OCN

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

OCN > ws > Page 4

Water & Sanitation District Articles

Donala Water and Sanitation District, Oct. 12 – 2024 legal budget presented

By James Howald and Jackie Burhans

At its October meeting, the Donala Water and Sanitation District (DWSD) board continued its work on a budget for 2024. It also heard operational reports.

DWSD District Manager Jeff Hodge began by pointing out that the budget before the board was a “legal” budget, in the format required by the state, with three columns showing the actual year-end figures for 2022, the projected year-end figures for 2023, and the budgeted figures for 2024.

Hodge predicted a $2 million decline in the district’s ending fund balance from 2023 to 2024 due to $1.6 million needed to repair storage tanks, leaving the district with just under $9 million in reserves in 2024. Hodge said he expected reserves to increase in 2025 and 2026.

Water sales were $3.4 million in 2022 and were projected to decrease to $2.7 million by the end of 2023, a decline of about $731,000, Hodge said. Water sales are expected to be $3.2 million in 2024. Sewer service revenue is expected to be about $1.6 million for both 2023 and 2024.

Hodge said that while the district was neither in favor of nor against Proposition HH, the 2024 budget was put together on the assumption that it would pass. The district’s general property tax revenue is budgeted to increase by $600,000 in 2024.

Interest income was $120,144 in 2022, is projected to be $446,512 at the end of 2023, and is budgeted for $594,000 in 2024.

Grant proceeds are budgeted for $1.6 million in 2024, due primarily to American Rescue Plan Act funds awarded to DWSD for radium mitigation.

Overall, revenue is expected to increase slightly in 2024, Hodge said.

On the expense side, Hodge said operating expenses were expected to double from $3.4 million in 2023 to $6.1 million in 2024 due to a requirement by the state that certain repair and maintenance projects be included in this line item.

The board scheduled a public hearing on the budget for 1:30 p.m. Dec. 7 at the district offices at 15850 Holbein Drive.

Highlights of operational reports

  • Water Operator Ronny Wright told the board that the district’s study of hydrous manganese oxide technology to reduce radium levels in treated water was going well, and he expected testing to be complete by the end of 2023. The study results will be submitted to the state for review.
  • The planned maintenance on the district’s water tanks is scheduled to start in May.
  • The vault for Well 16A is complete, and work on the electrical system for the well is being scheduled.
  • Cracking in the walls of the sequential batch reactor at the Upper Monument Creek Waste Water Treatment Facility will be repaired using pressurized resin injection.

**********

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

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

Other Donala Water and Sanitation District articles

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

By James Howald

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

2024 budget and September financial report

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

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

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

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

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

Project report

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

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

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

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

Board seeks financial services company

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

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

Water test results show variation

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

**********

The next regular meeting is scheduled for Nov. 16 at 9 a.m. Regular meetings are usually held on the third Thursday of each month at 9 a.m. at the Monument Town Hall at 645 Beacon Lite Road. Workshop meetings are held the first Thursday of each month at 9 a.m. at the Cherokee Metropolitan District offices at 6250 Palmer Park Blvd., Colorado Springs. Please see loopwater.org or call 719-488-3603 to verify meeting times and locations.

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

Other El Paso County Regional Loop Water Authority articles

Woodmoor Water and Sanitation District, Sept. 18. Contracts awarded for infrastructure.

By James Howald

Construction contracts were the focus of the Woodmoor Water and Sanitation District (WWSD) at its September meeting. The board awarded two new contracts and changed the award of a third to a different company. It continued the discussion of water and sewer tap fees that began in its previous meeting, hearing a presentation from the consultants that provide the district with rates analysis. The board also heard operational reports.

Two new contracts awarded.

District Manager Jessie Shaffer gave the board a summary of the scope of work included in the construction contract for the Well 22 pumphouse project. Well 22 is south of County Line Road and east of I-25, and the drilling was completed in July 2022. The project includes the construction of the well house, the installation of the well’s pump, motor, and drop pipe, and associated piping, electrical support, and controls.

Richard Hood, of JVA Inc., an engineering company that advises WWSD, told the board that four bids for the project were received and Native Sun Construction was the low bidder at $1.17 million. Hood said Paintbrush Hills Metropolitan District, Woodmen Hills Metropolitan District and the City of Boulder gave Native Sun Construction positive recommendations.

Hood recommended that the board award the contract to Native Sun Construction, and the board voted unanimously to do so.

Rachel Frei, of BB&A Water Consultants Inc., presented her recommendations for the drilling, construction, and testing of a new Dawson aquifer well, to be drilled on the site of the Central Water Treatment Plant (CWTP), which is on Deer Creek Road adjacent to the Lewis-Palmer Middle School football field.

Frei said the proposed well would be designed to a different standard than other WWSD wells. Previously, WWSD has used the municipal standard for its wells, Frei said, but the last long-range plan completed by the district allows for some new wells to be built to the standard for commercial wells, which typically use lower quality and less expensive hardware components. Additional savings result from using smaller drilling rigs, she said. Commercial grade wells are usually 77% less expensive than wells built to the municipal standard.

Frei estimated the new well would produce 25 gallons per minute. WWSD’s Arapahoe aquifer wells typically produce 200 or more gallons per minute.

Shaffer said the well would be a test case for the district. He pointed out the commercial standard involved a bit more risk but would provide a much lower cost per acre-foot of water produced. The proximity to the CWTP meant less would be spent on pipeline and on building to house the well.

Frei recommended that the contract be awarded to Winegar Well Service LLC, which bid $219,315 for the project. The board voted unanimously to award the contract as Frei suggested.

Contract re-awarded.

At its previous meeting in August, the board awarded a contract to install the infrastructure for a new pressure reduction zone required by the Monument Junction development to Aslan Construction. Classic Homes, the developer of Monument Junction, was to be responsible for a portion of the project, but in August the WWSD board believed that Classic Homes would have WWSD manage the project and be reimbursed by Classic Homes for its portion of the work. Details about the original award of the contract can be found in a previous issue of Our Community News here: https://www.ocn.me/v23n9.htm#wwsd.

In September, Shaffer told the board there had been new developments. Classic Homes opted to use their own contractor to do its share of the work, he said, and Aslan Construction notified him that it had made a $170,000 error in its bid. As a result, Aslan withdrew its bid, Shaffer said.

Shaffer said he did not recommend rebidding the project. He recommended that the board award the contract to Midcity Corp., which had bid on the work along with Aslan.

After some discussion to sort out the consequences of Classic Homes choosing to use its own contractor rather than let WWSD manage the entire project and be reimbursed, the board voted unanimously to authorize Shaffer to move forward with Midcity’s bid of $438,722.

Tap fee debate continues.

At its previous meeting, the board heard a presentation on tap fee strategy from Andrew Rheem of Raftelis, a company that advises WWSD on rates and fees. At that meeting, the board voted to authorize Raftelis to continue its work, begun a year ago, to help determine how WWSD should set its water and sewer tap fees to ensure the district can fund the cost of service delivery and capital improvements looking out 10 years.

At the September meeting, Rheem and his colleague Harold Smith presented some preliminary results. They said they had developed scenarios that addressed issues such as how WWSD will finance its portion of the water re-use project often referred to as “The Loop,” which will build infrastructure to allow WWSD and other participating water districts to divert water from Fountain Creek, including treated effluent, and return it for reuse by customers.

Rheem and Smith said they estimated the final buildout of the WWSD service area would occur by 2042, with 6,500 connections to the water distribution system and 6,200 connections to the sewer system. They calculated the Replacement Cost New (RCN) of those systems to be $134.87 million. RCN is the amount it would cost to build systems of equal capacity at today’s prices and is a factor when tap fees are considered as a fee to buy a share in an existing system.

The discussion that followed raised some questions about the assumptions used to calculate the RCN. Operations Superintendent Dan LaFontaine pointed out that developers build pipes at their expense that are later conveyed to the district and asked how that was built into the RCN calculation. Other issues were how $7 million in recent capital improvements were calculated into the RCN, and how to account for the debt incurred by the purchase of Woodmoor Ranch, the debt service for which is paid by district customers every month in the form of the $40 per month Renewable Water Infrastructure Fee.

Uncertainty about how The Loop water reuse project would be financed—with revenue bonds or general obligation bonds that would require a vote for approval—complicated the issue of future tap fees.

Rheem and Smith presented a case for raising water tap fees, which are one-time fees paid when a new building is connected to the water distribution system, by $12,000 to $42,000. Board President Brian Bush argued that increase could not be made in one year. He also pointed out that federal and state regulations governing water quality were not likely to remain unchanged for 10 years and new regulations would impact the cost of delivering water to customers. Shaffer said the increase suggested by Rheem and Smith would raise objections on the part of developers.

The board did not vote following the discussion. Rheem and Smith said they would continue to work on their analysis, taking into consideration the questions raised.

Highlights of operational reports.

  • In his financial report, board Treasurer Roy Martinez said that revenue from water sales was down due to the unusually rainy summer and spring.
  • The 12-month rolling average for unaccounted water is 5%, which is low by industry standards.
  • 1,400 of the district’s residential water meters have been replaced with newer meters that are better integrated with the district’s billing system and support advanced functions such as helping customers avoid unexpectedly large water bills by notifying them when there is a leak on their property.
  • WWSD is issuing water taps for the west side of the Monument Junction development.

**********

The next meeting is scheduled for Oct. 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, Sept. 20. Board approves email policy, plans building improvements

By Jackie Burhans and James Howald

The Monument Sanitation District (MSD) board met in September to vote on a resolution outlining the district’s email policy. It discussed a preliminary draft of a proposed 2024 budget and took up issues concerning improvements and repairs of the district’s headquarters building.

District email for business use only.

State law requires governmental organizations that maintain email systems to have a written policy governing their proper use. District Manager Mark Parker told the board that work on MSD’s email policy was begun with their previous lawyer and was now ready for a vote.

Resolution 9202023-1 specifies:

  • MSD’s email system is owned by the district and is limited to messages related to district business. Personal or private messages are not allowed.
  • Use of personal email systems for district business is not allowed and may subject the district to discovery orders, seizure, and inspection in the event of litigation.
  • Messages sent through the district’s email are public records and are available to the public through Colorado Open Record Act requests.
  • The district may monitor messages sent through its email system.
  • The email system is an extension of the workplace and is subject to the district’s personnel policies.
  • Board President Dan Hamilton summed up the policy by pointing out that there is no privacy in use of the email system. Parker pointed out that board members would need to be careful in their use of the “Reply All” feature, as emails going to three or more board members constitute a meeting. Parker said he used the blind carbon copy feature to prevent board members from inadvertently creating a meeting by replying to everyone on the distribution list.

The board voted unanimously to approve the resolution.

Preliminary 2024 budget discussed.

Parker gave the board a preliminary draft of the 2024 budget and asked for their feedback at the next board meeting. He said he estimates income low and expenses high, and that generally works out. Legal and engineering fees were underestimated in the previous budget. Legal fees were somewhat higher than expected in the 2023 budget because of the legal work needed on the district’s bylaws and employee handbook. For the 2024 budget, he assumed a 10 percent increase in worker’s compensation costs and a large increase in the cost of gas and electricity. Interest income is up due to higher interest rates, he said.

Parker pointed out that MSD could impose a 7.734 mill levy, but that was not needed because the district is able to cover its cost of service through tap fees and user fees.

HQ building needs roof repair, HVAC upgrade.

MSD owns the building at 130 Second St. that houses the office space and conference room used by the district, as well as three businesses: the Black Forest Foods Café and Deli, Santa Fe Trail Jewelry, and the Second Street Hair Studio.

Parker told the board that, due to age and hail damage, the building’s roof needs to be replaced. The cost of replacement is less than the insurance deductible, he explained, so MSD will be paying for the replacement. Parker said he was working with the district’s insurance carrier to find alternatives to the current deductible.

Parker asked the board to consider paying for an engineering study to design a comprehensive solution to the building’s problems with heating and ventilation. The Black Forest Foods Café and Deli kitchen has created issues with ventilation that were not anticipated when the building was designed. The kitchen hoods pull air out of the building and makeup air is needed to run the building’s furnace efficiently, he said. The study would need to assess whether the rafters can support the needed equipment as well as the snow load in the winter months. The building’s electric service would also need to be included. Parker estimated the study cost at $5,500.

MSD Environmental/Regulatory Compliance Coordinator Jim Kendrick pointed out that over the last 20 years contractors who addressed issues stemming from the restaurant kitchen have put in place ad hoc solutions. He argued the cost of a comprehensive study and design would be money well spent.

The board did not take a vote but agreed that Parker should proceed with the proposed study.

**********

Monument Sanitation District meetings are normally held at 9 a.m. on the third Wednesday of the month in the district conference room at 130 Second St., Monument. The next regular meeting is scheduled for Oct. 18. See https://colorado.gov/msd. For a district service map, see https://colorado.gov/pacific/msd/district-map-0. Information: 719-481-4886.

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

Other Monument Sanitation District articles

Donala Water and Sanitation District, Sept. 21. Preliminary 2024 budget presented

By James Howald and Jackie Burhans

At its September meeting, Donala Water and Sanitation District (DWSD) General Manager Jeff Hodge and Accounts Payable specialist Christine Hawker presented a preliminary draft of the district’s 2024 budget. The board awarded a contract for rehabilitating the district’s water tanks, updated a lease to sell effluent water, and made plans to sell a surplus variable frequency drive (VFD). Finally, district staff updated the board concerning the district’s testing of hydrous manganese oxide (HMO) to reduce radium in its treated water.

2024 budget overview.

The preliminary budget presented showed an increase in total revenue from $6.86 million projected for 2023 to $7.60 million budgeted for 2024. Water sales and interest income are projected to increase in 2024. Property tax revenue for 2024 was projected to be $2.24 million; that number reflects a $600,000 decrease in the county’s assessment due to the possibility of Proposition HH passing. Hodge said the 2024 budget assumes the district will not see any increase in revenue from increased property taxes.

On the expense side, total operating expenses are estimated to increase from $4.92 million projected for 2023 to $6.24 million budgeted for 2024. In the 2024 budget, $365,351 was moved from administrative expenses to operating expenses because upgraded accounting software enables better tracking of contract services. Utility costs for 2024 are budgeted to increase by $257,000 due to an estimated 10% increase in electrical costs by Mountain View Electrical Association. Engineering costs and well maintenance costs are also projected to increase in 2024.

Total capital and bond expense is estimated to increase from $3.44 million projected for 2023 to $4.31 million budgeted for 2023.

A total of $3.57 million was budgeted for capital improvement projects in 2024, with rehabilitation of three storage tanks, filter media rehabilitation at the R. Hull treatment plant, and funding for “The Loop” water reuse project at the top of the list.

Hodge emphasized that water and sewer revenue would cover the district’s operating expenses, and he estimated DWSD would have $8 million in reserves.

Board President Wayne Vanderschuere said the budget would need to be presented to the state by Oct. 15 and the board would hold a special meeting on Oct. 12 to formally accept a final 2024 budget.

Water tank rehab contract awarded.

Hodge recommended the board award a contract for water tank rehabilitation to Viking Painting LLC, which bid $1.05 million to rehabilitate the district’s three tanks. The contract had previously been awarded to Swedish Industrial Coatings LLC, but that company was unable to do the work.

The board voted unanimously to award the contract as Hodge suggested.

Effluent water lease extended.

Hodge asked the board to consider extending for two years a contract for DWSD to lease up to 6.5 acre-feet of effluent water per year to Letha Robison. The state of Colorado requires pond owners to replace water lost to evaporation. Hodge explained the new contract would raise the price of the water from $150 per acre-foot to $300. The board voted unanimously to extend the contract.

Surplus VFD to be sold.

Hodge told the board he had a buyer for a VFD the district is taking offline. VFDs control the operation of the motors that drive well pumps and allow them to ramp up or down smoothly rather than being completely on or completely off, thereby saving energy costs and reducing the wear and tear on pipelines. Water Operator Ronny Wright said he expected the VFD to be sold for $7,500.

HMO testing moves forward.

Wright updated the board on the status of the demonstration project the district is running to prove that treatment with HMO will reduce to acceptable levels the radium in the water delivered to customers. Wright said samples treated with HMO were taken between Sept. 11 and 17 have been submitted for testing. Two more samples will be taken in mid-October and in November, he said, adding he expected results by late December. When all results are received, the district will have 30 days to send the results to the state. Wright said he anticipated the state would respond by April, allowing DWSD to proceed with the design of an HMO-based radium treatment process.

