said.

In response to a question from Director Tom Roddam, Shaffer said he expected marketing efforts to educate the public about the project to begin next year.

In his Operations report, Operations Superintendent Dan LaFontaine said the water level in Woodmoor Lake was higher than typical during the summer months and that would make returning the lake to full capacity easier. The Central Water Treatment Plant is currently running entirely on surface water and the Southern Water Treatment Plant is treating groundwater.

In her Engineering report, District Engineer Cydney Saelens told the board that she had sent out the completion certificate for the transmission line for Well 22 that morning. The drilling for Well 12R was complete, the soundwalls were down, and site restoration was underway, Saelens said. She expected Well 12R to be online by the end of the year.

Saddle replacement would require road closures on Sunlight Way and Lions Head Drive, she said, noting the customers on those streets were notified with doorhangers.

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The next meeting is on Sept. 8 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, Aug. 13, 22 – General manager on administrative leave

By James Howald and Jackie Burhans

The Donala Water and Sanitation District (DWSD) board met twice in August. Its regular meeting on Aug. 14 was followed by a special meeting on Aug. 22. At the regular meeting the board heard operational reports and then adjourned to an executive session. At the special meeting, the board considered and voted on three resolutions relating to complaints about leadership and then adjourned to an executive session.

Operational reports

In his financial report, General Manager Jeff Hodge told the board that water sales stood at 40% of the expected amount due to rainfall. Revenue was still outpacing expenditures, he said, adding “As far as us keeping the lights on, producing water and making payroll, we’re good.” The board voted unanimously to accept the report.

Hodge updated the board on the progress of the Loop, a water re-use project in which DWSD is one of three participating districts. Hodge said the Loop leadership is meeting with the contractors who will be working on the project to discuss procurement of equipment that requires long lead times, such as generators. On the water treatment side, granular activated carbon and ion exchange technologies are being reviewed, with the goal of avoiding two separate sets of disposal requirements. The Loop leadership is also negotiating with the Cherokee Metropolitan District regarding the purchase of that district’s Sundance Pipeline. Hodge said the Loop board is considering a public-private partnership framework for the financing the Loop will require.

Board President Wayne Vanderschuere asked Hodge about any plans to replace Mark Valentine, who had been serving as the Loop’s Workflow Manager until he resigned to take a position with Colorado Springs Utilities. Hodge said Merrick and Co., which contracted with the Loop to provide Valentine, would be bringing on new personnel to replace him.

In his water report, Superintendent of Water Operations Ronny Wright told the board that the district’s Well 7D, adjacent to the DWSD headquarters on Holbein Drive, had completed the drilling phase and was being attached to a raw water line to deliver water to the Holbein treatment facility. He estimated the installation of electrical controls for the well would be completed by Sept. 17.

Wright told the board the rehabilitation of one of the district’s three water storage tanks had encountered some problems. Employees of Viking Painting LLC, the company recoating the tanks, had damaged one of the tanks while pressure-washing it. In addition, application of zinc coating had not been done properly, leading to flaking. Vanderschuere asked if Viking was absorbing the costs to fix these issues, and Wright said it was.

Waste Plant Operator Aaron Tolman reported that all wastewater measurements were in compliance for the month.

Aug. 13 executive session

The Aug. 13 meeting went into executive session to consider three agenda items: to receive legal advice regarding the district’s pending water court case no. 24CW3019, to discuss negotiations regarding infrastructure for the Loop, and to confer with the district’s attorney concerning workplace complaints.

Hodge placed on paid administrative leave

At the Aug. 22 special meeting, the board voted unanimously in favor of three resolutions:

  • Resolution 2025-5, which authorizes paid administrative leave for Hodge and appoints Accounts Receivable Specialist Christina Hawker as acting general manager.
  • Resolution 2025-6, which authorizes an investigation into the district’s workplace culture and complaints about leadership.
  • Resolution 2025-7, which designates Hawker as the district’s representative for decisions required by the district’s intergovernmental agreements.

Following the votes on the resolutions, the board adjourned to an executive session to consider three agenda items: the water court case mentioned above, a customer requesting a waiver from a required wastewater connection, and legal advice about workplace complaints.

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The next board meeting is on Thursday, Sept. 18 at 1:30 p.m. Generally, board meetings are held on 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

Monument Sanitation District, Aug. 20 – Parker explains Buc-ee’s wastewater estimate

By Jackie Burhans and James Howald

At its August meeting, the Monument Sanitation District (MSD) board heard an operational report from District Manager Mark Parker that clarified his previous remarks concerning the impact wastewater from the proposed Buc-ee’s travel center would have on the district.

Buc-ee’s wastewater compared to residential estimate

At the previous board meeting, Parker told the board that the proposed Buc-ee’s travel center was expected to produce about 27,000 gallons of wastewater daily, which would be “a lot less” than the amount generated by the residential development project, named Monument Ridge West, that had been proposed for the site but was abandoned in favor of the travel center. Parker said discussion of the travel center on social media prompted him to provide some detail regarding the calculation that led to his previous remarks.

Parker explained MSD uses the industry standard method to estimate the amount of wastewater a residential development will generate. The Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment (CDPHE) requires all residential development plans to assume each person will generate 75 gallons of wastewater per day. CDPHE also assumes, for planning purposes, each home will have 2.54 residents. Those two assumptions lead to an estimate of 190.5 gallons of wastewater per day from each residence.

Parker said the Monument Ridge West proposal would have built a total of 355 residences: 300 apartments, 30 mixed family units, and 25 single-family homes. Using the estimate of 190.5 gallons of wastewater per day, those residences would have generated just over 67,000 gallons of wastewater daily, Parker said. Based on usage data from existing Buc-ee’s travel centers, the proposed travel center will generate about 27,000 gallons of wastewater daily

Parker emphasized that MSD does not pay any of the costs for new development. Buc-ee’s paid for the engineering study of MSD’s wastewater collection system that was done recently by GMS Engineering Inc., the company MSD selected to do the study, and which it has used many times in the past.

Parker also said that, should the travel center plan go forward, Buc-ee’s would have to pay for a lift station to be built, which Buc-ee’s would operate. The lift station would have to be built to MSD’s standard, he said. In most cases, Parker explained, developers pay for the construction of lift stations, and MSD takes ownership of them when they are complete. In the case of the travel center, the lift station would be owned, operated, and maintained by Buc-ee’s.

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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 Sept. 17. 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, Aug. 28 – Board considers public-private partnership financing

By James Howald

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

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

Tallgrass Water interested in financing the Loop

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

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

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

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

Progress report

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

Financial report

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

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The next regular meeting is scheduled for Sept. 18 at 9 a.m. Regular meetings are held on the third Thursday of each month at 9 a.m. at the Monument Town Hall at 645 Beacon Lite Road. Workshop meetings are held the first Thursday of each month at 9 a.m. at the Monument Town Hall. Please see loopwater.org or call 719-488-3603 to verify meeting times and locations.

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

Other Loop articles

Triview Metropolitan District, Aug. 21 – Traffic analysis results revealed

By Natalie Barszcz

At the Triview Metropolitan District (TMD) meeting on Aug. 21, the board received the results of a recent traffic analysis study, approved pursuing eminent domain to widen a public road should good faith negotiations fail, and a new lease agreement for a wireless company. The board heard that the Higby Road project would begin next month.

The board held an executive session to discuss the purchase and sale of water and land and agreements with the Town of Monument (TOM) and other governmental and private entities and associated entities. The session also discussed the purchase, acquisition, lease, transfer, or sale of real, personal, or other property interests needed by the district, including initiation of eminent domain proceedings.

President Jason Gross was excused.

Traffic analysis study results

Adam Gomez P. E. of Kimley Horn presented the results of the Jackson Creek Parkway (JCP) Traffic Analysis Feasibility Study, and he said the western-most access from the King Soopers parking lot left turn that crosses multiple lanes was included in the study, plus the Lyons Tail exit that also requires the crossing of multiple lanes to travel south on JCP. Gomez recommended:

  • A traffic roundabout (circle) on JCP at Lyons Tail Road to alleviate long wait times and dangerous turns at both left-turn exits.
  • A dedicated right-turn lane bypass from Lyons Tail Road, maintaining the existing crosswalks and foot paths.
  • A right turn only from the King Soopers parking lot.

Gomez said the project is estimated to cost about $4.8 million, but costs could be reduced if the geological technician reveals that the paved areas can be salvaged. The estimate incorporates the potential for cost increases if the project is delayed for a few years and will likely take six to 10 months, but traffic flow can be maintained with a longer construction phase, said Gomez.

District Manager James McGrady said the 2026 budget can include funding for the design of the project and go out for bid in 2026, with the construction phase planned for 2027.

Eminent domain pursued

The board reviewed and considered approval of Resolution 2025-14, a resolution of the board authorizing McGrady to initiate eminent domain proceedings for the acquisition of right of way and real property interests necessary for the widening of public road Blevins Buckle Trail. The widening will include the installation of public utilities, public infrastructure, curb, gutter, and sidewalk, landscaping, and other improvements necessary for the installation of a public road accessing a 30-acre parcel of land known as the Legacy at Jackson Landing, should good faith negotiations fail.

Assistant Manager Steve Sheffield confirmed to this reporter that when the board returned to the regular session, they engaged in discussion before unanimously approving a resolution 4-0, authorizing the district to pursue eminent domain for the land on the south side of Blevins Buckle Trail.

Lease agreement

General Counsel George Rowley requested the board consider approving a structure lease agreement with New Cingular (AT&T) Wireless PCS LLC for the C Plant tank in Sanctuary Pointe. The district receives $1,800 per month with an annual 2% escalator, a benefit for the district. The structures will be color-matched to the tank, said Rowley.

The board approved the structure lease agreement, 4-0.

Higby Road project updates

McGrady said the bonds for the Higby Road project had been completed on July 30, for the voter-approved $12.6 million at an interest rate of 5.05%. Kiewit anticipates construction to begin in early September on the east side of Harness Road, working west installing utilities and storm pipeline for the widening project. For additional information about the project, visit https://triviewmetro.com.

Executive session

The board moved into executive session 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), including initiation of eminent domain proceedings. The board received 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 entities. The session also determined positions related to matters that may be subject to negotiations as it relates to an agreement with TOM, and acquisition of right of way for street improvements pursuant to CRS, section 24-6-402(4)(e), including initiation of eminent domain proceedings.

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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 Sept. 18 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, July 14 – 2025 budget gets midyear tune up

By James Howald

At the July board meeting, District Manager Jessie Shaffer discussed midyear adjustments to the Woodmoor Water and Sanitation District’s (WWSD) 2025 budget. Richard Hood, a project manager with JVA Consulting Engineers, Inc., proposed a less costly approach to a project to update a lift station on Lost Arrowhead Drive. The board heard operational reports, and the meeting ended with an executive session.

Minor changes to 2025 budget

Shaffer told the board that the amount budgeted for construction of facilities was reduced from $3.8 million to $2.6 million due in part to a decision to forgo drilling a new Dawson aquifer well and instead to improve Well 13, which was never fully brought into production. Shaffer said the drilling company damaged the well’s screen, the portion of the well casing that allows water to enter the well, when the well was first drilled. Well 13 was never formally abandoned, however, and in its current state it can produce 30 gallons per minute for less than it would cost to drill a new well. Shaffer said the cost of a new well that was drilled at the Central Water Treatment Plant site was $200,000 less than budgeted.