**********

The next meeting is scheduled for Oct. 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

Triview Metropolitan District, Sept. 21. Northern Delivery System pipeline installation nearing completion

By Natalie Barszcz

At the Triview Metropolitan District (TMD) meeting on Sept. 21, the board received updates on the Northern Delivery System (NDS) Pipeline Project and the release of water deeds, and heard about wastewater flow monitoring and a system to remove radium. The board also approved a small lease of water shares, heard about a revegetation program, and received an update on the Higby Road widening project. The district also held an executive session to receive legal advice regarding various negotiations on water supply contracts, property acquisitions, strategic planning, and change cases.

Director Amanda Carlton attended remotely; however, sound communication was unavailable for the participants attending via Zoom for the duration of the meeting.

Northern Delivery System pipeline project.

District Manager Jim McGrady said he attended a get-together with the Kiewit employees as the NDS project reached 100 days and is about 75% completed on the pipeline installation. The closeout for the pipeline portion of the project is anticipated to be the end of November and everything is on schedule, he said. Roller Coaster Road will be completed by mid-October, and Old Northgate Road is expected to be completed by the end of September. The pumphouse at Highway 83/Old Northgate Road is estimated to be completed in July 2024, he said.

President Mark Melville said the pump station had many long lead-time items. The district was able to purchase an electrical transformer from Mountain View Electric Association ahead of time and well before construction, he said.

Note: For NDS pipeline project updates, alternative traffic routes, road closures, answers to questions, and to sign-up for email and text notifications, visit www.triviewnds.com. The link can also be found at www.triviewmetro.com.

Release of water deeds.

McGrady said the Stonewall Springs South Reservoir is full. TMD and the Arkansas Ground and Reservoir Association (AGRA) water rights contributed to filling the reservoir. The district will begin running the NDS in less than a year and will need municipal water to run the pipeline. The district may need to lease a little water next year until all the decrees for the municipal water are in place. Some of the AGRA water could be utilized to supply the NDS, along with 500 shares (about 350 acre-feet) of the Fountain Mutual Irrigation Co. (FMIC). A portion of the 557 shares of FMIC, which the district is changing to municipal water shares, will likely be decreed after the 2024 runoff. The district will have a plan B and will pump water from its wells if needed to fully supply the district customers he said.

Melville said the district needs about 900-1,000 acre-feet annually, but the plan has always been to use about 20% well water and keep the wells in use, he said.

Water flows examined.

Assistant District Manager Steve Sheffield said Xuehua Bai of Bai Engineers is examining and taking measurements of the water flows at the Upper Monument Creek Regional Wastewater Treatment Facility (UMCRWWTF). The district is not 100% confident in the accuracy of the flow numbers that are released from the treatment facility and is double checking Triview’s existing flow measurement devices, he said.

Superintendent Shawn Sexton confirmed a new flow meter at the Upper Monument Creek Waste Water Treatment Facility (UMCRWWTF) had been replaced a couple of years ago. The district is keeping up with high summer water demand, and during August the district had a 9.7% variance (unaccounted water due to pipeline leakage), which is not uncommon. Nationwide some municipalities have up to 40% unaccounted water loses. The district is drilling down on losses, because previously the numbers presented were not the whole picture, he said.

Vice President Anthony Sexton said the 9.7% is a whole lot tighter than previous months, but it would be interesting to know why there are fluctuations in lost water between the summer months and the winter months, he said.

McGrady said Bai is taking readings on a flume every 15 minutes over 24 hours to capture 96 reads, then using an integration formula the district will know the volume that travelled through the flume in 24 hours. It will be important to identify the cause and the correct flows to the treatment facility as the decision to participate in the Northern Monument Creek Interceptor (NCMI) pipeline draws closer. The pipeline capacity will need to be accurate to accommodate the correct amount of wastewater. The cause could be metering or infiltration, he said.

Hydrous manganese oxide (HMO) system.

Sexton said the district is almost done with the hydrous manganese oxide (HMO) redesign and rebuild, and it looks completely different from the original design, and it will be “awesome.” He had attended the Rocky Mountain Water Conference from Sept. 10-13 in Loveland, with Lead Engineer Mario DiPasquale of RESPEC (formerly JDS Hydro). DiPasquale presented the HMO system to about 30 attendees, and after the presentation Sexton helped DiPasquale answer questions.

TMD and one other small district statewide are adopting the HMO system. The system consists of a combination of suspended manganese oxide particles that form a slurry, and when combined with raw water the chemical affixes to radium and the particles are large enough to be removed via filter, making it possible to easily remove when the filters are backwashed, he said.

McGrady said Donala Water and Sanitation District is implementing the HMO system after consulting with the TMD team. The system makes sense and works very well at a very reasonable cost compared to other systems, he said. Radium testing takes up to three months to complete. and then further testing is required. It took TMD about a year to complete and comply with the state requirements. The district is trying to spread the word about the economic benefit of the HMO system. TMD implemented the HMO system because other methods of removal are expensive. Radium is not just a Front Range issue, he said.

Melville said the HMO system will remove radium at a low cost of about $200,000, unlike some systems that require separate plants and cost over $1 million.

Director Jason Gross thanked Sexton and his team for going the extra mile, making the district exceptional just by taking the time to discover the HMO system.

Lease of water shares.

McGrady said he was approached by Curtis Mitchell, a consultant for Cross Creek Metropolitan District (CCMD) located between Widefield and Fountain Boulevard near Mesa Ridge High School. Mitchell requested a small lease of six shares to offset evaporative losses in a small sub-division pond that the state had mandated be drained due to evaporation loss. The agreement is a good neighbor relations project, and the district makes a little revenue in the process. He requested the board review and consider approving the agreement between CCMD and the TMD for the lease of six shares from the FMIC for three years from Nov. 1 through Oct. 31, 2026, to augment evaporative losses on the pond located within CCMD.

Water Attorney Chris Cummins said the district always includes a reclaim clause should the district need the water, but he had not written the agreement and would need to confirm. The lease provides only 4.2 acre-feet to offset evaporation in a small pond adjacent to a play area. If the provision to reclaim the water is needed by the district and is not already included, it will be added, he said.

The board unanimously accepted the agreement with a retraction clause should the district need the water.

Revegetation plan.

McGrady said TMD hired retired Colorado State University Professor Ed Rendente, an expert restoration ecologist, to work for the district on a revegetation plan at the Chicago Springs Ranch, located near Buena Vista and the place of use for the district’s Arkansas Valley Irrigation Co. water right. The land is covered by various grasses. After the irrigation water is removed, most of the hay and some species of grass will die out and the other intermixed vegetation is expected to thrive. A reference property near that has never been irrigated will mimic that land, but it could take 10 years or more, he said.

Cummins said the division engineer office mandates rules and regulations to implement a revegetation plan after irrigation rights are removed to prevent dust bowl conditions, he said.

Higby Road widening project.

McGrady said the Higby Road widening project design was approved. The road will be about 95-100 feet wide, about 20 feet less than Jackson Creek Parkway. The design also incorporates two roundabouts: one about midway of the Lewis-Palmer High School south parking lot for entry purposes, and the second at Bowstring Road. Until the district can figure out how to incorporate a sidewalk on the northeast side near the school baseball fields, two crosswalks will be installed to reach the sidewalk on the south side of the road, he said.

Above Triview Metropolitan District received a 900-ECO 12-yard Vactor truck in early September. The multi-use vehicle with many capabilities besides cleaning sewer systems will be utilized both residentially and commercially throughout the district and in Forest Lakes Metropolitan District. The district spent about $560,000 on the truck and expects to see a cost savings in a couple of years by avoiding costly outsourced services. Photo by Natalie Barszcz.

Public works, parks, and open space update.

Superintendent Matt Rayno said the following:

• The district had received the radar speed signs for Promontory Pointe and installation had begun. The 25-mile-per-hour sign would be removed.

• He and the snow captain would attend a snow and ice removal conference to receive continued certification in snow removal.

• The district purchased a dump truck with a snow plow for snow removal.

Gross said he likes the increase in service to the residents.

McGrady said the district was able to find a used diesel truck for about $37,000 sitting on a lot with only 50,000 miles on the odometer and a snow plow. The truck was then sandblasted, re-painted and fitted with a new sander for $16,000. The final cost was about $53,000 instead of about $150,000 for a new truck.

Melville suggested the large flat drainage pond that receives little runoff between Split Creek and Gleneagle Drive could be put to recreational use with a little bit more mowing and a couple of soccer nets.

McGrady said metropolitan districts in the Phoenix, Ariz., area have utilized dry retention pond areas for recreation, and he would look into utilization of the space.

During public comments, a resident said he was very happy about how his taxes are being spent by the district, especially when he sees the beautiful landscaping work and how great the district looks.

Executive session.

The board moved into executive session at about 7:23 p.m. pursuant to Colorado Revised Statutes 24-6-402(4) (a), (b), (e), to discuss acquisitions, receive legal advice regarding negotiations on water supply contracts, property acquisitions, strategic planning and change cases.

After the meeting, Sheffield confirmed that when the board returned to the regular meeting, no further action was taken.

The meeting adjourned at 9:23 p.m.

**********

Correction.

In the September issue of OCN, the TMD article should have read: “Rocky Mountain Turf Solutions are installing 115,600 square feet of UV-protected AstroTurf for the multi-use sporting field in Sanctuary Pointe.” After the September issue was published, McGrady provided the following information: The TMD Board of Directors approved $1 million from the parks and open spaces fees collected from the Sanctuary Pointe development for the AstroTurf installation. TMD collected just over $2 million at the point of construction, about $3,373 for each of the 600 homes in Sanctuary Pointe. About $1,666 per home was contributed to the park from those fees. The Homeowners Association fees were not used in the development of the park. OCN regrets the error.

**********

Meetings are usually held on the third Thursday every month at the district office at 16055 Old Forest Point, Suite 302. The next regular meeting is scheduled for Oct.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, Sept. 21. Board approves outreach to contractors

By James Howald

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

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

Letter of interest to be drafted

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

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

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

Water quality tests proceed

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

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

Budget hearing set

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

Executive session

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

**********

The next regular meeting is scheduled for Oct. 19 at 9 a.m. Regular meetings are usually held on the third Thursday of each month at 9 a.m. at the Monument Town Hall at 645 Beacon Lite Road. Workshop meetings are held the first Thursday of each month at 9 a.m. at the Cherokee Metropolitan District offices at 6250 Palmer Park Blvd., Colorado Springs. Please see loopwater.org or call 719-488-3603 to verify meeting times and locations.

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

Other El Paso County Regional Loop Water Authority articles

Forest Lakes Metropolitan District, Pinon Pines 1, 2, and 3, Aug. 7 and 14 – 2022 audits approved; contract services cost increases; water reuse project possible

By Natalie Barszcz

The Forest Lakes Metropolitan District (FLMD) Pinon Pines Metropolitan District (PPMD) 2 and 3 boards met on Aug. 7 to approve the 2022 audits and a second amendment to the agreement for the contract for services with Triview Metropolitan District (TMD). The boards also received updates on the Northern Monument Creek Interceptor Project (NMCI) and the Colorado Springs Utilities (CSU) Indirect Potable Reuse Project, and held an executive session related to intergovernmental agreements. The PPMD 1 all-resident board held a “special meeting” on Aug. 14 to reappoint President Mike Hitchcock to the board, approve the 2022 audit, and accept the board financial reports.

Note: Both meetings were held via teleconference. The boards had not met since December 2022.

Treasurer Douglas Stimple, chief executive officer of Classic Homes, was excused.

2022 audits

District Manager Ann Nichols said the board directors had previously received the full packet containing the 2022 audits for FLMD and PPMD 2 and 3 and, after receiving no comments, CPA Tom Sistare of Hoelting & Co. Inc. had filed the audits with the state to meet the July 31 deadline. The audits were “usual” and the financial controls were good except for PPMD 3, which had been audit exempt until 2023. In early 2022 it was discovered that some of the Public Improvement Fee (PIF) revenue belonged in 2021 and that her original estimate for PIF in 2022 was much higher than $240,000. The PIF revenue in 2022 was $455,000, significantly higher than in previous years. The PIF is estimated to be considerably more when the “Quik Trip” opens in the Falcon Commerce Center, said Nichols.

The board approved the 2022 audits as presented for all three boards, 4-0.

Contract for services with TMD

Nichols said a conversation with TMD Manager James McGrady revealed that the initial estimate for the contract for service agreement with TMD initially approved for $6,000 per month was not enough because the agreement was made before the 2023 budget, and a second amendment increasing the monthly cost to $6,700, back dated to July 2023, was needed. The TMD staff is doing a good job in the district, and about $4,000 is certainly justified for the remainder of the year, said Nichols. See www.ocn.me/v22n8.htm#flmd and www.ocn.me/v22n8.htm#tmd.

Secretary James Boulton, vice president/project manager of Classic Homes, asked if TMD would be replacing dead trees and providing trail maintenance and snow removal service.

Nichols said those services would be provided at an hourly rate for time spent, plus materials when needed. An amendment will be made to the contract services amendment, she said.

The board approved the contract for services increase, 4-0.

NMCI

Nichols said it was anticipated that CSU would request bids on the design for the NMCI in early 2023, but issues arose with the design that went through an old landfill on the U.S. Air Force Academy (USAFA) property. The USAFA is now in agreement with a design that will route the pipeline around the airfield, and it is close to signing the National Environment Policy Act assessment and approval of the re-routed design. The design phase is way behind, but the request for proposals was scheduled to be sent out by the end of August. By the end of the year or as late as spring a cost estimate of the design will be known, then FLMD can decide on the most efficient route to proceed.

FLMD and TMD are committed to seeing the design phase through but will not proceed with the construction of the NMCI pipeline until all costs are known. As a factor in the decision process, the districts are also seeking the scope and cost of upgrading the Upper Monument Creek Regional Wastewater Treatment Facility to meet the state requirements, said Nichols.

Wastewater return flows possible

Nichols said the Northern Delivery System (NDS) pipeline project TMD is developing will connect into CSU to convey, treat, and deliver water to customers in northern El Paso County. CSU continues to explore recapturing return flows with the Indirect Potable Reuse Project (formerly the reuse project under the Pikes Peak Regional Water Authority) for districts participating in the NMCI pipeline project. Wastewater would be delivered via the NMCI and treated at the J.D. Phillips Water Resource Recovery Facility on Mark Dabling Boulevard, and reuse flows would then be recaptured down Monument Creek at some point. CSU has identified six alternative arrangements to collect reuse water for treatment in Monument and Fountain Creeks before sending water to the Southern Delivery System. The projects are linked, and the costs may be presented to the board in the next couple of months, said Nichols. See www.ocn.me/v23n1.htm#flmd and the TMD article on page < 1 >.

Executive session

The PPMD 2 and 3 boards and Tom Blunk and William Muller of CP Real Estate Capital, representing Forest Lakes LLC and Forest Lakes Residential Development, moved into an executive session at 4:17 p.m., pursuant to Colorado Revised Statutes 24-6-402(4) (b) and (e) to receive specific legal advice from district counsel Russell Dykstra of Spencer Fane LLP and instruct negotiators in matters related to intergovernmental agreements.

Nichols confirmed to OCN that after the boards returned to the regular meeting, no action was taken, and the meeting promptly adjourned at 4:38 p.m.

PPMD 1

Nichols said that due to a miscommunication, Hitchcock had missed the deadline to file a self-nomination form for another four-year term on the PPMD 1 Board of Directors, and he would need to be appointed to the board.

President Mike Slavick and A J Slavick approved the appointment, and Hitchcock confirmed he had been read the oath of office by a notary. The board members approved Hitchcock be reinstated as board president. Mike Slavick returned to the vice president position, and A J Slavick is the board secretary. Former Director Chris Paulene did not re-apply for a board position in the May 2023 election, said Nichols.

Note: Two board director vacancies remain on the PPMD 1 board. Any eligible elector residing in PPMD 1 can apply for consideration for a board position.

PPMD 1 2022 audit

Nichols requested the board accept the 2022 audit that was received in July from Hoelting & Company Inc. The board was provided with the management and internal control letters, and the financial statements. The audit was filed with the state by July 31, said Nichols.

The board unanimously accepted the 2022 audit as previously presented.

PPMD 1 financial statements

Nichols said the board had received the June financial statement for approval.

The board unanimously accepted the financial statements as presented for June.

The meeting adjourned at 4:20 p.m.