Shaffer said the renewal and replacement schedule for 2025 included $600,000 for saddle replacements but that amount needed to be increased to $675,000. There were fewer pump failures than expected and that line item was reduced from $325,000 to $260,000. The money budgeted for providing backup power for a lift station needed to be increased from $557,000 to $670,000.

Shaffer determined it was cheaper to buy a used tractor for use at the Woodmoor Ranch than it was to rent one, so $20,000 was moved from the equipment rental line item to the vehicle purchase line item.

Money allocated to professional fees increased because cash flow modeling for the Loop water reuse project was added to the district’s task list.

Shaffer said the 2025 budget anticipated 112 new homes; that number was adjusted down to 70, reducing the revenue expected from water and sewer tap fees.

Alternative found to lift station rehab

Shaffer told the board that bids to update the aging equipment at the Lost Arrowhead lift station came in much higher than expected, prompting the district to consider alternative ways to support the 150 customers who rely on the station. Hood said the bids for that project ranged from $834,000 to $1.15 million.

Hood developed three alternative routes for the wastewater handled by the lift station, all three of which relied on gravity rather than electric pumps and allowed for the elimination of the lift station altogether. Lidar, a laser imaging technology, and a traditional survey showed that one of the three options was best. The preferred option requires an 8-inch pipeline to be drilled using an easement between two houses that would use gravity to convey wastewater from the lift station to an existing lift station on Greenland Forest Rd. Hood estimated the cost of that option to be $645,000.

In response to a question from Board President Brian Bush, Hood said he recommended mothballing the Lost Arrowhead lift station. Shaffer suggested pulling the pumps and electronics and filling it with sand.

Hood said that, in addition to saving operating costs by eliminating a lift station, the proposed solution would solve an existing capacity problem; the Lost Arrowhead lift station is overfilling manholes when operating at peak capacity. That problem would be solved by rerouting the pipeline, according to Hood.

Operations Superintendent Dan LaFontaine pointed out that the Lost Arrowhead lift station was built before the Greenland Preserve subdivision was built.

Board Treasurer Dana Franzen said the proposal would save $200,000 up front and there would be additional savings on operating costs.

The board authorized Shaffer to pursue the solution as proposed by Hood.

Operational reports

In his financial report, Franzen said the district was “on track for almost all revenue items.” The board voted unanimously to accept the report.

In his manager’s report, Shaffer updated the board on the state of the Loop water reuse project. WWSD is one of three districts participating in that effort. He said he expected Burns & McDonnell to have its design for the Loop’s water treatment plant to 30% completion by Halloween and its design for the lift stations and pipeline to 30% completion by Thanksgiving. A Request for Proposal for a plan to enlarge Calhan Reservoir had been published and Shaffer said he expected that design to be 30% complete by the end of the year. Once these plans and designs are 30% complete, a more accurate Opinion of Probable Cost for the entire project will be possible, Shaffer said.

Shaffer also mentioned that the district was considering moving to a different vendor for online billing if Xpress Bill Pay can’t quickly resolve a billing problem reported at the last board meeting. He said office staff manually corrected the billing problem when it occurred so that it doesn’t impact customers.

In his water report, LaFontaine updated the board on his ongoing work to lower the district’s unaccounted for water. Repairing two leaks his team located last month did not reduce the unaccounted-for water as much as he had hoped, LaFontaine said. The district is replacing older saddles, which connect service lines to mainlines, and most of the saddles replaced are found to be leaking, which suggests the water loss may be due to many small leaks rather than a few larger leaks. The rainy weather has kept Lake Woodmoor fuller than expected, he said.

In her report, District Engineer Cydney Saelens noted that Well 12R, being drilled in the Woodmoor Preserve, was nearing completion. She said the well was “fully developed,’ that is, the silt and sand from drilling had been removed using compressed air or water. The sound walls should be removed by July 23, she said.

Executive session

The meeting ended with an executive session to get legal advice on negotiating positions regarding potential agreements with the Mines Shopping Center, Buffs Wash, the Loop Water Authority, Monument Fire District, Classic Homes, and CSI Construction Co.

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The next meeting is on Aug. 11 at 1:00 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, July 16 – Buc-ee’s potential impact studied

By Jackie Burhans and James Howald

In July, the Monument Sanitation District (MSD) board met briefly to hear operational details from District Manager Mark Parker, who focused on studies underway to assess the impact of wastewater from the proposed Buc-ee’s travel center. Parker also discussed an ongoing evaluation of the district’s wastewater collection system.

Buc-ee’s wastewater expected to have little impact

Parker told the board the estimate of the wastewater the proposed Buc-ee’s travel center would produce had been revised using actual numbers from a like-sized Buc-ee’s and now stood at 27,000 gallons per day. He said the district’s engineers were not worried about the updated estimate, which was a “minimal” fraction of what the district is currently processing. That amount was “a lot less” than the residential development that was previously planned for the site would have produced, Parker said. In addition to the updated estimate, Buc-ee’s had submitted a preliminary plan for the pipeline that would connect the travel center to MSD’s system.

Parker explained that El Paso County was pushing Buc-ee’s representatives to finalize their plans for the infrastructure required to move wastewater from the travel center into MSD’s collection system so that the county could start improvements to Beacon Lite Road that include leveling and straightening the road.

In response to a question from Director Janet Ladowski, Parker said Buc-ee’s has paid for the wastewater studies done so far. MSD assumes no responsibility for development projects, he said. MSD’s long-standing policy is that the district’s engineers bill the district for any work required by new development and the district forwards the bills to the developer for payment, he said. He added Buc-ee’s would build any necessary pipelines at its expense and, once complete, MSD would take ownership.

System evaluation underway

Parker said an annual evaluation of the district’s pipeline and manholes was underway. An assessment of the pipelines had been completed with no major issues found. The manholes would be inspected, photographed, and evaluated for inflow and infiltration. Parker said he expected the evaluation to be complete by the end of August.

Parker also mentioned that security upgrades, including video and motion-sensing lighting, were underway at district facilities.

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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 Aug. 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, July 17 – Board tours treatment facility, adjusts sewer bills

By James Howald and Jackie Burhans

The Donala Water and Sanitation District (DWSD) board met in July at the Upper Monument Creek Regional Wastewater Treatment Facility (UMCRWWTF) to tour the facility and to amend the policies by which sewer bills are calculated in two problem cases. The board also heard operational reports and held an executive session.

Wastewater treatment facility tour

Waste Plant Operator Aaron Tolman led the board on a tour of the UMCRWWTF, which is located at 14770 Jumping Mouse View. He highlighted the facility’s Programmable Logic Controller (PLC), which was upgraded over the past year. The PLC controls the operation of the treatment facility and is the center of its Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) system. The PLC upgrades provide more granular control over the facility’s components and processes and replaced manual controls with more precise digital controls, resulting in savings on energy costs and adding redundancy to operations. The upgrades also improve the purity of the effluent that is released into Monument Creek. Board President Wayne Vanderschuere said the upgrades were also designed to improve the cybersecurity of the facility.

Above: At its July 17 workshop, Aaron Tolman, waste plant operator for Donala Water and Sanitation District (DSWD), gave a tour of the Upper Monument Creek Regional Wastewater Treatment Facility. The tour included a glimpse at the newly installed Programmable Logic Controller shown above that automates the plants functions, the digester that breaks down organic matter present in sludge, and the compactor that removes excess water from the biosolids before they are hauled away to landfills. Photo by Jackie Burhans.
Above: The interior of the wastewater digester. Donala is a co-owner and operator of the Upper Monument Creek Regional Wastewater Treatment Facility. along with TriView Metro District and Forest Lakes Metro District. Photo by Jackie Burhans.

Bills adjusted for snowbirds and leaks

At the July meeting, the board voted on Resolution 2025-4, which changes the way sewer bills are calculated for customers who have water leaks or who spend the winter months outside the district. The changes were discussed in detail at the board meeting in May. That discussion can be found here: https://wp.ocn.me/v25n6dwsd/.

DWSD uses water consumption during the winter months to calculate each customer’s sewer bill. This method assumes that none of the water used during the winter months is used for irrigation and, therefore, during the winter months, a gallon of water used creates a gallon of wastewater. This method creates two problem cases: if a customer has a water leak during the winter months, that results in too high a charge for sewer service, and if a customer spends the winter months outside the district, that results in too low a charge. The resolution provides for a Water Leak Adjustment program to address the first case and specifies that the district’s annual lower quartile consumptive average will be used to calculate sewer bills in the second case.

Vanderschuere pointed out that no changes were being made to rates.

The board voted unanimously in favor of the resolution.

Operational Reports

In his Manager’s Report, General Manager Jeff Hodge suggested the district hold an open house for customers as part of the district’s public outreach efforts. The open house would be an opportunity to thank residents living near the Well 7D drilling site for their patience and understanding for the disruption caused by the drilling operation, and a chance to educate the public about the district’s operations. He proposed Thursday, Sep. 25 from 4 to 7 p.m. for the open house.

Hodge also updated the board on the status of the Well 7D redrilling project. The well is done, he said, and water testing is underway. Helen Malenda-Lawrence of LRE Water is calculating the amount the district’s water rights will allow it to pump from the well. The Colorado Department of Health and the Environment will need to provide the permit for the well. Preliminary tests show good water quality, Hodge said, adding he expected the well to produce 200 gallons per minute.

In his Water Report, Superintendent of Water Operations Ronny Wright told the board repair work on the lid of the east water tank was complete and the next step would be to sandblast the west water tank.

In his Wastewater Report, Tolman said Timberline Building Systems had installed an ultrasonic flow transducer in the flume through which the UMCRWWTF discharges treated effluent into Monument Creek. The transducer is integrated with the facility’s SCADA system.

Executive session

The meeting ended with an executive session to receive legal advice from counsel regarding the district’s pending water court application in Case No. 24CW3019.

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The next board meeting has been moved to Thursday, Aug. 14 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 – 2024 audit receives unmodified opinion; construction bid awarded

By Natalie Barszcz

At the Triview Metropolitan District (TMD) meeting on July 17, the board received the 2024 audit presentation, approved an amendment to the 2024 budget, and awarded the Construction General Manager Contract (CMGC) bid to Kiewit for the completion of the Higby Road project.

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, including Creekside Developments, LLC., and associated entities.

2024 audit is “clean”

Audit Manager Diego Martinez of Haynie and Company presented the 2024 draft audit and financial statements. The district received a “clean” or unmodified opinion.

The board unanimously accepted the audited financial statements and authorized the district accountant to file the documentation with the state of Colorado.

2024 budget amendment

District accountant Cathy Fromm said a fund amendment was necessary for the 2024 budget. The original budget appropriated funds of about $16.976 million to the water and wastewater enterprise fund/capital projects fund, but the 2024 budget required an additional $2.217 million, to pay for the Colorado Springs Utilities (CSU) water costs and tap fee credits reimbursed to contractors. The additional funding is available in the total revenue, that was estimated at about $13 million and ended at about $15 million, said Fromm.

The board unanimously approved the 2024 budget amendment.