**********

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

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

Other Forest Lakes Metropolitan District articles

Woodmoor Water and Sanitation District, Aug. 14 – General manager reviews water resources

By James Howald

At its meeting in August, The Woodmoor Water and Sanitation District (WWSD) heard a presentation from General Manager Jessie Shaffer explaining the approaches to water resources the district could use to plan future needs. The board considered awarding a construction contract, voted for a resolution affirming the district’s participation in the El Paso County Regional Loop Water Authority (EPCRLWA) and launched an analysis of water and sewer tap fees. The board heard operational reports. Finally, the meeting ended with an executive session.

Four approaches to water resources

In response to a request from the board made at the previous meeting, Shaffer gave the board his thoughts on possible approaches the district could take to manage its present and future water sources with a focus on long-term sustainability.

If the district does nothing, Shaffer said, the Denver basin aquifers currently supplying customers will decline, with or without growth. More wells will need to be drilled and the cost of well drilling will escalate. The water pumped from aquifers will become more and more costly. Beyond a certain number of wells, it is hard to avoid well interference and it is harder to site wells, which can’t draw from outside the district boundaries. Long-term sustainability requires other sources, he said.

Shaffer characterized the next approach as “Go it alone”—by which he meant treating and transporting water from the Woodmoor Ranch without relying on any partnering water districts. This approach offers a sustainable supply of surface water, with the advantage that WWSD would retain complete control over its operations. The downside is affordability: The cost is likely to be near $180 million, which would be born entirely by WWSD ratepayers. Shaffer said this approach is not achievable due to cost.

The third approach Shaffer discussed involves relying on Colorado Springs Utilities (CSU) to convey, treat, and deliver water to WWSD customers. The short-term costs of this approach make it seem attractive, Shaffer said, but the long-term costs are higher than other alternatives, with a cumulative cost break-even point at nine years, and CSU could raise rates at any time so WWSD would lose control of its costs under this approach. Infrastructure to connect to CSU’s system would need to be built, and there are many fees that that would apply.

Finally, Shaffer discussed using a group approach and partnering with other districts. He said the EPCRLWA, in which WWSD is participating, is an example of this approach. A considerable challenge here is creating consensus among the partners, Shaffer said, but this approach offers economies of scale and sustainability.

Following the presentation, board President Brian Bush said the “do nothing” approach should be dropped as it violates WWSD’s mission to provide water to its customers on a sustainable basis.

Construction contract awarded

District Engineer Ariel Hacker told the board that the Monument Junction development currently under construction by Classic Homes has created a need for an additional pressure management zone within the district. The cost of building the new zone would primarily be paid by Classic Homes but some of the needed infrastructure would be installed beyond the boundaries of Classic Homes’ property to serve other WWSD customers, so WWSD would be responsible for a portion of the project. Classic Homes is responsible for installing a total of three pressure reducing valves and related pipelines, while WWSD is responsible for one valve and its pipelines, she said.

Hacker said three bids for the project were submitted but two contained substantial errors, so she recommended the third bidder, Asland Constructors.

Shaffer said that typically if a developer creates a need for additional infrastructure, the developer pays the associated costs, but in this case, since some of the work is off the developer’s property, Classic Homes approached the district and asked WWSD to manage the entire project, with Classic Homes paying WWSD for its portion of the project and adding a 20% contingency fee. Shaffer said if WWSD managed the entire project it would mean a single set of inspections, making the project more efficient.

The board voted unanimously to authorize awarding the contract to Asland Constructors. Bush asked that work not begin until Classic Homes had paid WWSD for its portion of the costs.

EPCRLWA resolution passes

The board voted unanimously in favor of a resolution formalizing WWSD’s participation in the EPCRLWA, informally known as the loop. Of the three other participating districts, Donala Water and Sanitation District has also signed a similar resolution and Cherokee Metropolitan District and the Town of Monument are expected to take the same step soon.

Tap fees due for review

Shaffer introduced Andrew Rheem of Raftelis, the company WWSD works with to model rates and fees and told the board he had asked Rheem last year to begin an analysis of the district’s tap fees.

Rheem said his goal was to ensure that growth in the district was paying its own way, explaining that there were some legal restraints on how tap fees would be used. For example, if they are used for debt service, the debt must be acquired due to development.

Rheem defined water and sewer tap fees as a one-time charge assessed to new customers when they connect to the district’s infrastructure for the first time or when they increase their service. New customers are paying for their share of the district’s capacity, he said. Currently, a new residence in WWSD’s service area pays $29,788 for a ¾-inch water tap and $10,390 for a sewer tap. Larger capacity taps pay a higher fee, he said.

Rheem explained three approaches to setting tap fees. The “buy-in” method is often used in districts where capacity is available and a new customer is buying into the existing system. The system is valued at its replacement cost in this method. The “incremental” approach is used where the existing system has little or no capacity for growth and the tap fees will be used to increase capacity. Finally, the “hybrid” approach when there is current capacity, but more is needed.

Rheem said his analysis would evaluate the maximum water and sewer tap fees under all three approaches and would recommend tap fees for all meter sizes.

Bush asked what timeframe would be used for the analysis, and Rheem said that was an open question. Bush said the board should avoid getting locked into something it does not want going forward.

The board voted unanimously to authorize Bush to sign a service agreement with Raftelis to complete the study.

Highlights of operational reports

  • Operations Superintendent Dan LaFontaine noted that the district’s customers were currently receiving surface water treated at the Central Water Treatment Facility.
  • LaFontaine said he had been investigating how stormwater was infiltrating the system and said he believed that, due to the rainy weather, a number of customers were using sump pumps to drain their basements and sending that water into the wastewater system where it would be treated. This is an illegal discharge, he said, adding water from basements should be distributed to the homeowners’ property.

Executive session

The meeting ended with an executive session to confer with legal counsel on questions relating to the EPCRLWA and to negotiations with CSU regarding the conveyance, treatment, and delivery of water.

**********

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

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

Other Woodmoor Water and Sanitation District articles

Monument Sanitation District, Aug. 8 – Board hears request to merge with town’s Water Department

By Jackie Burhans and James Howald

At its August meeting, the Monument Sanitation District (MSD) board heard a summary of a meeting between two MSD board members and representatives of the Town of Monument to discuss merging MSD with the town’s Water Department. The board voted on updates to the district’s employee handbook and to its bylaws. In his manager’s report, District Manager Mark Parker discussed maintenance and security issues at the district’s headquarters. Board President Dan Hamilton led a discussion of improvements to the district’s billing system. The meeting ended with an executive session.

LaKind and Kronick propose merger

Hamilton told the board that he and Director John Howe met with Monument Mayor Mitch LaKind and Councilmember Laura Kronick to discuss the possibility of merging MSD with the town’s Water Department and ultimately creating a water and sewer authority that combines the MSD service area, which is not entirely within the town borders, with the town. Hamilton said no specific proposal was made. Howe recalled that a similar discussion had taken place when Don Wilson was mayor, but no proposal was made.

Hamilton said if a specific proposal were made, it would be the board’s duty to consider it.

Jim Kendrick, who handles operations for MSD, said he did not know of a merger between a special district and a charter town in the state of Colorado.

Employee handbook and bylaws updated

Hamilton presented changes to the district’s employee handbook, which has been under review by MSD’s lawyer to bring it into compliance with recent changes to state law. Most of the changes address Paid Time Off (PTO) policy, he said.

Hamilton said under the updated policy employees with one to five years employment would earn 160 hours of PTO per year, employees with six to 15 years would earn 240 hours, and employees with more than 15 years would earn 320 hours. Parker added that Colorado’s Family and Medical Leave Insurance (FAMLI) law mandates that employees with less than a year on the job earn one hour of PTO for each 30 hours worked.

Hamilton proposed that each of Parker’s 28 years of experience in wastewater management add one-half a year of service to Parker’s 2 1/2 years of employment in MSD. He also pointed out that Colorado law requires any employee with less than 80 hours of earned PTO to be provided 80 hours if a public health emergency is declared.

Two half days off at Christmas and New Year’s were removed along with two floating days off and replaced with a day off following Christmas and New Year’s.

The board voted unanimously to approve the updated employee handbook.

The board also voted to approve amended bylaws. Parker said the changes were minimal, and he recommended reviewing the bylaws on a five-year schedule.

Manager’s report

Parker said the Black Forest Foods Café and Delicatessen, which rents a portion of the MSD headquarters building, was struggling with air conditioning issues and had deployed two swamp coolers on a temporary basis. He said its HVAC units were aging and would be evaluated for replacement. As the building’s owner, MSD would pay for any new equipment, he said.

Parker reported heat and hail damage to the roof on a section of the building and said a claim had been submitted to MSD’s insurer.

Parker told the board that Marylee Reisig, owner of Santa Fe Trail Jewelry, a tenant in the headquarters building, had thwarted a robbery attempt at her store. Pictures of thieves who had stolen $5,000 worth of merchandise from the Garden of the Gods Trading Post had been circulated to similar retailers and Reisig recognized them when they entered her shop. Reisig was able to prevent any theft by kicking them out, and Parker called police. Security camera footage showed the thieves driving by the store, parking their car, and entering the store.

Improvements to billing proposed

Hamilton said he would like to see the district make its autopay option easier for customers. He proposed eliminating the fee for paying with a credit card. He said he was willing to increase rates to eliminate the fee. Parker said credit cards were accepted only online and he intended to make it possible to pay with a credit card in the office as well. Parker said he did not want the district to store customer information as that would require compliance with additional regulations. Account Administrator Cheran Allsup said some older customers prefer to pay in person.

Executive session

The meeting ended with an executive session to consider Allsup’s annual review.

**********

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

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

Other Monument Sanitation District articles

Donala Water and Sanitation District, Aug. 17 – Electrical contract awarded

By James Howald and Jackie Burhans

The Donala Water and Sanitation District (DWSD) board met in August to award a contract for electrical work on the district’s newest well. The board also heard operational reports from General Manager Jeff Hodge, who reviewed the district’s monthly finances and touched on several ongoing projects.

Well 16A nears completion

Hodge told the board that drilling and hardware installation are complete for Well 16A, which will pump from the Arapahoe aquifer. Bids are out for drilling a pipeline to connect the well to the district’s infrastructure and to construct a vault for the well. The final bid is for electrical work, Hodge said.

Roger Sams, of GMS Engineering Inc., said the electrical work consisted of conduits, wiring, and installation of some equipment that has been received. There were two bids submitted for the work, Sams said: one from McDade-Woodcock Inc. for $134,551 and a second from Sun Valley Contractors LLC for $94,406. Sams advised the district to award the contract to Sun Valley Contractors.

The board voted unanimously to award the contract to Sun Valley Contractors.

Details of operational reports

Hodge told the board that water sales had increased during July, and much of the revenue lost due to exceptionally rainy May and June had been recovered. He gave a generally positive picture of the district’s finances, remarking that electrical expenses budgeted at $73,000 would be closer to $50,000 due to the lower water usage in previous months. Repair and maintenance was also under budget, he said.

Hodge said the district was rebidding the project to recoat the district’s water tanks.

Commenting on the district’s recent changes to billing for sewer service, which took effect in July, Hodge said only four calls from the district’s 2,900 customers had been received, with two callers unhappy with the changes and two happy. Hodge said July billing for sewer service was up $20,000.

Hodge said only 57 meters remained to be replaced out of the 2,819 in the district. He noted that the new meters were better integrated with the district’s billing software, allowing office staff to have accurate real-time data to assist customers.

Summarizing progress by the El Paso County Regional Loop Water Authority, of which DWSD is a participating district, Hodge said he noticed Colorado Springs Utilities (CSU) was becoming more flexible in the options it was willing to consider for how the loop project might use CSU’s infrastructure. The loop might be able to save money by using some of CSU’s infrastructure instead of building its own, he said.

Hodge also mentioned that due to staff changes, he was now the Operator in Responsible Charge (ORC) for the Upper Monument Creek Regional Wastewater Treatment Facility.

**********

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

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

Other Donala Water and Sanitation District articles

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

By James Howald

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

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

PPWM reports on meetings

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

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

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

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

ARPA subrecipient agreement explained

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

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

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

The board voted unanimously to approve the agreement.

Water quality tests proceed

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

Executive session and vote

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

**********

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

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

Other El Paso County Regional Loop Water Authority articles

Woodmoor Water and Sanitation District, July 17 and 25 – Board president resigns; board reorganizes

By James Howald

The Woodmoor Water and Sanitation District (WWSD) board met twice in July. At the regularly scheduled meeting, board President Barrie Town resigned, citing health reasons, which led to a special meeting on July 25 to fill the vacated seat and reorganize the board. The board heard a presentation on Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS)—sometimes called “forever chemicals”—and considered awarding a contract for the district’s portion of the project to widen Highway 105.

District Manager Jessie Shaffer presented a mid-year budget update. The board considered the results of the acoustic evaluation of its pipelines, as well as operational reports. The regularly scheduled board meeting ended with an executive session.

Board appoints new member and reorganizes

Town opened the July 17 regular meeting by announcing his resignation, effective July 19, telling the board he was doing so reluctantly at the advice of his doctor. He said two residents had expressed an interest in being appointed to replace him: Jim Taylor, who had served on the WWSD board previously, and Wendy Fisher, an employee of a local bank who wanted to contribute to the community.

At the July 25 special meeting, board Treasurer Roy Martinez said WWSD was at a critical point in its history due to its participation in the El Paso County Regional Loop Water Authority (EPCRLWA) which, if implemented, would solve the problem of how to make the water purchased along with the Woodmoor Ranch property near Fountain Creek available to district customers. Martinez said the board needed qualified candidates for appointment who were familiar with district history and issues and who could hit the ground running. Martinez nominated Brian Bush for the vacant seat.

Bush has previously served two terms on the WWSD board as president. He could not run in the last election, since board members can only be elected twice, but the law allows him to be appointed for an additional term. Bush has a background in water law and was president during the recent upgrades to the Lake Pump Station and the Central Water Treatment Plant.

The board voted unanimously to appoint Bush to the vacant seat.

Following Bush’s appointment, the board held elections to reorganize its officers. Bush was elected to serve as board president. Bill Clewe, the incumbent secretary, was re-elected to that post. Martinez was re-elected to continue as treasurer.

Remedy for PFAS uncertain

District Engineer Ariel Hacker gave the board a presentation on PFAS, focusing on the many uncertainties about how they will be addressed. She said PFAS are manmade chemicals that were first introduced in the 1940s and have now become ubiquitous. PFAS occur in non-stick cookware, clothing, cosmetics, paint, furniture, cleaning products, fire-fighting foam, and many other products. They are sometimes called “forever chemicals” because they break down slowly. PFAS have found their way into water systems, the soil, and aquifers and this cycle will continue as long as they are in the products we buy. They are linked to many serious illnesses, including cancers, Hacker said. Hacker mentioned a large-scale study done 15 years ago that showed PFAS were linked to thyroid disease, high cholesterol, as well as kidney and testicular cancer.

Hacker mentioned that fire-fighting foam used at Peterson Air Force Base has contaminated drinking water in Widefield, Security, and Fountain, causing those communities to shut down wells and to find ways of removing the chemicals from drinking water. The City of Fountain installed a Granular Activated Carbon (GAC) treatment system, partially funded by Peterson Air Force Base.

Hacker emphasized that the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has not yet completely defined standards for PFAS in drinking water. In spring 2021, the EPA issued regulations for perfluorooctanoic acid and perfluorooctane sulfate and announced it would evaluate the family of PFAS for regulatory action. That evaluation is still underway, she said.

In response to a question from District Manager Jessie Shaffer about potential regulation, Operation Superintendent Dan LaFontaine said the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment would regulate PFAS in the state of Colorado. When and how they will do so is unclear, he said.

Shaffer said in addition to GAC there are other technologies to remove PFAS, including anionic exchange systems and biological activated carbon. WWSD needs to begin financial planning for implementing PFAS remediation, he said. He pointed out the towns of Security and Fountain have implemented systems that have led to undetectable levels of PFAS. LaFontaine said WWSD is already testing for PFAS and levels are undetectable, mostly because there are no wastewater streams above WWSD.

Construction contract awarded

Hacker told the board that the first round of bidding to complete WWSD’s portion of El Paso County’s project to widen Highway 105 between Jackson Creek Parkway and Lake Woodmoor Drive had produced a single bid, which was $185,000 over the engineer’s estimate. This led WWSD to rebid the work, she said.

Richard Hood of JVA Inc., a consulting company that advises WWSD, said the project to widen the highway will impact raw and potable water lines, requiring them to be moved. He said the second round of bidding produced three bids, with Wildcat Construction being the low bidder at $1.12 million, a bid $60,000 under the engineer’s estimate. He recommended awarding the contract to Wildcat Construction.

Shaffer pointed out that Wildcat Construction was chosen by El Paso County to do the county’s portion of the project, so it would make the project go more smoothly if WWSD also selected it.