Higby Road construction agreement

McGrady requested the board approve Resolution 2025-1 to widen and improve Higby Road. The district received solid bids with a maximum price of about $12.4 million to build the road. Kiewit will have a notice to proceed in August with completion of the road improvements in November 2026. The district occasionally takes on large projects such as the widening of Jackson Creek Parkway that cost about $6.6 million in 2018, said McGrady. See https://wp.ocn.me/v25n7tmd/.

The board unanimously approved a CMGC agreement for construction services between Kiewit Infrastructure Company and TMD, that includes the establishment of a guaranteed maximum price in the amount of about $12,450 million, and authorization for the district manager to sign the documentation.

Defense and indemnification policy

General counsel George Rowley said as a result of the board workshop held on June 20, a defense and indemnification policy had been developed to provide protection for the board directors and district employees. He requested the board approve Resolution 2025-13, a resolution providing a defense and indemnification policy.

The board unanimously approved the resolution.

Water operations update

McGrady said the district budgeted 700-acre feet of renewable water to be transported via the Northern Delivery System for 2025. Water Utilities Superintendent Gary Potter looked at the budgeted and used water, and a decision was made to implement higher well usage during the higher demand months of July and August, pumping ground water to manage the budgeted surface water. The cost to deliver ground water is far less than surface water, however it is unreliable for long term use and the cost to replace well equipment is high. The district continues to supply renewable water to customers, with good inflows of water coming in from the districts water rights, said McGrady.

Executive session

The board moved into executive session at about 8:35 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 including Creekside Developments, LLC and associated 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 including Creekside Developments, LLC and associated entities, pursuant to CRS, section 24-6-402(4)(e).

Assistant Manager Steve Sheffield confirmed to this reporter that when the board returned to the regular session at 9:45 p.m., the board unanimously approved an addendum to the partial termination agreement with Creekside Developments, LLC. The meeting promptly adjourned.

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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 Aug. 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 Metropolitan District articles

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

By James Howald

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

2024 finances get highest possible rating

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

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

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

Monthly financial report

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

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

Progress report

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

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The next regular meeting is scheduled for Aug. 21 at 9 a.m. Regular meetings are held on the third Thursday of each month at 9 a.m. at the Monument Town Hall at 645 Beacon Lite Road. Workshop meetings are held the first Thursday of each month at 9 a.m. at the Monument Town Hall. Please see loopwater.org or call 719-488-3603 to verify meeting times and locations.

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

Other Loop articles

Woodmoor Water and Sanitation District, June 9 – 2024 audit finds “clean” finances

By James Howald

In June, Uli Keeley of Prospective Business Solutions LLC, the district’s auditor, gave the Woodmoor Water and Sanitation District (WWSD) board the results of her audit of the district’s 2024 finances. The board awarded a contract to replace water service saddles. During public comments, resident Jennifer Davis reported errors in her online bill. The board also heard operational reports. The meeting ended with an executive session.

2024 finances deemed “clean”

Keeley told the board her audit of the district’s finances for 2024 resulted in an unmodified or clean opinion, essentially a diagnosis of good financial health. She said there were no significant findings on processes, policies, internal controls, or financial reporting. She noted some audit adjustments around investments, updates to depreciation and payables that were “nothing out of the ordinary.”

Keeley said the district’s Total Net Position, or equity in its assets, in 2024 was just over $73 million, an increase of about $5 million over 2023. She attributed the increase to the $4.4 million in tap fees the district collected in 2024. The district collected $1.6 million in tap fees in 2023. Water and sewer tap fees are one-time charges that developers pay when they connect to the district’s infrastructure. Overall, the district’s actual revenues were close to budgeted expectations, while expenditures were lower than estimated due to land and easement purchases and construction projects that were postponed.

The district ended 2024 with $25.7 million in cash and cash equivalents, an increase of about $1.2 million over the course of the year.

In terms of debt, Keeley said the district continued to pay down $14.7 million in bonds issued in 2021, which are due in full by 2031. The bonds issued in 2021 refinanced bonds issued in 2011 to purchase the Woodmoor Ranch and its water rights at a lower interest rate. District Manager Jessie Shaffer pointed out that the district’s Net Pledged Revenues were $7.6 million, or almost four times the district’s Annual Debt Service Requirements of $2 million. Shaffer said, “We are smashing debt service coverage.”

Call the WWSD office at 719-488-2525 to request a copy of the audit report.

Saddle replacement contract awarded

District Engineer Cydney Saelens told the board that eight bids had been received to replace 121 water service saddles and associated fittings. (Saddles connect residential service lines to water mains.) Saelens said bids for the project ranged from $1.2 million to $614,000, with Iron Women Construction and Environmental Services LLC submitting the low bid. Saelens said she spoke to two of the organizations Iron Women Construction supplied as references and both had favorable long-standing relationships with the company. She recommended that the contract be awarded to Iron Women Construction, adding 10% for contingencies, for a total of $675,738. The board voted to award the contract as Saelens suggested.

Resident reports billing error

Davis told the board she found errors in her online bill in the form of an additional $10 charge. She said the charge was labeled differently on different bills and she had to call the office to have the charge removed. She noted the charge did not appear on her paper bill but did appear on her Xpress Bill Pay bill. She asked why the staff needed to devote time to correcting billing errors and why the district uses a vendor that can’t permanently fix billing issues.

Shaffer said he was discussing the erroneous charges with Office Manager Cory Lynch and Billing Clerk Brittany Petta and they are considering replacing Xpress Bill Pay with another service provider. Board President Brian Bush recommended that if Xpress Bill Pay does not correct the problem quickly the district should move to another provider.

Operational reports

Operations Superintendent Dan LaFontaine said that two long-term leaks had been located that he believes have contributed to the district’s water loss. The leaks have been repaired and LaFontaine said next month’s water report should show a lower percentage of unaccounted water.