The board voted unanimously to award the contract to Wildcat Construction.

Midyear budget update

Shaffer gave the board an updated budget for 2023 and said he would address the largest changes in his remarks.

On the revenue side, the biggest change was a reduction in anticipated tap fees, which were reduced from $4 million to $1.6 million. Higher interest rates slowed new construction, Shaffer said, which led to fewer new connections to the district’s water and sewer services. Slower development also led to a reduction of revenue from supplemental water: $752,510 in supplemental water fees was budgeted, but that was lowered to $99,842 in the mid-year budget. The unusually rainy spring and summer months lowered water user fees, he said.

Shaffer said the district spent only $250,000 of the $500,000 it had budgeted to participate in the EPCRLWA water re-use project.

On a positive note, Shaffer said the higher interest rates had doubled the interest the district receives on its financial reserves, raising it from $500,000 to $1 million.

On the expenditure side, Shaffer said the district spent $75,000 more than expected to repair hardware problems with wells. Costs associated with the project to widen Highway 105 and the project to replace worn out sewer saddles were higher than originally budgeted. Capital improvement projects were budgeted at $5.8 million, but only $5.4 million of that will be spent in 2023, he said.

Shaffer said he expected to end 2023 with $19.6 million in unrestricted reserves.

The board accepted the updated budget without a vote.

Acoustic evaluation a time saver

Earlier in the year, the district hired RH Borden to help it evaluate the state of its sewer collection pipes. In previous years, district employees had cleaned sewer pipes based on a schedule, cleaning 20 percent of the sewer pipes each year, moving through the entire service area on a five-year schedule. This method meant some time and resources were used cleaning pipes that really did not need service.

Shaffer explained that RH Borden had developed a new technology that uses sound waves to quickly identify pipes that are clear, partially blocked, or totally blocked. Shaffer said the original proposal was for RH Borden to evaluate one-fourth to one-half of the district’s sewer lines, but RH Borden was able to evaluate all the sewer lines with the funds allocated. Shaffer said he was surprised at how quickly RH Borden got through 80 miles of pipeline.

Kwin Peterson of RH Borden said in five weeks his team opened every manhole in the district, did an evaluation of each manhole, evaluated every pipe segment, and recorded all the data for entry into WWSD’s Geographic Information System database for later use. His team found 87% of the pipes did not need cleaning, allowing the district to focus only on the pipes that truly needed cleaning.

LaFontaine said this was the first time the district had a full assessment of all manholes. He estimated the new technology saved the district 3 to 3 1/2 months of labor and equipment usage.

Highlights of operational reports

  • LaFontaine said the rainy spring and summer had led to stormwater infiltrating the sewer collection system through manholes, which increased the flows in the Tri-Lakes Waste Water Treatment Facility.
  • The district’s project to replace existing water meters with more advanced units is ongoing.
  • Well 12 is out of service due to a pump failure.
  • The Cloverleaf development has qualified for conditional acceptance.

Executive session

The July 17 meeting ended with an executive session to confer with legal counsel on questions relating to the EPCRLWA and on the authority to set fees.

**********

The next meeting is scheduled for Aug. 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, July 19 – Good news on Highway 105 sewer repair

By Jackie Burhans and James Howald

At its July meeting, the Monument Sanitation District (MSD) board heard an operational report and a financial report from General Manager Mark Parker and briefly discussed two issues that were tabled until the next board meeting.

Manager’s report

Parker updated the board on a repair needed on a sewer line that serves the Conoco gas station, the McDonald’s restaurant, and Jarrito Loco. The line runs under Highway 105, and at the previous meeting Parker said the line was 14 feet underground and if the repair required the line to be excavated traffic on the highway would be impacted. At the July meeting, Parker said following a discussion with engineers he believed the repair could be made by lining the pipe without digging it up.

Parker said he had signed up the district to participate in CoWARN, a statewide water and wastewater response network. CoWARN facilitates mutual aid between utilities to resolve emergency situations, he said, adding that membership does not obligate members to offer or accept aid.

Parker told the board that Black Forest Foods Café and Delicatessen, which rents a third of the MSD headquarters building, was struggling with inadequate heating and air conditioning. MSD, as landlord, would be responsible for any necessary upgrades.

In his discussion of district finances, Parker mentioned the district was receiving fewer requests for sewer taps, which are connections to the district’s wastewater collection system, and was seeing lower revenue from tap fees, which are one of the ways infrastructure improvements are funded. He said there was plenty of sewer and treatment capacity, so scarcity of water would be the factor limiting the demand for new sewer taps.

Items tabled

A decision to accept the employee handbook was tabled so that it could be updated to comply with new state laws. A review of district bylaws was also tabled.

June meeting update

Following the executive session held at the end of the previous board meeting, the board voted unanimously in favor of an 8.5% raise for Parker. This vote was not officially announced until after the July issue of OCN had gone to press.

**********

Monument Sanitation District meetings are normally held at 9 a.m. on the third Wednesday of the month in the district conference room at 130 Second St., Monument. The next regular meeting is scheduled for Aug. 16. See https://colorado.gov/msd. For a district service map, see https://colorado.gov/pacific/msd/district-map-0. Information: 719-481-4886.

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

Other Monument Sanitation District articles

Triview Metropolitan District, July 20 – Stonewall Springs Reservoir operational; Conexus Subdistrict dissolved; 2022 budget amended

By Natalie Barszcz

At the Triview Metropolitan District (TMD) meeting on July 20, the board heard about the Stonewall Springs Reservoir operations, approved the dissolution of Subdistrict B, amended the 2022 budget, received a presentation on the 2022 audit, received multiple updates, and held an executive session to receive legal advice on water and property acquisitions, and the Higby Road design.

Vice President Anthony Sexton and Director Jason Gross attended via telephone.

Director Amanda Carlton did not attend.

Stonewall Springs Reservoir is operational

District Manager James McGrady said the district acquired the 1041 permit from Pueblo County, which is necessary to operate exchanges of water at the Stonewall Springs Reservoir. The district is now exchanging water regionally using the new pump station, and the reservoir is full. The renewable water program is an accomplishment for TMD and the entire region, he said. See NEPCO article on page < 18 >.

Above: Triview Metropolitan District’s Stonewall Springs South Reservoir on July 20. The reservoir was full to capacity by mid-July and holds enough water to supply the district for two years. Photo courtesy of James McGrady.

Water attorney Chris Cummins said the filling of a reservoir generates a great deal of interest, because it is not an everyday happening. See photo above.

Note: The July newsletter is available at www.triviewmetro.com.

Subdistrict B dissolution

McGrady said when the district put together Subdistrict B for the Conexus development located west of I-25 off Old Denver Road, Monument, the district was unsure at the time that Conexus would be able to set up its own metropolitan district, but that has now occurred, and Conexus feels it will have sufficient bond capacity to complete the project. See www.ocn.me/v23n6.htm#tmd.

Gross said it seems the district would be taking a tool out of its tool kit, and why would the district get rid Subdistrict B before Conexus has built out its development? he asked.

McGrady said that Conexus can impose 35 mills for the operation and management of its new development. TMD currently imposes 24 mills of its allowed 35 mills to its customers and could only issue 11 mills to Conexus. He had a conversation with the developer and was assured they would not need Subdistrict B. If Conexus is making the wrong decision, it will have to make it work, he said.

Gross asked if the development posed any potential risk to TMD.

McGrady said the Conexus development west of I-25 is not integral to the district, and the roads and pipeline are located on the periphery of the district. The Town of Monument (TOM) collected a performance bond from the developer before the construction begins to protect against abandonment of the project. TMD inspects all the water and wastewater pipelines and Tom Martinez of Monument Public Works inspects the road and stormwater infrastructure. The work is warrantied for two years, and then a punch list is completed to ensure the final infrastructure is to code. The district employs extremely qualified staff with 20-plus years of experience to inspect water and wastewater infrastructure, to include the Northern Delivery System pipeline project

The district’s attorney, George Rowley, said there is no negative should Conexus fail to complete infrastructure, because it is required to install the infrastructure before any residents move in. Rowley requested the board review and approve Resolution 2023-05, a resolution of the TMD Board of Directors acting at the request of the property owners, Conexus developers Schuck-Chapman, to dissolve Subdistrict B and authorize the district staff and the district legal team to prepare documents, make filings, and consummate the dissolution of it.

The board approved Resolution 2023-05, 4-0.

2022 budget amendment

President Mark Melville opened a public hearing for the proposed 2022 budget amendment.

District Accountant Cathy Fromm explained the required amendments for the 2022 budget and said the General Fund/Capital Projects Fund was amended by $195,206 due to additional capital projects, and the Enterprise Fund was amended to show an increase of about $3.9 million. The increases were due to capital projects and over $300,000 in additional meters that were ordered in 2021 but received in 2022. The additions are required to be reported in the year received, she said.

Melville said a revised budget approval occurs every year after the auditors and accounts have conducted the audit, and hearing no public comments closed the public hearing.

McGrady requested the board review and approve Resolution 2023-04, a resolution of the TMD Board of Directors amending the 2022 budget.

The board approved the 2022 budget amendments, 4-0.

2022 audit

Christine McCleod of Haynie and Co. CPA presented the 2022 audit and said no significant weaknesses or deficiencies had occurred. The audit was substantially completed but still in draft form, and once complete the report will be filed on time with an un-modified opinion. The district has a strong set of financials with nothing outside of normal accounting procedures, she said.

McCleod recommended the Higby Road escrow account be moved to reflect a liability account on the balance sheet for correct financial presentation purposes.

The board approved the 2022 Audited Financial Statements as presented, subject to review and any changes, and the filing with the state, 4-0.

Financial update

Secretary James Barnhart requested clarification on the overbudget vehicle expense line discussed at the June board meeting. See www.ocn.me/v23n7.htm#tmd and the correction at the end of this article.

Fromm said the fuel charges will be moved to the fuel line item, and other charges will be scheduled to the correct accounts. The district had a lot of Les Schwab charges for tires this year and $660 for the Vehicle Expense line in the General Fund for Public Works, was really underbudgeted, she said.

McGrady said the district truly underbudgeted the line item, with gas expenses charged to that line, and many pieces and parts needed for vehicles this year.

The board accepted the financial report as presented, and approved the checks issued over $5,000.

NDS pipeline project update

McGrady said Kiewit was doing a great job, and the NDS pipelines were expected to be tied together in late July. The crews will begin working on the east portion of Baptist Road overnight to avoid traffic congestion. All materials for the project have been received (except for the pump station), and the pipeline will be installed by mid-September, with the overlay expected to take place from late September through mid-October, he said.

Note: For NDS pipeline project updates, alternate traffic routes, answers to questions, and to sign-up for email notifications, visit www.triviewnds.com. The link can also be found at www.triviewmetro.com.

Public Works and Parks and Open Space update

Superintendent Matt Rayno said:

• The Remington Hill overlay project was scheduled to be completed by Martin Marietta on July 22.

• Staff members are completing the last section of the trail system at Agate Creek Park.

• A concrete pad at Old Creek Park had been installed, and a shade structure and picnic table will be added to the pad in August.

• Radar speed signs have been ordered for a total of about $7,400. The signs will be installed on northbound Gleneagle Drive at the Promontory Pointe Trail Park, and southbound Gleneagle Drive just after the roundabout after exiting Sanctuary Rim.

Resident Ann-Marie Jojola thanked the district for installing radar speed signs along Gleneagle Drive in Promontory Pointe and said there are a lot of curves and motorists gain momentum. There have been some close calls with children crossing the road, she said.

McGrady said the road has a steep grade, and children do not have the sight distance to navigate the speed of oncoming vehicles.

Sidewalk repair matching program

McGrady said the district is responsible for curb and gutter repairs, but for sidewalks a concrete matching program of $1,000 per home to fix sidewalks exists. The district budgets $25,000 annually for the program and currently has $50,000 to match homeowner sidewalk repairs. Residents interested in the sidewalk repair matching program should contact Assistant Manager Steve Sheffield at ssheffield@triviewmetro.com or call 719-314-6473.

Re-opening of open space

McGrady said he and Rayno had walked the open space north of the Lyons Tail Road and south of the Talus Road playground and found the space was now free of trash and in great shape compared to about a year ago, when activities such as underage drinking, evidence of fire pits, scrub oak chopped with axes and fort building activity had been taking place. Back then the board examined alternatives after receiving resident complaints and made the area off-limits. The area is now looking pristine with no signs of damage, and he recommended the board consider re-opening the single-lane foot path and open space with monitoring, and new signs asking users to please respect this open space.

The neighbor that had originally requested the district take action in June 2022 to protect the open space said he had not requested the closure, but due to the closure a rock had been thrown through his window last year. He concurred the space looked good now, and he and his wife were in favor of the space being re-opened, as long as it is monitored. In the past he had observed a female teenager tear off a branch from the 100-year-old Gambel oak shrubs.

Residents attending in support of re-opening the space said they and another neighbor would be watching to ensure the open space users are not causing damage or engaging in dangerous behavior.

Melville thanked the homeowners in attendance and said the board regrets the decision it made to close the open space, but he hoped the children present at the meeting could go and enjoy the open space with their neighbors. See the TMD board meeting minutes from June 23, 2022 at www.triviewmetro.com.

Note: OCN did not cover the complaint that led to the closure because the July 2022 edition did not cover the TMD board meeting. Subsequently, the board meeting minutes and the district newsletter did not refer to the homeowners by name in response to the complaint.

Grass grant for open spaces

Resident Melissa Simonoff requested the board consider applying for the state’s $2 million grant available to municipalities for 2023-24 for lawn removal and replacement in public spaces. It could be used for the enhancement of the open spaces in Jackson Creek, she said.

McGrady said that in years past the grant was available only for residential purposes and a very small amount of money was available. He requested Simonoff forward the information to him for further consideration.

Melville thanked Simonoff for the information and said the board would look into the request.

Executive session

The board moved into executive session at 7:58 p.m., pursuant to Colorado Revised Statutes 24-6-402(4) (a), (b), (e), to discuss acquisitions, receive legal advice on negotiations regarding water acquisitions, change cases, property acquisition negotiations, and the Higby Road design.

After the meeting, Sheffield confirmed that no further actions were taken when the board returned to the regular meeting and promptly adjourned at 8:57 p.m.

**********

Correction

In the financial update portion of the June TMD article www.ocn.me/v23n7.htm#tmd, it should have read: “Vehicle expenses were $7,261, and 1100% over the budgeted $660 in the May 2023 financial report.” OCN regrets the error.

**********

Meetings are usually held on the third Thursday every month at the district office at 16055 Old Forest Point, Suite 302. The next regular meeting is scheduled for Aug. 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

By James Howald

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

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

Details of project management contract decided

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

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

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

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

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

The board voted unanimously to execute the agreement with Merrick.

Water quality tests proceed

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

Kevin Brown to attend CWC

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

**********

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

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

Other El Paso County Regional Loop Water Authority articles

Donala Water and Sanitation District, July 20 – Board honors Judd, changes sewer billing

By James Howald and Jackie Burhans

At its July meeting, the Donala Water and Sanitation District (DWSD) board honored previous board member Ken Judd for his long service to the district. It launched a usage-based billing system for sewer service. General Manager Jeff Hodge detailed water sales over the last 10 years and discussed the impact of the exceptionally high rainfall seen in recent months on the district’s finances.

The board voted on two resolutions: the first committing to participation in the El Paso County Regional Loop Water Authority (EPCRLWA) and the second initiating planning for adding direct potable reuse (DPR) to the district’s portfolio of water assets. Hodge updated the board on water quality issues, focusing on radium removal. The regular board meeting was preceded by a workshop devoted to the Upper Monument Creek Regional Wastewater Treatment Facility (UMCRWWTF), including a tour of the facility. The regular meeting ended with an executive session.

Judd receives Water Drop

Current board President Wayne Vanderschuere presented Judd with DWSD’s Water Drop award in appreciation of his long service to the district and its customers. In May, the board passed a resolution honoring Judd for serving as the board president, working on district financing, contributing to 10 district budgets, planning mill levy override campaigns, and negotiating with surrounding districts. Previous DWSD board President Ed Houle was present to see Judd accept the award. Judd’s granddaughter from Ireland also attended the ceremony.