Saelens reported that well 12R drilling was nearing completion, with 1,675 feet completed of the 1,900 feet needed. Once drilling is complete, the casing, screens, and glass beads need to be installed, test pumping needs to be performed, and water quality samples need to be tested.

Saelens also said that the Monument Ridge East residential development, which will be south of County Line Road and east of I-25, had submitted construction documents to WWSD. The development will consist of 340 residences.

LaFontaine said 800 residential water meters remain to be replaced. He asked customers who have not received a new water meter to call the WWSD office at 719-488-2525 to schedule a replacement.

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The next meeting is on July 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, June 18 Raspberry Point sewage spill resolved

By Jackie Burhans and James Howald

In May, the Monument Sanitation District (MSD) board met briefly to hear an operational report from District Manager Mark Parker. Parker updated the board on a sewage release by Raspberry Point Townhomes in May that threatened to contaminate Monument Lake. Parker reported on a letter he had received from Buc-ee’s and on the resolution of an issue with the district’s supervisory control and data acquisition (SCADA) software.

Pine tree roots the culprit in sewage overflow

Parker told the board that a video inspection of the service line owned by the Raspberry Point Townhomes that failed on May 14, leading to a sewage spill, showed the line had been blocked by 3 feet of tree roots. An 8-inch cleanout was added to the line and no further problems have occurred, Parker said. He noted a previous repair that was “pretty shoddy at best.”

Immediately following the spill in May, the ownership of the service line was under discussion. The Raspberry Point Townhome Homeowner’s Association (HOA) believed the service belonged to MSD but was unable to produce any documentation to support that belief. MSD had no records showing the district had agreed to be responsible for the line and related manhole. Parker said he was waiting to receive invoices for the work done to repair the line and the manhole before presenting them to the HOA for payment.

County encourages Buc-ee’s to plan Beacon Lite Road work

Parker said he had received a letter from Buc-ee’s regarding work that will need to be done on Beacon Lite Road if its proposed travel center goes forward. The letter said El Paso County, which is planning grading and straightening improvements to Beacon Lite that are independent of the proposed travel center, is pushing Buc-ee’s to get the approvals required for its sewage to be conveyed to MSD’s collection system. Parker said Buc-ee’s would need to plan for both lift stations and gravity flow to handle their sewage. The county’s plans can’t proceed until Buc-ee’s design is approved. Parker said Buc-ee’s letter had been sent to GMS Inc., the district’s consulting engineers.

SCADA issues resolved

Parker said changes to the algorithms used by cellular service providers, that misidentified SCADA alarms as spam, had temporarily interrupted the district’s SCADA system, which operates portions of the district’s infrastructure. The problem was fixed, and the SCADA software is again able send alarms by email and text.

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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 July 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.

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Donala Water and Sanitation District, June 12 – Positive audit report; inconsistent waste treatment numbers

By James Howald and Jackie Burhans

The Donala Water and Sanitation District (DWSD) board met in June to hear an audit report, discuss waste treatment data discrepancies, and hear operational reports. The meeting was relocated due to the temporary closure of the district’s offices. The board heard from a district consultant and learned of an additional board position for its president. The meeting ended with an executive session.

Board receives a clean audit report

Tom Sistare of Hoelting & Company Inc., the board’s auditor, explained the audit process and thanked the district staff for being well-prepared. As in the past, Hoelting has issued an unmodified or clean opinion. The report had no findings of note on internal controls.

Highlights include:

  • Cash and investments are up by $2.8 million, tracking with changes in equity.
  • Liabilities have decreased by $538,000 due to paying debt service as required.
  • Tax revenue increased by 26% due to increased valuation.
  • Capital expenditure was $1.3 million, which was similar to the previous year.

Sistare noted that operational expenses were up 2% compared to a 10% increase the previous year. The largest risk, he said, would be finishing a treatment plant then having the standards rise the following year.

The board voted unanimously to accept the audit.

Discrepancy in waste treatment data

In his report, Waste Plant Operator Aaron Tolman reported that hydraulic loading, which is the volume of wastewater that a treatment facility must process over a given time, had risen from around 50% to 62.9%. The change came after Triview Metropolitan District (TMD) replaced a flume and installed a laser flow meter (see wp.ocn.me/v25n6tmd). Initial readings were exponentially low, at 100,000 to 200,000 gallons per day and then, after adjustments, increased to between 700,000 and over 1 million gallons per day.

General Manager Jeff Hodge said that the total capacity for the Upper Monument Creek Regional Wastewater Treatment Facility (UMCRWWTF) is 1.75 million gallons, and the state requires an action plan when the plant goes over 80% capacity. UMCRWWTF is operated by DWSD and jointly owned by DWSD, TMD, and Forest Lakes Metropolitan District. Academy Water and Sanitation District is a customer.

Tolman said if the numbers were correct, they would have had to put a third basin online, but that isn’t happening. Donala is working with Mark Valentine, a project manager at Merrick & Co., to review the data.

Board President Wayne Vanderschuere said there would be a UMCRWWTF owners meeting on July 3 and he would make sure that this was on the agenda.

Operational reports

Hodge reported that he had attended the American Water Works Association 2025 Annual Conference and Expo (ACE) including a pre-conference workshop on collaborative delivery methods. Merrick and Co., the consulting company that provides workflow management for The Loop, presented the project. Burns & McDonnell, the company designing lift stations, pipelines, and water treatment for The Loop, presented a similar project it is doing in Castle Rock.

Superintendent of Water Operations Ronny Wright said the well 7D redrilling project is going well, though a few nearby neighbors had noted the harmonics building when the drill hit clay. Wright said the next steps would be to mobilize SiLibeads, a modern improvement over gravel, to screen out impurities. SiLibeads are unbreakable soda-lime glass that is free of impurities and heavy metals.