Above: At its July board meeting, Donala board President Wayne Vanderschuere, right, presented the coveted Water Drop award to former board member Kenneth Judd, left. Judd, who resigned in May, was honored for his long service on the board, including a stint as board president. Judd had worked on district financing, contributed to 10 district budgets, planned mill levy override campaigns, and negotiated with surrounding districts. Photo by Jackie Burhans

Usage-based sewer billing starts in July

Billing Administrator Ashley Uhrin updated the board on DWSD’s new sewer billing methodology. Beginning July 1, DWSD’s flat fee of $40.54 per month for sewer service was replaced with a base fee of $6.90 plus a consumption-based charge of $8.94 per 1,000 gallons of wastewater produced. This change affects residential customers only. The consumption-based charge is calculated once a year based on average water consumption during December, January, and February, which is assumed to be equal to the amount of wastewater produced, since no irrigation is done during those months. Snowbird customers will be billed the district average for water service during the winter months, calculated at 3,500 gallons per month.

The new charges will be on August bills, Uhrin said. In response to a question from Director Bill George, Hodge said sewer revenue is estimated to remain more or less equal to the revenue produced by the previous flat fee.

More details about the usage-based rates can be found in the Jan. 1, 2022 issue of OCN, which reported on a presentation from Roger Sams of GMS Engineering Inc. that covers the assumptions and goals of the new methodology. Sams’ presentation can be found online here: https://www.ocn.me/v22n1.htm#dwsd.

Rainy weather reduces water revenue

Hodge told the board that the high amount of rain the last few months has reduced customer demand for water and lowered DWSD’s revenue from water sales. He showed the board a graph of water usage by month for the last 10 years that showed the water usage for June 2023 to be the lowest usage in June for the last 10 years. The highest June usage was in June 2013. He said low water usage was also estimated for July and possibly for August and forecasted a $754,236 deficit in water sales from what was budgeted for 2023.

Hodge said he did not believe the district would need to use funds from its reserves to meet operating costs. He pointed out that the low demand also meant the district would have to pay Colorado Springs Utilities (CSU) less to convey, treat, and deliver the district’s water to its customers, so there are some savings on the expense side.

Vanderschuere said he expected wholesale electrical costs to increase by 7% next year. He added that Hodge’s graph confirmed CSU’s prediction that the standard deviation in weather events was increasing, with higher highs and lower lows for precipitation and temperature.

Water Operator Ronny Wright told the board the rainfall had led to excess water in storage, which he was trying to sell or store somewhere other than the Pueblo Reservoir, where DWSD can store up to 499 acre-feet of water. DWSD currently is above that limit, he said. Hodge said that if DWSD had its planned aquifer storage and retrieval (ASR) technology in place, that excess water could be stored for future consumption.

Resolutions passed

The board voted unanimously to pass Resolution 2023-7, which defines how and why DWSD will participate in the EPCRLWA, a large-scale water re-use project in which DWSD partners with Cherokee Metropolitan District, the Town of Monument, and Woodmoor Water and Sanitation District. Specifically:

  • DWSD will have an equal vote with the other participants.
  • EPCRLWA is in the best interest of DWSD customers.
  • EPCRLWA provides local control of rates, costs, and operations.
  • EPCRLWA is intended to provide affordable recaptured water.
  • EPCRLWA will allow DWSD to use its water rights on Fountain Creek.

The board also voted unanimously in favor of Resolution 2023-8, which commits DWSD to initiating a long-term project to implement DPR technology that meets Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment Regulation No. 11. DPR is defined as: “a series of processes that produce finished drinking water using a source containing treated wastewater that has not passed through an environmental buffer.” The regulation, which was recently passed by the state Legislature, includes monitoring and treatment protocols. The district’s plans for DPR are aligned with its plans to implement ASR. The next step will be to establish baseline values for DPR, Vanderschuere said. Hodge stressed that the implementation of DPR would be a long journey.

Progress on radium removal

Hodge told the board that rehabilitating three filters in the Holbein water treatment plant had reduced radium to below the state’s limit. DWSD is now in a position to ask El Paso County for American Recovery Plan Act funds to reimburse it for the costs of radium removal. DWSD is working to implement hydrous manganese oxide (HMO) treatment to further mitigate radium, and some of the required hardware should arrive in the August to September timeframe. Hodge said he expected to have the HMO treatment process in place by November.

Workshop tours treatment facility

The regular board meeting was preceded by a workshop at the UMCRWWTF that included an overview of the treatment facility operations by Hodge and a tour of the facility led by Waste Plant Operator Aaron Tolman.

Above: On July 20, the Donala Water and Sanitation District held a workshop and tour at the Upper Monument Creek Regional Waste Water Treatment Facility before its board meeting. General Manager Jeff Hodge provided a brief overview of the treatment facility operations, and Plant Operator Aaron Tolman led a tour of the facilities, including the three sequencing batch reactor basins. From left, the first basin is aerated by blowers to provide oxygen for the microorganisms that process the incoming wastewater; the second basin is in settle/decant mode, and the third basin is undergoing repairs. Photos by Jackie Burhans.

Executive session

The meeting ended with an executive session to receive legal advice concerning negotiations regarding the UMCRWWTF Intergovernmental Agreement.

**********

The next meeting is scheduled for Aug. 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 22 – NDS pipeline project progressing

By Natalie Barszcz

At the Triview Metropolitan District (TMD) meeting on June 22, the board received an update on the progress of the Northern Delivery System (NDS) pipeline project, approved a water rights lease agreement, and held an executive session to discuss acquisitions, negotiations, and receive legal advice for water, and property, and the draft aquifer storage and recovery report.

Vice Chairman Anthony Sexton was excused.

NDS update

District Manager James McGrady said the NDS pipeline project had reached Roller Coaster Road, and Kiewit Infrastructure is installing about 300 feet of pipeline per day, (the original bid had predicted 200 feet per day). The pipeline project has reached the trail head entrance to Fox Run Regional Park, and everything is going extremely well, he said. The pipeline is expected to reach Highway 83 by September, and he thanked Kiewit Infrastructure for working with landowners along the pipeline to negotiate storage of materials along the route. The district plans to complete the overlay of asphalt along the pipeline route in early fall, he said.

For NDS pipeline project updates, answers to questions and concerns, and to sign-up for email notifications, visit www.triviewnds.com. The link can also be found at www.triviewmetro.com.

Note: TMD is expecting to receive district-owned renewable surface water via the pipeline after the pump house is built next to the Colorado Springs Utilities water storage tank east of Highway 83 and Old Northgate Road. The pump house is scheduled for completion in October 2024.

Water rights lease agreement

McGrady requested the board review and consider an amendment to the district water rights lease agreement between James Treat of 7021 County Road 104, Salida and TMD. The district owns all of Bale Ditch 1, that diverts water into the Arkansas River, and owns half of Bale Ditch 2. The Treat family owns and uses the second half of Bale 2 to irrigate a hay crop. The agreement allows the district to have a standing lease to begin using the second half of the Bale Ditch water whenever Treat decides to stop using the water. The district will pay Treat for the use of the water. In addition to an existing water right, the agreement will justify and include the Treat water right, and whenever he decides to sell in the future, the district would likely be the buyer of the other half of Bale 2. The district has undertaken the engineering portion to divert the water from Bale 2 back to the Arkansas River, he said.

Water Attorney Chris Cummins of Monson Cummins & Shotet LLC said the lease agreement is favorable for owner Treat because it will avoid his duplication of the engineering costs to divert his share of water back into the Arkansas River.

Director Jason Gross said the agreement constitutes astute planning.

The board approved the water rights lease agreement between the district and Treat and authorized the district manager to sign with only non-substantive changes to the approved agreement, 4-0.

Operations report

McGrady said the following:

  • The Pueblo 1041 permit was scheduled for review and consideration by the Pueblo County Commissioners on June 27. The permit is critical for the district to operate all its water assets and exchanges between it and Pueblo.
  • The pump station at the Stonewall Springs Reservoir, Pueblo County, was commissioned on June 26, and the district has begun storing water in the reservoir.
  • The Upper Monument Creek Waste Water Regional Treatment Facility’s 86-page report is being reviewed by the district. The report will be discussed in the July executive session. See www.ocn.me/v23n4.htm#tmd.

Higby Road redesign

McGrady said the Higby Road redesign was undecided due to the multiple staff turnovers at the Town of Monument (TOM). A meeting is scheduled with the TOM to work through some of the technicalities of the design. The district has a comprehensive functional design that meets everyone’s needs including the school district’s, he said. The TOM Planning Department now have new staff with different ideas on the width of the road. The district is managing the project and engaged two traffic engineers, one with over 25 years of experience from Colorado Springs, and a design engineer. A Kiewit engineer also provided a cost estimate for the project. The district did collect money from developers to pay for the Higby Road project, he said.

Gross requested a confirmation briefing to ensure the design considers teen driver safety. See www.ocn.me/v23n2.htm#tmd.

Unexplained water loss cause discovered

Superintendent Shawn Sexton said after re-calculating the water usage versus water sold the district discovered a water loss of a little over 7% compared to previous months that indicated as much as a 15%-22% water loss. Water loss is at a normal acceptable level, but zero would be best.

McGrady said the unexplained water loss discussion in May was due to the district reading the meters on the 28th of each month, but the real reading is on the last day of the month. In winter, the extra days are added to the next month, but a hot day after the 28th in spring and summer would show higher usage. In the future, the district will compare apples to apples to ensure accurate water loss levels. The calculations were just a measurement issue, thrown off by high usage days, he said. See www.ocn.me/v23n6.htm#tmd.

Financial update

President Mark Melville requested the board review and approve the checks over $5,000 and said that all expenses were budgeted line items and part of the overall 2023 budget.

The board approved the checks over $5,000 as presented, 4-0.

Treasurer/Secretary James Barnhart noted that vehicle expenses were at $660,000—1100% over the budgeted $20,000 for 2023 in the financial report.

McGrady said the staff would need to investigate what appears to be a possible line-item discrepancy. The district conducts all vehicle oil changes in house, but expenses have been high for tires and fuel. Having an in-house mechanic has saved money for the district, and until the district purchased a $500 blade sharpener, the district had a weekly expense for the sharpening of blades. The cost of sub-contracting jobs is high and the district endeavors to keep most jobs in house, he said.

The board accepted the financial report as presented, 4-0.

Public Works and Parks and Open Space update

Superintendent Matt Rayno said the following:

  • The spring weather pattern has been a huge challenge for the staff to keep the district in viable shape. The district has seen excessive plant growth due to the rainfall, and additional weed control and early pruning is needed. A typical spring is not usually as wet, and herbicide control has been diluted by the water. Mowing is needed every five days, and the staff are working hard to catch up.
  • The paving is now complete at the new state-of-the-art facility at A Yard (located adjacent to the power station east of Jackson Creek Parkway). The new facility will house the 900-ECO 12-yard truck-mounted combination sewer cleaner, on order since August 2022. See www.ocn.me/v22n9.htm#tmd.
  • The Agate Creek Park enhancement project is nearing completion, with two staff dedicated to working on the park. Staff planted about 500 shrubs alongside the trails and anticipate a July 4 completion date. Foot traffic will not be permitted until after the surface is stabilized and the first mow is completed.
  • The Remington Hills overlay project was placed on hold due to erosion from the new development and the weather, but the district is hoping to begin the overlay July 9, after patching and re-stabilizing the road.

This reporter mentioned the wet trail behind Split Creek Drive at the intersection below the retention pond behind Transcontinental Drive in Promontory Pointe. Although a drain exists in the low point of the trail intersection, and drain improvements had been made in the past, the area more often remains wet throughout the year, causing the majority of trail users to cut another trail close to a property line. The pet station receptacle placed just west of the soggy area is often difficult to access from the trail that runs from the northern utility tract, south to Lyons Tail Road. Although the region has experienced an unusually wet spring, the problem has existed since the beginning of the development, hence the well-worn trail that veers from the designated trail, she said.

Melville suggested some additional buildup in the area might alleviate the problem.

Gross asked if a wet spot on the trail system behind Oxbow Drive could be fixed. He said a neighbor’s sump pump drains onto the trail, and he suggested the district install drainage in that area.

Rayno said that another resident on Lacuna Drive has a sump pump dumping out, and that the district needs to create culverts to help drain water in these spots, but many trails need work, especially after the prolonged heavy spring rain storms.

Executive session

The board moved into an executive session at 7:21 p.m. pursuant to Colorado Revised Statutes 24-6-402(4) (a), (b), and (e), to discuss acquisitions, negotiations, and receive legal advice for water and property, and the draft aquifer storage and recovery report. See www.ocn.me/v23n6.htm#dwsd.

After the meeting, Assistant District Manager Steve Sheffield confirmed that no decisions were made when the board returned to the regular meeting.

The meeting adjourned at 8:13 p.m.

**********

Meetings are usually held on the third Thursday every month at the district office at 16055 Old Forest Point, Suite 302. The next regular meeting is scheduled for July 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

Woodmoor Water and Sanitation District, June 12 – Audit shows good financial health, Lori Akers retires

Correction

In last month’s article, board member Roy Martinez was incorrectly identified as Tom Martinez. Our Community News regrets the error.

By James Howald

At its June meeting, the Woodmoor Water and Sanitation District (WWSD) board heard an audit report on its 2022 finances. The district’s lawyer announced some changes to her legal firm. The district’s engineer updated the board on changes to the Highway 105 expansion plans and other projects. The impact of recent rainy weather was discussed. The board celebrated the service of longtime employee Lori Akers. The July board meeting was rescheduled, and the meeting ended with an executive session.

Retiring Billing Manager Lori Akers was feted by Woodmoor Water and Sanitation District (WWSD) board members, staff, and friends from Woodmoor Improvement Association and the community. Akers worked at WWSD for 38 years in a variety of positions, including meter reading, reporting and repairing, main break repairs, landscaping, front office, and billing. She started in 1985 as a part-time employee when the district had 817 customers and most of the roads were yet to be paved. She became a full-time employee in 1987, doing customer service and using two-way radios to communicate with other employees. She initially did billing by hand, sending out bills on 3-by-5 cards, then helped implement computer-based billing and oversaw three software conversions. During her tenure, WWSD grew to over 4,000 customers. Akers said, “I don’t cry, but I have a lump in my throat,” and she planned to enjoy her retirement touring on her motorcycle. Photo by Jackie Burhans

“Smooth audit”

Uli Keeley, of Prospective Business Solutions LLC, presented the results of the audit of the district’s finances for 2022. Keeley said this was her first audit for the district, but she was familiar with its finances. The board selected her as its auditor in December 2022. Keeley had worked for the district’s previous auditor John Cutler and Associates on WWSD issues before she started her own company.

Keeley’s report issued the district an unmodified opinion, an indication that the audit did not uncover concerning issues.

She pointed out a new line item in the net position portion of the report called “land lease receivables.” Governmental Accounting Standard Board regulations have changed how leases are reported on balance sheets. WWSD leases a portion of the Woodmoor Ranch property, triggering this new reporting requirement.

Keeley said the district’s net position, which represents the district’s equity in its infrastructure, had increased by $4 million since 2021.

Keeley said since this was her first audit of district finances, she was required to do extra work to confirm all beginning balances. She found the previous auditor had deferred the reporting of some revenues that she thought should not be deferred, and she had corrected that.

The board voted unanimously to approve the audit report and authorize Keeley to file it with the state.

District lawyer moves to new firm

Erin Smith, WWSD’s lawyer, announced that her partner of 25 years was retiring, and she planned to merge her practice with Maynes, Bradford, Shipps & Sheftel LLP, a firm in Durango that has a 75-year history with water law. Her rules of conduct require her to notify the board, she said, and ask for a motion to allow the president to sign a memo authorizing this change and permitting her to move her files to the new firm.

The board voted unanimously to authorize President Barrie Town to sign the required memo.

Highway 105 expansion delayed

District Engineer Ariel Hacker told the board that Phase A of El Paso County’s plans to expand Highway 105 between Jackson Creek Parkway and Lake Woodmoor Drive were being rebid. She said the county expected to award the new contract by the end of June and begin construction in August. Because of this delay, Hacker recommended that WWSD rebid the work required by the county’s project because WWSD received only one bid, which was much higher than expected. Because of the county’s expansion plans, WWSD needs to move water and sewer service lines that are in county rights of way adjacent to the highway.

Hacker mentioned two other WWSD projects she intended to rebid. The largest of these is the installation of additional equipment to manage water pressure in Zone Five, the southernmost portion of the WWSD service area. She said she was also considering whether to rebid construction needed to connect Well 19 to the WWSD infrastructure as a separate project or add it to the Zone Five project.

Spring rains mean free water, headaches

Operations Superintendent Dan LaFontaine told the board that WWSD is currently supplying only groundwater to customers. He added that the rainy weather meant free water for the district, since there are no energy costs to acquire the resulting surface water as there are with ground water. WWSD has not needed to divert water from Monument Creek due to the precipitation, he said. The water level in the Augusta Pit is high, and that additional water has been conveyed to Woodmoor Lake by gravity.

The downside to the rain, LaFontaine explained, is that once the ground is saturated, the rain often infiltrates the sewer lines through leaky manhole covers and stresses the water treatment plant.

Lori Akers to retire

The board celebrated Lori Akers, who served WWSD in many roles for 38 years. .

July board meeting rescheduled

The board delayed its July board meeting by one week until July 17 to allow additional time to prepare WWSD’s midyear budget update.

Executive session

The board meeting ended with an executive session to discuss pending litigation.

**********

The next meeting is scheduled for July 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, June 21 – Board hears audit report

By Jackie Burhans and James Howald

At its June meeting, the Monument Sanitation District (MSD) board heard an audit report of the district’s 2022 budget. General Manager Mark Parker discussed the need to repair a sewer line running under Highway 105. The meeting ended with an executive session.

District finances in good shape

Derek Watada, an auditor from Olson, Reyes & Sauerwein LLC, told the board that as part of his audit process he worked with district staff to understand financial processes and tested them. He said the district’s books are clean, requiring only a few minor adjustments. The district’s financial statements are materially accurate, he said.

Watada said the district’s assets increased by $1.7 million over 2021. Tap fees generated $1.9 million in cash flow in 2022, an indicator of Monument’s rapid growth. He mentioned $200,000 in receivables, most of which is uncollected user fees, $60,000 of which are delinquent. A single commercial account owes $55,000 of the delinquent fees, he said.

Watada pointed out a new line item in the audit report: net pension assets. He explained this line resulted from the fact that Colorado Public Employees’ Retirement Association, which had been underwater, is now in a position where future payouts are less than its balance. Previously, MSD’s audits had shown a pension liability, but with PERA’s return to financial health the current report shows an asset instead. MSD’s previous audit showed total liabilities of $400,000; that total is now $275,000, Watada said, primarily due to the new pension asset.

Watada said MSD’s net position, which represents equity in the district’s infrastructure, had increased by $1.9 million in the last year.

He ended his presentation by commenting that the tap fees from over 200 new accounts were the primary driver of the year’s financial performance.

The board voted unanimously to approve the audit report and to file it with the state.

In his discussion of the financial reports for May, Parker pointed out that an increase in gas prices had raised the amount spent on utilities. Director William Morgan pointed out that interest income for the district had increased due to the higher interest rates.

The month’s financial reports were approved unanimously.

Sewer line needs attention

Parker said a sewer line that serves the Conoco gas station, the McDonald’s restaurant, and Jarrito Loco has been discovered to have portions that have sunk and are causing problems. The line runs under Highway 105 and is next to Taco Bell’s drive-through on the west side of the highway. Parker said he thought the problems resulted from poor installation. The line is installed 14 feet deep, making the repair more difficult, Parker said. In the short term the line can be cleaned, but repairing it properly could result in interruptions to business, he said.

Executive session

The meeting ended with an executive session to discuss the general manager’s performance review.

*********

Monument Sanitation District meetings are normally held at 9 a.m. on the third Wednesday of the month in the district conference room at 130 Second St., Monument. The next regular meeting is scheduled for July 19, 2023. See https://colorado.gov/msd. For a district service map, see https://colorado.gov/pacific/msd/district-map-0. Information: 719-481-4886.

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

Other Monument Sanitation District articles

Donala Water and Sanitation District, June 15 – Contractor selection process defined

By James Howald and Jackie Burhans

At its June meeting, the Donala Water and Sanitation District (DWSD) debated a Request for Qualifications (RFQ) document that will be used to select engineers and other contractors. Updates of the district’s personnel policies and operating regulations were discussed. Board President Wayne Vanderschuere discussed what he learned about energy costs at a recent Mountain View Electric Association (MVEA) meeting. The board heard details of financial and operational reports.

The meeting ended with an executive session to receive legal advice on DWSD’s Upper Monument Creek Regional Waste Water Treatment Facility (UMCRWWTF) Intergovernmental Agreement.

RFQ document approved; contractors pre-qualified

At the May board meeting, General Manager Jeff Hodge told the board that the district is receiving federal funds via the American Recovery Plan Act, and those funds bring with them a requirement to implement a standard process to evaluate contractors that aligns with federal regulations. He presented a draft of an RFQ form to be used when evaluating contractors. The board voted to refine the form and make a final decision at its next meeting.

Following discussion at the June meeting, the board committed to use the RFQ form as presented.

Hodge said four contracting companies had been evaluated using the new process. He presented the evaluations of Merrick & Co., Kimley-Horn, Meyer & Sams Inc. and LRE Water. All four companies scored between 95 and 100 points using the new evaluation process.

Hodge explained these companies were now pre-qualified to be awarded contracts up to $60,000 without further evaluation. Each company had its own areas of expertise, he said.

The board voted unanimously to approve the RFQ document and to add the four companies to the district’s list of pre-qualified contractors.

Personnel policies updated

Madison Phillips, a lawyer with Cockrel Ela Glesne Greher and Ruhland, the law firm representing the district, presented the results of her review of the district’s personnel policy document. Phillips said she had made all the substantive changes requested by the board. She mentioned that the updated policies now used the Consumer Price Index in Denver only as a data point, allowing the use of other information to determine salaries. She also said the policy for time off now specifies Paid Time Off will be used first and when that is exhausted Short Term Disability leave will be used. When that ends, the employee will transition to Long Term Disability.

The board voted unanimously to approve the updated policies.

Operating rules and regulations reviewed

The board considered a new version of its rules and regulations, which govern all aspects of the district’s operations, including how to apply for service, how service will be measured, fees, penalties and charges, control of prohibited waste, and enforcement.

Phillips said some changes had been made to align the rules with changes to the Clean Water Act.

The board voted unanimously to approve the updated rules and regulations.

Energy costs to rise

During the directors’ comments portion of the agenda, Vanderschuere told the board that he attended the MVEA annual meeting, and that he had learned that Tri-State Generation and Transmission Association Inc., MVEA’s supplier of electrical power, will increase the wholesale price of electricity by 8% in 2023. Wholesale power costs are 66% of MVEA’s costs, since MVEA does not produce power itself. MVEA has not increased prices for residential customers in six years, he said, and it will try to cover the increased cost, but it will be difficult for them to do so.

Time of day billing, which charges MVEA’s commercial customers, including DWSD, higher rates at peak usage hours, will be a bigger factor, he said, adding that DWSD should concentrate on timing work to align with the lower-cost time periods. Vanderschuere said the price during peak hours was 24 cents per kilowatt hour and the price was 10 cents per kilowatt hour during the less expensive hours of the day.

Hodge pointed out that increasing energy costs are one of the reasons DWSD is adding variable flow devices (VFDs) to its wells. They reduce energy costs, he explained.

Vanderschuere said energy cost increase will be a factor in DWSD’s future budgets, and he thought the district should plan for the worst.

Highlights of financial and operational reports

  • Hodge said revenues for water sales were low—25% of what was expected midway through the year—due to the rainy weather. That will change during the summer months.
  • Hodge said moving to Piper Sandler Investment Bank saved DWSD $150,000.
  • Water Operator Ronny Wright said wells 1A and 8A have had VFDs installed. Well 14A was due to have a VFD installed on June 26. Well 16A, which is under construction, will also have a VFD installed. Energy suppliers are offering rebates up to $20,000 when VFDs are installed, and VFDs can be remotely managed by software to further reduce energy costs.

Executive session

The meeting ended with an executive session to receive legal advice concerning negotiations regarding the UMCRWWTF Intergovernmental Agreement.

****

The next meeting is scheduled for July 20 at 9:30 p.m. so that a tour of UMCRWWTF can be held. 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, June 15 – Board awards contract for project manager

By James Howald

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

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

Merrick & Co. selected for project management services

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

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

Water quality testing continues

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

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

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

**********

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

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

Other El Paso County Regional Loop Water Authority articles

Woodmoor Water and Sanitation District, May 8 – Board reorganized; request for supplemental water considered

By James Howald

The Woodmoor Water and Sanitation District (WWSD) board opened its May meeting with an election of board officers. The board heard a request for supplemental water from Lake Woodmoor Development Inc., (LWD) and briefly considered a request to host a sheepherder on its Woodmoor Ranch property. It decided how to disburse a refund from CEBT and heard operational reports.

The meeting ended with an executive session to develop negotiating positions on potential agreements with Monument Fire District, Lewis-Palmer School District 38, and Enerfin Renewables LLC and to discuss a personnel matter.

Town replaces term-limited board president

Barrie Town was elected to serve as WWSD board president, replacing Brian Bush, who served two terms as president and was term limited. Town has served on the WWSD board previously.

The board elected Tom Martinez to serve as treasurer. Martinez joined the board earlier in 2023.

Bill Clewe was elected to a second term as secretary.

Waterside development gets supplemental water

District Engineer Ariel Hacker presented LWD’s request for supplemental water service to the board. LWD plans to build 52 multifamily units on four acres of land on the east side of Woodmoor Drive adjacent to Lewis-Palmer Middle School. The development is named Waterside. WWSD’s standard water service is ½ acre-foot of water per year for each acre of land. LWD is requesting an additional 14 acre-feet of water per year for Waterside, Hacker said.

District Manager Jessie Shaffer said the district’s long-range plan anticipated that the land in question would be developed at the density LWD is intending, so the request is “not outside what we planned.” Shaffer said LWD’s request would bring the district $595,000 annually in water fees, in addition to 52 one-time tap fees at the multifamily rate of $22,341 per tap. Shaffer said the multi-family tap fee is 25% less than the tap fee for a single-family residence, due to the expectation that there will be less outdoor irrigation.

The board voted unanimously to approve a motion to accept LWD’s request and bring back a supplemental water agreement for a final vote at the June board meeting.

Sheepherder gets a thumbs down

Shaffer told the board that JUWI Solar Inc., a company that leases a portion of WWSD’s Woodmoor Ranch property for a large solar array, had requested that WWSD host a sheepherder on WWSD’s portion of the ranch. The sheep would help JUWI control noxious weeds.

The board had several concerns with this arrangement, including security, insurance liability, and the potential impact of sheep droppings on water quality. Operations Superintendent Dan LaFontaine said giving the sheepherder the access requested would interfere with ranch operations.

The board directed Shaffer to deny the request.

CEBT dividend goes to employees

Shaffer told the board he had recently received a check for $9,600 from CEBT, the company that administers WWSD’s benefits program. Shaffer said CEBT’s rates are based on financial projections, and when actual costs are lower than the projections, CEBT returns the overage to the district. Shaffer said this had happened three times in the last 10 years and asked for the board’s thoughts on how the surplus should be handled. Shaffer suggested returning the funds to employees, arguing that the surplus would have gone to employees in their paychecks if CEBT had calculated their costs more precisely.

The board authorized Shaffer to return the surplus to employees.

Highlights of operational reports


  • LaFontaine said surface water from Lake Woodmoor would be added to the blend delivered to customers in June.

  • Wells 12 and 18 are temporarily out of production for maintenance.

  • Hacker told the board that planning for a new well into the Dawson aquifer was underway with BBA Water Consultants Inc. The well will be adjacent to the Central Water Treatment Plant on Deer Creek Road just northwest of Lewis-Palmer Middle School’s football field.

  • Hacker noted that some of the apartments in the Monument Junction development were on hold, but the Whataburger and Maverick filling station are still moving ahead.

Executive session

The May meeting ended in an executive session to consider strategies relative to negotiations and for a conference with legal counsel concerning potential agreements with the Monument Fire District, Lewis-Palmer School District 38, and Enerfin Renewables LLC, and for discussion of a personnel matter.

**********

The next meeting is scheduled for June 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

Donala Water and Sanitation District, May 18 – Board reorganizes; aquifer storage and recovery study presented

By James Howald and Jackie Burhans

The Donala Water and Sanitation District (DWSD) board swore in newly elected board members and reorganized at its May meeting. It heard the results of a study of aquifer storage and recovery (ASR) and a report from its auditor on its 2022 finances. The board discussed a template for a Request for Qualification form that will be used when seeking engineering and consulting services. The board appointed District Manager Jeff Hodge to serve as its representative on the Upper Monument Creek Regional Waste Water Treatment Facility (UMCRWWTF) Operations Committee and approved a bid to add a flow control vault and pipeline to well 16A.

The meeting ended with an executive session to receive legal advice on the UMCRWWTF Intergovernmental Agreement.

New members sworn in, officers elected, and Kenneth Judd honored

Kevin Deardorff, Bill George, and Scott McCollough took their oaths of office at the May meeting. Deardorff and George were re-elected; McCollough is new to the board.

Above: At the May 18 meeting of the Donala board, President Wayne Vanderschuere swore in Bill George, Scott McCullough, and Kevin Deardorff as board members. George and Deardorff were re-elected, and McCullough is new to the board. Following the swearing-in, the board elected Vanderschuere to serve a second term as president; George and Deardorff continued as vice president and treasurer/secretary, respectively. Photo by Jackie Burhans.

Following the swearing in, the board elected officers. Wayne Vanderscheuere was elected to serve a second term as president. Bill George was elected vice president. Deardorff was elected as treasurer and secretary. George and Deardorff will serve second terms in their respective offices.

The board passed a resolution expressing its appreciation for the service of Director Kenneth Judd, who stepped up to fill a seat on the board vacated by the resignation of Ed Houle when Houle moved out of the district. Judd intended to fill the position until the next election, and that is what he did. Judd had served on the DWSD board previously, and Vanderschuere commented on Judd’s contributions to a range of issues, including district financing, the preparation of 10 district budgets, the planning of mill levy overrides and fees, and negotiations with surrounding districts.

Above: At the Donala May 18 board meeting, the board recognized and thanked outgoing board member Kenneth Judd whose term had ended. Judd stepped up to fill a seat on the board vacated by the resignation of Ed Houle when Houle moved out of the district. Judd had served on the DWSD board previously, and Vanderschuere commented on Judd’s contributions to a range of issues, including district financing, the preparation of 10 district budgets, the planning of mill levy overrides and fees, and negotiations with surrounding districts. In his farewell remarks, Judd encouraged the board to understand that it serves future generations as well as today’s residents. Photo by Jackie Burhans.

In his farewell remarks, Judd encouraged the board to understand it serves future generations as well as today’s residents.

ASR feasible, study shows

Joel Barber, a hydrogeologist, and Allan Foster, a water quality expert, both of LRE Water, presented the results of a study of ASR commissioned by DWSD. ASR involves pumping excess surface water into aquifers using an existing well, which is later extracted from the same or a remote well and delivered to customers. ASR minimizes water losses to evaporation compared to storage in a reservoir and is valuable in extended droughts.

Barber explained that a study done in 2013 showed aquifers were depleting and identified this as a risk to long-term water supply. As water levels in aquifers decline, it becomes more expensive to use wells as a source of water. Three DWSD wells were tested between 2019 and 2022, and their water levels were seen to be dropping from 4 to 24 feet per year, resulting in pumping cost increases between $200 and $1,000 per year per well. Barber predicted 300 feet of decline in the aquifers that supply DWSD over the next 30 years given current usage. This is a regional trend, Barber said.

Barber estimated that implementing ASR would provide $1,000 in savings per year per well due to a potential 20-foot rise in water level. He estimated construction of a pilot ASR facility at $455,000. Cost of an acre-foot of stored and extracted water would start at $2,500 during the first year of implementation and would decline to a steady state of $800 per acre-foot by year 11 of implementation.

Barber said only treated water would be stored in aquifers, and DWSD’s treated water was compatible with the water currently in DWSD’s aquifers.

Three agencies are involved in the permitting process for ASR implementations, Barber said: the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment, whose goal is to protect the health of customers; the Division of Water Resources, which addresses water quantity issues; and the Environmental Protection Agency, which focuses on water quality. There must be a single permit holder that is liable for risks, Barber said.

The presentation included a proposed 10-year implementation road map that includes a pilot phase from 2023 to 2028, a build-out and integration phase from 2028 to 2033, and an ongoing implementation phase beginning 2033.

Barber and Foster recommended DWSD move forward with an ASR pilot and pursue options for regional cooperation. ASR would give DWSD a storage option within the district that DWSD would control. Triview Metropolitan District, DWSD’s neighbor to the west, was a likely choice for collaboration, they said. They recommended that a third-party consultant administer the program if more than one district participates. They discussed the possibility of grants from the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation or the Colorado Conservation Board.

The board took no specific action following the presentation, but the consensus was that it would continue to work with LRE to implement ASR.