Vanderschuere said he had run into contractors for MVEA drilling without a proper water and sewer locate, which could result in breakage of electrical, water, or sewer lines. Jeff Hodge said if any of Donala’s lines were damaged, Donala would repair them and send a bill to the party responsible. Wright said that tickets had been filed on the incident, and he was on good speaking terms with the supervisor and superintendent. Wright also noted that work was going well on the tanks and Well 9A.

Tolman confirmed that UMCRWWTF was ready to host the July meeting of the Donala board. He stated that roads were paved, sidewalks, curbs, and gutters were installed, and landscaping was completed, noting that additional paving is required near a newly constructed roundabout. Additional striping was scheduled, and the bridge is complete, Tolman said. Process control for the plant is running well, he said, giving them opportunities to adjust for efficiency.

Consultant reports

Consultant Brett Gracely of LRE Water provided more detail on the Well 7D redrilling project issues with claystone and breaking equipment and next steps. He also reviewed the status of water rights objector cases LRE is assisting with as well as the successful completion of water exchange into Clear Creek saying that the water is now in the district’s Pueblo Reservoir water account and should be moved through the Northgate interchange and delivered to customers sometime in July or August to prove that the water was put to beneficial use after which a due diligence application could be filed. Hodge said the district would coordinate closely with other projects including water sampling for the Loop project.

Gracely also reported on the status of conversations with the Colorado Division of Water Resources on exchanges with reservoirs in Aurora, but said they had some major cases involving the Lower Arkansas Water Management Association (LAWMA) that seemed to be occupying them. Gracely said that attorneys were discussing the pros and cons of combining the exchanges into one filing vs. multiple filings and said that there might be some advantage to filing before the end of year. Vanderschuere suggested scheduling a work session in the next few months just for this item and inviting the water lawyer.

Finally, Gracely announced that June is his last month of employment at LRE Water. He has accepted a position as water planning practice leader at Plummer and suggested that his colleagues Helen Malenda-Lawrence and Kelsey Briggs act as co-leads in the interim to keep Donala informed. He noted that Plummer occupies the same building as LRE Water on Auraria Parkway in Denver and the two firms have collaborated in the past and have a non-compete agreement.

Director comments

Vanderschuere announced that he is now officially on the MVEA board as a director for District 3 and has attended an orientation meeting and his first regular board meeting on June 17. He will serve in that capacity in addition to his role at DWSD as board president, having confirmed with legal counsel on both sides that there is no conflict of interest. He said that MVEA is concerned about the pending federal budget bill and what would be funded or not, noting that renewables and fiber optics had been getting federal subsidies. This is also a concern for Tri-State Generation and Transmission Association and other peer organizations.

Executive session

The meeting ended with an executive session to discuss security arrangements or investigations related to security measures for maintenance technicians and water operators and personnel matters related to maintenance technicians and water operators.

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The next board meeting is scheduled for Thursday, July 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

Triview Metropolitan District, June 19 – Bond funding approved; director positions assigned

By Natalie Barszcz

At the Triview Metropolitan District (TMD) meeting on June 19, the board approved an amendment to the 2025 budget to incorporate funding for the Higby Road project and up to $12.6 million in bonds to move forward with the project. An economic incentive policy and an updated policy for developer water fees were also approved. The directors assigned board positions and received multiple updates.

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 positions assigned

The board unanimously assigned the board positions.

Above: From left, President Jason Gross, Secretary/Treasurer Amanda Carlton, Vice President Ann-Marie Jojola, and Directors John Gibbons and Erik Demkowicz. Photo by Chris Cummins.

2025 budget amendment

President Jason Gross opened a public hearing on the 2025 budget amendment.

District Manager James McGrady said the amendment was prompted by an influx of cash from the issuance of the $12.6 million bond and additional expenditures from the Public Works Capital Improvement Fund for the construction costs for the Higby Road improvements. The 2025 budget did not include funds for the Higby Road improvements, because the district did not know it would be issued bond financing. The budget needs to be adjusted accordingly, even though the district does not anticipate a bond payment in 2025 but will have two payments in 2026, said McGrady.

General Counsel George Rowley said it is standard procedure to acknowledge that the district will be receiving additional unplanned revenue. State law requires the district amend the budget to reflect the additional funding when the district ends up spending more than anticipated, said Rowley.

Gross closed the public comment hearing on the 2025 budget amendment.

The budget was amended to reflect $8.5 million in the 2025 budget (not the full bond amount). The district does not anticipate spending more than the amended amount on Higby Road in 2025. The project is expected to be completed in 2026.

The board unanimously approved Resolution 2025-10, amending the 2025 budget.

Bond issuance

McGrady requested the board review and consider approving Resolution 2025-07, a resolution of the TMD Board of Directors, issuing a $12.6 million bond for the Higby Road project.

The board unanimously approved the resolution.

Higby Road improvement project

McGrady requested the board approve Resolution 2025-11, a resolution to widen and improve Higby Road. He said the TOM had issued a plat note denying approval of further development in the north of the district without assurance that Higby Road will be widened. The district will present the resolution with the financial plan to the Planning Commission to comply with the plat note. The district has received solid bids with a maximum price of about $12.4 million to build the road. The district occasionally takes on large projects such as the widening of Jackson Creek Parkway for about $6.6 million in 2018. See https://wp.ocn.mev25n6tmd/.

Director Erik Demkowicz said he hopes the town knows that the TMD residents are paying for the road improvements for everyone’s benefit.

Gross said the project is an important safety priority, and the town worked with the district to incorporate the road from El Paso County. Somehow in the agreement the town incorporated the road, but the TMD residents are paying for the project.