Audit shows financial health

Tom Sistare of Hoelting & Co. Inc. gave the board the results of DWSD’s 2022 finances. Sistare described DWSD as “a district that is in good shape, run by a healthy board.”

Sistare said the field work for the audit was done at the DWSD in mid-March. He questioned the staff, looked at the books and did walkthroughs of internal controls. The audit procedures were based on the results of his investigation.

Sistare gave a clean report on the district’s internal controls and an unmodified or clean report on the district’s financial statements.

Sistare said the DWSD’s total net position, or equity in the district, had increased by $1.6 million from 2021.He noted capital expenditures were up $2.7 million compared to the previous year and 2022’s tap fees were one-third of the previous year, an indication of less new construction in DWSD’s service area.

Vanderschuere asked about the impact the funds DWSD has received from the American Recovery Plan Act would have on the district’s finances. Sistare said those funds would require a grant-specific audit that drills down on compliance with federal regulations and internal controls. He recommended reviewing the district’s compliance with federal procurement policies. Hodge pointed out DWSD’s procurement procedures were recently reviewed and updated for federal compliance.

Sistare told the board he would file the audit report with the state as required.

RFQ template approved

Hodge said federal policies require the district to use a standard request for qualification (RFQ) form when contracting for professional engineering and specialized consulting services. A draft form was included in the board packet that specifies evaluation criteria such as relevant experience, firm capabilities, technical qualifications, and quality of the submittal.

DWSD Attorney Linda Glesne said her firm was familiar with this federal standard and could advise the district.

Hodge said that the district will implement radium removal using hydrous manganese oxide, and the template would be used during the bidding process to hire the engineers needed for that project. He added that when the district was working with state guidelines, an RFQ was not needed.

The board voted in favor of a motion to refine the RFQ form for final approval in June.

Hodge appointed to Operations Committee

The board voted unanimously in favor of a resolution naming Hodge as the DWSD representative on the UMCRWWTF Operations Committee. The committee oversees the operation of the waste treatment facility that DWSD currently shares with Triview Metropolitan District, Forest Lakes Metropolitan District, and Academy Water and Sanitation District.

Bid awarded

Hodge asked the board to approve a bid from KR Swerdfeger Construction LLC to construct a concrete vault for well 16A that will contain flow control, surge and pressure and waste pumping valves, as well as some additional pipeline, at a price of $355,143. The board voted unanimously to award the bid as Hodge requested.

**********

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

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

jackieburhans@ocn.me.

Other Donala Water and Sanitation District articles

Monument Sanitation District, May 17 – New board members sworn in

By Jackie Burhans and James Howald

Three board members took their oaths of office at Monument Sanitation District’s (MSD) May meeting. Once its new members were sworn in, the board reorganized. A resolution authorizing an upgrade to the district’s internet service was passed. The board planned for a public celebration of its 60th anniversary serving the community and heard operational reports.

Board reorganizes

Tony Archer, Dan Hamilton, and Janet Ladowski were sworn in for four-year terms. Archer was previously appointed to the board on Feb. 15 to replace Director Laura Kronick, who resigned from the MSD board to serve on the Monument Town Council. As an appointee, Archer was required to run for a seat at the next election. Hamilton was also an incumbent, having served as the MSD board president for the previous four years. Ladowski replaced Marylee Reisig.

Following the oaths, the board reorganized, electing Hamilton to serve another term as president, incumbent John Howe as treasurer, and Ladowski as secretary.

Board votes to upgrade internet service

The board voted in favor of Resolution 23-051723, which accepts a bid from Force Broadband LLC to provide internet service to the MSD headquarters building using a fiber connection. Previously, the buildings’ internet service used wireless connectivity. Fiber-based internet service is much faster and more reliable.

District Manager Mark Parker explained that the installation cost would be shared with Lolley’s Ice Cream who will use fiber in its new event center, where Ice Cave Cider used to be, next to the MSD building. Parker said Black Forest Foods Café and Deli, which occupies half of the MSD headquarters building, is considering switching to fiber internet service, which will lower costs.

Hamilton, part owner of Force Broadband LLC, recused himself from the vote on the resolution but answered technical questions about the service during the discussion. The materials for the meeting included a conflict-of-interest disclosure form for Hamilton. The form is registered with the Colorado secretary of state.

60 years of service to be celebrated

Director Howe told the board about the plans he and Parker are making for the district to host a public celebration of MSD’s 60th anniversary. The celebration is planned for Saturday, July 29, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. in the courtyard of the headquarters building at 130 Second St. The district’s customers will receive invitations in their June billing statements. Monument Town Council members and County Commissioner Holly Williams will also be invited, Howe said. Complimentary hamburgers and hotdogs will be provided by the Black Forest Foods Café and Deli, which will also be open to serve its lunch menu.

Parker said the event will also have an educational side, with information provided about the district’s operations.

Highlights of operational reports


  • Parker told the board that MSD had received a $995.88 Safety and Loss Prevention grant from the Colorado Special Districts Pool. Parker said he used the funds to purchase a first aid kit and is working with the Monument Fire Department to identify an Automated External Defibrillator that is compatible with their equipment.

  • Parker remarked that the recent heavy rains had stressed the district’s lift stations but none had failed.

  • Parker also noted that the Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition software that automates much of the district’s operation had been impacted by the failure of an Uninterruptable Power Supply (UPS). One lift station was affected by the issue. The battery was replaced in the UPS to return it to service.

**********

Monument Sanitation District meetings are normally held at 9 a.m. on the third Wednesday of the month in the district conference room at 130 Second St., Monument. The next regular meeting is scheduled for June 21. See https://colorado.gov/msd. For a district service map, see https://colorado.gov/pacific/msd/district-map-0. Information: 719-481-4886.

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

Other Monument Sanitation District articles

Triview Metropolitan District, May 18 – Former directors recognized; new directors sworn in

By Natalie Barszcz

At the Triview Metropolitan District (TMD) meeting on May 18, the board recognized outgoing directors Marco Fiorito and James Otis for their eight years of service on the board, administered the oath of office to the new directors, approved a license to construct and operate a pump house, and discussed a request from Conexus to dissolve a sub-district. The board also held an executive session to discuss multiple matters and receive legal advice.

Director recognition

President Mark Melville said that in the past 10 years, the district had widened Jackson Creek Parkway, obtained water rights, and developed and begun the installation of the Northern Delivery System (NDS) pipeline enterprise; and the Stonewall Springs South Reservoir system is ready to pump water to the district. He thanked both outgoing board directors for being instrumental in moving the district forward.

Vice President Anthony Sexton thanked Otis and Fiorito for their guidance and the dedication to the district and for being good board members,

Above: President Mark Melville presents former board Directors Marco Fiorito (left) and James Otis (right) with plaques recognizing eight years of service on the Triview Metropolitan District board at the May 18 meeting. Directors were term-limited on this board. Photos by Natalie Barszcz.

Treasurer/Secretary James Barnhart said the district did not have a single share of renewable water seven years ago, and the achievements since then have been amazing. He thanked Otis and Fiorito for the long board meetings that sometimes ran as late as 11 p.m.

New directors on board

Melville welcomed new board members Amanda Carlton and Jason Gross and administered the oath of office.

Above: President Mark Melville administers the oath of office to newly elected board Directors Jason Gross and Amanda Carlton at the May 18 Triview Metropolitan District meeting. Photo by Natalie Barszcz.

Election results

District Administrator Joyce Levad confirmed the number of votes received for the May 2 election as follows: Amanda Carlton 233, Ann-Marie Jojola 97, Jason Gross 259. Barrett Edwards withdrew before the election. Any votes cast for Edwards were not counted.

Future pump station license

District Manager James McGrady requested the board approve an annual fee of $1,200 for a land lease agreement for a 25-year term to allow the district to build and operate a pump station on the Colorado Springs Utilities (CSU) property where a 3-million-gallon tank sits behind a knoll off Highway 83 at the intersection of Old Northgate Road, Colorado Springs. The tank is about 15 years old, and is an underutilized asset supplying the Flying Horse development.

The board unanimously approved the lease agreement.

NDS project updates

McGrady said the district is about three weeks into the NDS pipeline project, laying pipe from B plant up to Sanctuary Pointe, and a second crew installing pipe up to C plant. A 2,000-foot bore behind the homes in Sanctuary Pointe has begun and will take about 11 days to complete. For all NDS pipeline project updates and to sign-up for email notifications, visit www.triviewnds.com. The link can also be found at www.triviewmetro.com.

Pueblo County permitting

McGrady said the second Pueblo County 1041 permit is proceeding, and the district hopes to present the plan to the Pueblo Board of County Commissioners on June 27. The 1041 planning process is time consuming, but permissions are necessary to operate the district assets in Pueblo County. The first 1041 with Pueblo County was approved in August 2022, allowing the district to store 999 acre-feet of water in Pueblo Reservoir and interface and access the Southern Delivery System. The second 1041 permit will allow operations at the Stonewall Springs South Reservoir and Central Reservoir and will include exchanges to Pueblo and exchanges from Fountain Creek to Pueblo, all steps critical for the NDS operation.

Pump station completed

McGrady said the pump station at the South Reservoir is completed and ready to pump. The massive pump station could, if necessary, move 30 cubic feet of water per second, about 60-acre feet (or 18 million gallons) per day, and tentatively could empty the reservoir in about 20-30 days. The first water was pumped successfully into the South Reservoir on May 12 at 10:45 a.m., a momentous day for the district, he said.

Northern Monument Creek Interceptor project

McGrady said the district had not received any updates from CSU on the Northern Monument Creek Interceptor (NMCI) pipeline project (a large sewer pipe to transport waste 10 miles south to the J.D. Phillips Water Resource Recovery Facility). To determine the feasibility of the project, CSU will hire a consulting agency to complete 30% of the design for the NMCI pipeline. The project has been discussed for five years and included a lengthy National Environmental Policy Act process because the pipeline path would cross the Air Force Academy, he said.

District funding

Melville said the board should anticipate dropping the mill levy again due to the significantly higher property tax value assessment increase for next year. The district reduced the mill levy over the past four years.

McGrady said the previous two-year snapshot is significantly different from the next two-year snapshot. In June 2022 interest rates were about 3% and home prices were going through the roof. The next two-year snapshot from July 2022 through June 2024 will be significantly different with higher interest rates. The district assesses the mill levy at 24 mills solely to pay down the debt service.

Sexton said residents received a reduction of taxes in the district from 35 mills to 24 mills. The revenue from property taxes the district receives has increased with the significant rise of home values. The district taxpayers approved the flexibility to change the mill levy rate should sales taxes dry up in the future, but the district collects what it needs. Some of the loans the district carries cannot be pre-paid, and double payments are prohibited, he said.

Barnhart said the board decision to spread the cost of the debt service loans over 30 years with low interest rates is a benefit. Future residents will also pay for the infrastructure of the district, he said.

McGrady said the district is one of the best financed districts, with a utility enterprise, sales tax, property taxes, tap fees, and an operations and management mill levy that can be assessed if necessary. The money has been expended to the betterment of the community, he said.

Sexton said the district is in a great situation, and if homes are built in TMD, they will have water. The district has enough for buildout with the wells turned off.

Water Attorney Chris Cummins of Monson Cummins & Shotet LLC said the wells on paper are three times buildout, but in the future, extraction will not be economical, and that is the reason the district pursued renewable water rights. Well water will only be used to supplement summer demand in the future, and the district will cease to pump at high demand year-round from the wells, he said.

Conexus dissolution request

McGrady said Conexus had proposed the board dissolve Sub-district B, which overlays the Conexus Metropolitan District 1 and 2. The district relates to the early development days of Conexus when the district implemented two districts: Sub-district A associated with the Conexus development on the east side of I-25 (Jackson Creek North) and Sub-district B on the west side of I-25 (east of the Santa Fe Trail/south of Second Street, Monument). The developers originally thought they would need a funding source, and because the district dropped the mill levy from 35 mills to 24 mills, creating a gap of 11 mills between what the district is entitled to levy and what it does; Conexus could then issue 11 mills of debt in Sub-district B. The debt would not have been associated with existing TMD residents, only the Conexus property owners. At the time Conexus was planning on developing commercial property in Sub-district B, but the plan has changed to residential. The plan no longer works for Sub-district B after Conexus created a special district independent of TMD with an overlapping service plan for water and infrastructure from TMD. Conexus pledged it would not compete and take away water sales. Conexus will levy its residents 11 mills, and TMD will continue to levy 24 mills for Conexus Sub-district B.

The board tabled the request for further discussion in executive session.

Cummins said the TMD board directors are the controlling board for Sub-district B; and Conexus petitioned the board to create the district, and are requesting the board dissolve the district.

Unexplained water loss

Sexton asked about a discrepancy in the water drawn and sold numbers that had tightened for the last couple of months, but the May numbers showed the district sold 12 million gallons and pulled 15 million, and about 2.5 million gallons was missing.

McGrady said that the discrepancy only shows annually in the summer, and it could be due to some residential meters not turning fast enough. The district has about 300 old meters left to replace with accurate cellular meters in homes, so readings should become tighter. Everything is metered even down to the construction lines including hydrants, and the district is trying to discover the cause. Every irrigation system is metered, regulators were installed, and all meters were calibrated about a year ago. It is a mystery, but likely the loss occurs on the commercial side when irrigation begins, and the district will investigate, he said.

Melville suggested the problem might be meters showing slightly more water than actual production.

Superintendent Shawn Sexton said water is metered at the well, at the plant filter, and when leaving the plant so the loss of water is likely occurring after it exits the plant. There is a 2%-5% variance, but all meters are jibing with each other so the loss is occurring elsewhere, he said.

Sexton said a loss of 15%-22% of water will need to be captured before water is metered from CSU to ensure the district is not capped due to metering issues, leaving the district pumping well water again.

Assistant District Manager Steve Sheffield said that 8%-10% loss acceptable and goes on in all water districts.

McGrady said the problem is concerning, and the whole system could be leak protected, but the loss could be an unmetered irrigation system, or maybe one of the three interconnects with neighboring developments. An irrigation leak is a lot of water that would be visible, he said.

Superintendent Sexton said he would examine the interconnects.

Executive session

The board moved into executive session at 7:55 p.m., pursuant to Colorado Revised Statute 24-6-402(4) (a), (b) and (e), to discuss negotiations regarding water and property acquisitions and receive legal advice for the Upper Monument Creek Waste Water Regional Treatment Facility and the Conexus sub-district dissolution.

Sheffield confirmed that no decisions were made when the board returned to the regular session.

The meeting adjourned at 9:17 p.m.

**********

Meetings are usually held on the third Thursday every month at the district office at 16055 Old Forest Point, Suite 302. The next regular meeting is scheduled for June 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

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

By James Howald

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

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

Few concerns with water quality

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

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

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

Project manager position generates interest

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

Direction sought on design proposal

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

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

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

Board will reach out to Mobolade

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

**********

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

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

Other El Paso County Loop Regional Water Authority articles

Woodmoor Water and Sanitation District, April 10 – Trail agreement with school district approved

By James Howald

The Woodmoor Water and Sanitation District (WWSD) board approved an Intergovernmental Agreement (IGA) with Lewis-Palmer School District 38 allowing the school district to use a maintenance road adjacent to Woodmoor Lake as part of its Safe Routes to School (SRTS) trail system. District Manager Jessie Shaffer updated the board on the status of WWSD’s water meter replacement project. The board also heard operational reports. The meeting ended with an executive session.

SRTS takes a step forward

Board President Brian Bush asked the board to approve an IGA with the school district that would authorize the district to include a portion of a maintenance road that runs along the south and west edge of Lake Woodmoor in the SRTS trail system, which the school district has been planning for several years. The proposed trail system will connect Lewis-Palmer Elementary School, Lewis-Palmer Middle School, and Palmer Ridge High School, allowing students to walk to those schools with the minimum exposure to traffic.

The text of the IGA specifies that bikes can’t be ridden on the maintenance road. The IGA also says WWSD will not do additional maintenance for the road to accommodate its use as part of SRTS.

The school district will be responsible for building a bridge over the spillway in the south end of Woodmoor Lake and has obtained a separate grant to fund it.

The board voted unanimously to authorize Bush to sign the IGA.

Meter replacement project hits snag

Shaffer told the board that WWSD’s project to replace water meters with newer, more capable technology had uncovered an incompatibility between the electronic components in some of the new meters and the software the district uses to bill customers. About 430 recently replaced meters would need to have their network endpoints updated. The endpoints upload water usage data through a cell network to the billing software, which bills customers and enables them to track their water consumption online. Shaffer said customers with faulty meters have been identified and would be contacted to schedule the needed fix.