The board unanimously approved the resolution.

Economic incentive policy

The board also approved Resolution 2025-08, an economic incentive policy. An economic incentive package was approved in April for the development located south of Monument Marketplace, however the district’s incentive policy required approval and some amendments for future large retail projects. See https://wp.ocn.me.v25n5tmd/.

Rowley said it is a net positive to give up some development proposals to allow for larger retail projects with at least 100,000 square feet of retail space, generating at least $500,000 in sales tax for the district, according to the sales tax share back from the intergovernmental agreement with the TOM, and a minimum of 50 full-time employment opportunities is included in the policy. The district receives 1.5% in sales tax with 0.5% dedicated to renewable water from the TOM for sales tax collected within the district. The policy allows for some fees to be waived, he said.

The board unanimously approved the resolution with two amendments.

Developer fees

The board also unanimously approved Resolution 2025-09, a revised schedule setting water fees and development requirements in lieu of fees for developers.

Operations report

McGrady said the following:

  • The district continues to supply renewable water to customers, with good inflows of water coming in from the district’s water rights.
  • Consumer demands are being met by the Northern Delivery System (NDS), with a little well pumping to maintain the wells, delivering 80% to 90% of the water from renewable sources.
  • The water rights plan is working appropriately, with received flows diverted into the South Reservoir. Any excess flow will be exchanged into Pueblo Reservoir in readiness for the winter months.
  • The augmentation station diversion structure on the Arkansas Valley Irrigation Co. Ditch (Buena Vista) has been completed, and it was scheduled to be operational by June 27.
  • The district received the first invoice for the Northern Monument Creek Interceptor design.
  • The district is working hard to move the Higby Road project forward.

Assistant manager’s report

Assistant Manager Steve Sheffield said:

  • The district has about 15 Badger meters left to be replaced between residential/commercial properties.
  • The district is working on the engineering standards to ensure compliance with the latest construction practices.
  • The Sanctuary Pointe Park sporting field reservations are down from 2024, but the district has received a large number of reservations for the fall season.

Revenue water/non-revenue water

Water Treatment Superintendent Gary Potter said he continues to research water loss, known in the industry as revenue water/non-revenue water. The team is working together to combat the problem from both ends, finding apparent loss, such as meters not entered into the system correctly, incorrect meter input, and active leak detection services. Water loss in a system with 66 miles of distribution pipe is inevitable, and the district will never achieve zero loss, he said. The American Water Works Association used to quote under 10% as acceptable loss but has moved away from that figure because one-size-fits-all does not work for all systems.

The district is at 6.35% loss for May, and when all avenues have been explored over the next several months, the team will need to determine how much water loss is an economically recoverable amount. The degree to which the district puts money into researching water loss will change over time, said Potter.

Sheffield said the average water system loses 15%-20% monthly.

Utilities update

Potter also said the following:

  • The A plant (Oxbow Drive) will be decommissioned due to the two wells being transferred to B plant (St. Lawrence Way). The plant will be used for vehicle storage or sold to another district.
  • A laser flow meter was installed at the Upper Monument Creek Regional Wastewater Treatment Facility (UMCRWWTF) to measure the accuracy of the district’s wastewater flumes. The collection of data over the next month will determine flow accuracy.
  • The NDS produced 80% of the district’s water in May, with a little higher well water pumped due to the work taking place at B Plant yard.

Kudos for staff volunteers

Parks and Open Space Superintendent Matt Rayno said the district staff had received a letter of gratitude from the president of the Pikes Peak Soap Box Derby for providing volunteers from the Public Works Department from May 31-June 2. The event closed Higby Road and would not have been successful without the district’s support and Tom Martinez from the Town of Monument.

Pothole reporting

Rayno said pothole patching typically occurs in spring and about 250 pounds of asphalt has been used to repair issues in 2025. Residents can use the district website to report pothole issues that occur within the district’s area of responsibility.

Note: The district is not responsible for the commercial property areas and Baptist Road.

Executive session

The board moved into an executive session at about 8:42 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 TOM, and other governmental and private entities including Creekside Developments, LLC and associated 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 including Creekside Developments LLC and associated 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 9:17 p.m., no action was taken by the board, and the meeting promptly adjourned.

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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 July 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

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

By James Howald

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

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

The meeting ended with an executive session.

Progress report

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

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

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

Contract amended

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

Financial report

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

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

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The next regular meeting is scheduled for July 17 at 9 a.m. Regular meetings are held on the third Thursday of each month at 9 a.m. at the Monument Town Hall at 645 Beacon Lite Road. Workshop meetings are held the first Thursday of each month at 9 a.m. at the Monument Town Hall. Please see loopwater.org or call 719-488-3603 to verify meeting times and locations.

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

Other Loop articles

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.

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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.

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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.

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The next regular meeting is scheduled for June 19 at 9 a.m. Regular meetings are held on the third Thursday of each month at 9 a.m. at the Monument Town Hall at 645 Beacon Lite Road. Workshop meetings are held the first Thursday of each month at 9 a.m. at the Monument Town Hall. Please see loopwater.org or call 719-488-3603 to verify meeting times and locations.

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

Other Loop articles

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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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

By James Howald

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

The meeting ended with an executive session.

Treatment plant design proceeding

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

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

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

Financial report

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

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

Executive session

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

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The next regular meeting is scheduled for May 15 at 9 a.m. Regular meetings are held on the third Thursday of each month at 9 a.m. at the Monument Town Hall at 645 Beacon Lite Road. Workshop meetings are held the first Thursday of each month at 9 a.m. at the Monument Town Hall. Please see loopwater.org or call 719-488-3603 to verify meeting times and locations.

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

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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.

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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.

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