Operations Superintendent Dan LaFontaine emphasized that the endpoints would be replaced with no interruption to water service. Some customers would receive an estimated bill for April, he said, adding the repairs should be done by the end of May.

Highlights of operational reports

  • The Chilcott Ditch is being cleaned up, a new culvert has been installed, and water delivery to customers should begin by mid-May.
  • Shaffer said the Colorado Senate was considering SB23-270, a bill which, if passed, would allow stream remediation projects to proceed with a simplified assessment of their impact on water rights. Shaffer said the Pikes Peak Regional Water Authority was opposing the bill on the grounds it could take away water rights in some cases.
  • LaFontaine reported two main breaks and a tank overflow. The overflow was due to a radio failure, he said, adding that 70% of the overflow was recovered and added to Woodmoor Lake. A backup battery was added to prevent future overflow, he said.
  • Equipment plans for Well 22 are being reviewed by El Paso County.
  • Contractors have been lined up to begin work on Well 19.
  • Tap permits for the Cloverleaf development in South Woodmoor are expected to be issued in six to eight weeks.
  • The apartments planned for the Monument Junction have been delayed due to the current state of the housing market.

Executive session

The April meeting ended in an executive session to consider strategies relative to negotiations and receive legal advice concerning potential agreements with the Monument Fire District.

**********

The next meeting is scheduled for May 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

Monument Sanitation District, April 20 – Focus on infrastructure

By Jackie Burhans and James Howald

Infrastructure—sewer and network—was the main topic of discussion at the Monument Sanitation District’s (MSD) April meeting. District Manager Mark Parker briefed the board on repairs to three lift stations. He also filled the board in on a proposed upgrade to the network infrastructure in the MSD headquarters building. The board also heard operational reports.

Lift stations repaired

Parker told the board that lift stations in the Wakonda Hills, Wagon Gap, and Willow Springs neighborhoods had been repaired in the last month. Lift stations use pumps to ensure wastewater continues to flow in situations where gravity alone is insufficient.

In Wakonda Hills, the lift station’s pump failed, causing the circuit breaker to trip. The pump was replaced, which fixed the problem, Parker said. The Wakonda Hills and the Wagon Gap lift stations needed to be cleared of accumulated grit. The Willow Springs lift station had a water leak that resulted in a loss of 260,000 gallons of water. The developer was still working on the repair when the MSD board met, Parker said.

Parker noted that a bill had recently passed the Colorado Legislature requiring the packaging for so-called “flushable wipes” to explain that the wipes may in fact clog wastewater facilities if they are flushed. The wipes are a common cause of expensive repairs to lift station pumps, Parker explained.

The board also voted unanimously to approve the bill of sale for the Willow Springs lift station. Lift stations are typically constructed by the developer and then, after inspection, sold to the sanitation district for a token price.

Network upgrade brings more speed, reliability

Parker told the board that he had received a proposal from Force Broadband to upgrade the headquarters building’s internet connection to optic fiber. Optic-fiber cables move data as pulses of light through glass fibers, increasing the speed and reliability of data transmission over copper cables.

Force Broadband is owned by Dan Hamilton, who serves as the president of the MSD board. Hamilton discloses this potential conflict of interest at the start of each MSD board meeting and recused himself from the discussion of the proposal.

Parker said discussions with Lolley’s Ice Cream and Black Forest Foods Café and Delicatessen were underway to determine if they would want to help defray the $1,800 cost of installing fiber-optic cable and make use of the improved internet access. The board took no action on the proposal at the April meeting.

Highlights of operational reports

  • Parker told the board the employee handbook had been updated and now covered recently passed legislation such as the Family and Medical Leave Insurance Act.
  • The district’s auditor is now requiring letters of engagement to be signed with service providers on an annual basis.
  • The board discussed plans for a celebration in honor of MSD’s 60th birthday.

**********

Monument Sanitation District meetings are normally held at 9 a.m. on the third Wednesday of the month in the district conference room at 130 Second St., Monument. The next regular meeting is scheduled for May 17. See https://colorado.gov/msd. For a district service map, see https://colorado.gov/pacific/msd/district-map-0. Information: 719-481-4886.

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

Other Monument Sanitation District articles

Donala Water and Sanitation District, April 20 – Waste treatment plant debate continues

By James Howald and Jackie Burhans

The Donala Water and Sanitation District (DWSD) board continued to discuss wastewater treatment strategies at its April meeting. Currently, DWSD shares the Upper Monument Creek Regional Wastewater Treatment Facility (UMCRWWTF) with three other water and sanitation districts: Academy Water and Sanitation District (AWSD), Forest Lake Metropolitan District (FLMD), and Triview Metropolitan District (TMD). FMLD and TMD are considering sending their wastewater to a treatment facility run by Colorado Springs Utilities. General Manager Jeff Hodge brought the board up to date on recent communications with the managers of FLMD and TMD.

An updated contracting and procurement policy was voted on. The board also heard operational reports, and the meeting ended with an executive session to consider strategies relative to negotiations and receive legal advice concerning pending litigatiion.

UMCRWWTF likely to remain in production

In comments before the meeting, DWSD board President Wayne Vanderscheure said he believed that the UMCRWWTF would continue to operate even if FLMD and TMD elect to send their wastewater elsewhere. Should FLMD and TMD leave the facility, AWSD and DWSD would probably continue to operate it, he said.

Hodge outlines area of concern

Hodge summed up for the board a letter he had sent to Ann Nichols, FLMD general manager, and Jim McGrady, TMD general manager. DWSD is the facility operator, the letter points out, arguing when Nichols and McGrady contracted with Carollo Engineers Inc. they overstepped their authority. The letter objects to Nichols and McGrady requesting that the scenario where only DWSD would use the treatment facility be studied by Carollo. The letter points out that some of the tasks assigned by Nichols and McGrady to Carollo can be performed by current treatment facility staff.

The letter points out that DWSD’s legal counsel has found three issues with the agreement with Carollo: the creation of a multi-fiscal year financial obligation without the voter approval required by the Taxpayers Bill of Rights (TABOR); the requirement that the treatment facility indemnify Carollo; and the fact that McGrady signed the agreement with Carollo as “Owner” when DWSD is the plant operator.

The letter concludes by saying that DWSD does not object to FLMD and TMD doing their due diligence to decide whether they will continue to use the facility and by asking them to adhere to the terms of their agreement with DWSD.

Following Hodge’s update, Vanderschuere pointed out that FLMD and TMD had not responded to the letter.

Procurement policy adopted

Hodge explained that minor changes to the procurement and contracting policy were required by the fact that DWSD is receiving American Recovery Plan Act (ARPA) funding to remediate radium. ARPA funding requires more stringent bidding procedures, Hodge said.

The board decided that purchases and professional services from pre-approved vendor lists totaling less than $50,000 would be subject to a simpler bidding requirement. Vanderschuere said he wanted to preserve the ability to act quickly in emergency situations.

Highlights of operational reports

  • Well 2D is producing 166 gallons per second.
  • Variable Flow Devices (VFDs) are being added to several wells. VFDs help keep the flow into the filters at the processing plants at a steady level, which increases the filter’s efficiency.
  • DWSD staff is focusing on cybersecurity.
  • DWSD will add processing using hydrous manganese oxide to address radium instead of relying solely on the treatment plant filters.
  • Roger Sams, an engineer with GMS Inc., said his company was starting to investigate direct potable reuse as a technology DWSD might use in the future. Direct potable reuse refers to designs where treated effluent is immediately returned to the distribution system without being discharged to a stream. The standards for direct potable reuse have not been clearly established by the state.

**********

The next meeting is scheduled for May 18 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, April 16 – Acquisition policies approved

By James Howald

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

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

Micro-purchases defined

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

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

The board voted unanimously to approve the policies as presented.

BidNet selected for bids, RFPs

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

Financial report

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

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

RFP for workflow manager position updated

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

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

Initial water quality test results

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

**********

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

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

Other El Paso County Regional Loop Water Authority articles

Triview Metropolitan District, April 20 – Northern Delivery System pipeline installation begins

By Natalie Barszcz

At the Triview Metropolitan District (TMD) meeting on April 20, the four-member board heard about the Northern Delivery System (NDS) pipeline project timeline, approved the fourth amendment to a contract and an infrastructure agreement, and held an executive session to discuss negotiations regarding multiple projects, acquisitions, and negotiations.

Northern Delivery System

District Manager James McGrady said the kick-off meeting for the NDS project had taken place earlier in the day and construction would begin as early as late April with clearing the path of the pipeline. The pipeline installation is expected to begin by mid-May, beginning with the installation from “B” plant to “C” plant, then behind Sanctuary Pointe to Baptist Road. The pipeline installation along Roller Coaster Road is expected to last two months and begin on July 1. The roads will not be closed but at times will be restricted to local traffic only. All the pipeline is expected to be installed by October to allow a full asphalt overlay of the paved roads before winter. The pump station construction is expected to begin mid-June/July, he said.

NDS project hotline

Residents can keep up to date with the project timeline and submit comments and questions at www.triviewnds.com or leave a recorded message at 719-799-6533. Kiewit Infrastructure Corp., the main construction company and project manager, will be addressing the public’s concerns during the project. Residents can also access the project site via www.triviewmetro.com.

Kiewit contract amendment

McGrady requested the board review and approve the fourth amendment to the contract between Kiewit and TMD, for a maximum price of about $2.9 million for the construction portion of the Booster Pump Station. The complete Booster Pump Station will cost about $5 million. Last month, the third amendment approved the purchase of materials for the station that will be constructed on Colorado Springs Utilities property. The water will be pumped from the pump station to “C” Plant at about 260-270 psi. The high-pressure valves and surge tanks drove the cost a little higher, he said. See www.ocn.me/v23n4.htm#tvmd.

Th board unanimously approved the fourth amendment.

McGrady said the total cost of the NDS project is about $21.8 million, about 10% higher than originally estimated in 2022.

Colorado Springs Utilities contract

McGrady said the Colorado Springs Utilities (CSU) convey, treat, and deliver contract was approved at the Colorado Springs City Council on March 28.

Note: The 25-year contract with CSU to convey, treat and deliver district-owned water to TMD residents will cost about $1.6 million in the first year.

Home Place Ranch infrastructure agreement

McGrady requested the board consider approving the first amendment to the Home Place Ranch Water and Sewer Infrastructure agreement between Home Place Ranch LLC and TMD. The development has shrunk from the original plan of about 1,000 homes to the new plan of about 300-400 homes, he said.

Water attorney Chris Cummins said when Challenger Homes purchased the property in 2018, the agreements were clunky for both parties. The infrastructure agreement was revised in 2019 when the district thought the developer would build about 400-600 homes. Since then, the developer has realized the hundred-acre woods, the topography, and the Preble’s meadow jumping mouse habitat would be difficult to develop, and further reduced build-out. It is a good agreement that confirms the number of homes and provides a schedule, he said.

McGrady said the agreement had been available for some time, and the district has received $600,000 for the sewer service from the developer. The development is 600 homes less than originally proposed about 20 years ago, but a significant number of homes have been built, with the developer paying for the infrastructure. Nothing has changed except the developer is ready to sign the agreement, he said.

The board unanimously approved the agreement.

Upper Monument Creek Waste Water Regional Treatment Facility

District attorney George Rowley requested the board approve Resolution 2023-03, appointing McGrady as the district representative for the Upper Monument Creek Waste Water Regional Treatment Facility (UMCWWRTF). Each of the three co-owners of the facility nominate a representative, he said.

The board unanimously approved the appointment.

Financial report

The board reviewed and approved checks above $5,000, and unanimously approved the financial report as presented for March.

Note: The next district newsletter is expected to be sent to residents at the end of May. For more information on the district’s water sources, residential watering restrictions, and district projects, visit www.triviewmetro.com.

Utilities Department update

Superintendent Shawn Sexton said the following:

  • The Arapahoe 4 Well will be going online in late April, and the Arapahoe 9 Well will be out of service while the Dawson 9 is off-line until a new motor is received. A9 is really in service but needs to run with D9 until it can be disconnected from it.
  • The plant is keeping up with demand without full utilization of the online wells.
  • A Plant is running 24/7 and B Plant is running about 12 hours a day. TMD has a large capacity of water in reserve.
  • The booster pump station at C Plant on Vanderhoof Court had a pump upgrade on the No. 2 booster pump, but programming issues exist that will be completed April 24.
  • Filters 1-2 were placed back into service at B Plant after Bacti clearance was completed. No damage had occurred to the filters after 20 years of service.
  • Sewer line TV camera work was completed at Homeplace Ranch.
  • Staff completed a walk-through with Nick Harris of JDS Hydro (a division of RESPEC), for five tie-ins between C and B plants for the NDS pipeline project. The project is large and will require coordination between the contractors and the TMD staff.

Forest Lakes Metropolitan District update

Sexton said TMD is coordinating with construction crews at the Forest Lakes Metropolitan District (FLMD) plant. FLMD construction crews are installing new raw water lines and making improvements to the well field for the ground water plant in the Falcon Commerce Center. TMD staff will be coordinating with the crews, he said.

Director James Otis asked about the Variable Frequency Drive (VFD) pump controller that failed during a recent snowstorm at the ground plant in FLMD.

Sexton said a short out occurred in the VFD unit cabinet, causing a failure that likely occurred due to a lack of ventilation as a result of snow buildup. A loaner unit was hooked up to run manually. The failure is not preventing access to any supply of water and the surface plant has been online since mid-April.

Otis questioned if any possible design flaws at the FLMD plant were causing failures, given the short age of the plant.

Sexton said it is not due to design flaws, just hours of run time causing wear and tear, and the unit was approaching end of life, but the snow did not help.

Public Works and Parks and Open Space update

Superintendent Matt Rayno said the following:

  • The new barn in “A” yard is about 95% completed with the utilities stubbed out. The structure is awaiting trenching and a garage door, and the concrete floor is scheduled to be poured in late April. The yard will be graded and paved in mid-May. The heated barn will house the district’s sewer cleaning Vactor truck and snow removal vehicles and equipment. See www.ocn.me/v22n9.htm#tvmd.
  • The crews are working on the trail system irrigation for May 1, and seeding is expected to begin mid-May.
  • Spring cleanup around the district is underway.
  • Treasurer/Secretary James Barnhart asked about the progress on Sanctuary Pointe Park after seeing dirt being moved.

Rayno said the original engineering plans had to be revised due to the 30-year floodplain requiring additions to the site. The contractor will be installing drainage and is hoping for a July 4 completion.

Note: The Sanctuary Pointe developer is responsible for the construction of this park.

Americans with Disabilities Act ramp installed

This reporter requested the reason for the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) compliant ramp that connects the slope at the cul-de-sac at the north end of Agate Creek Drive to the trail system and said three residents had raised multiple questions about a potential loss of view, wheelchairs negotiating the ramp, and skateboarders who had already been using the ramp.

Rayno said the installation of the ADA-compliant ramp that joins to the trail between Venison and Saber Creek Drive was not requested by homeowners; it was a district decision to enhance the area and include access from the cul-de-sac to the trail. The hillside was scrub grass, but it is now landscaped with boulders, maples, and crabapple trees, and the remainder of the feature will be landscaped and fill the void, he said.

McGrady said the slope was around 2% and a switchback was incorporated into the design to keep the path ADA compliant. It is part of the overall improvement of the area and there is nothing that will impede any view, he said.

President Mark Melville and Vice President Anthony Sexton did not feel that the ramp would be a problem drawing skateboarders, and bikers would just ride on through down to the trail.

Rayno said “good luck” to skateboarders negotiating the ramp once the area is completed. He confirmed that the connecting trail would be ADA compliant, and views will be no less impeded than before the installation. It will be quite beautiful when completed by the end of July, and a bench may be added in the future, he said.

Executive session

The board moved into executive session at 7:14 p.m. pursuant to Colorado Revised Statute 24-6-402(4) (a), (b), and (e), to discuss negotiations and receive legal advice associated with water delivery infrastructure, water acquisitions, and property acquisitions.

Steve Sheffield, assistant district manager, confirmed that when the board returned to the regular session there were no actions taken, and the meeting adjourned at 8:38 p.m.

**********

Meetings are usually held on the third Thursday every month at the district office at 16055 Old Forest Point, Suite 302. The next regular board meeting is scheduled for May 18 at 5:30 p.m. For meeting agendas, minutes, and updates, visit https://triview.com.

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

Other Triview Metropolitan District articles

Woodmoor Water and Sanitation District, March 13 – New technology for sewer maintenance

By James Howald

At its March meeting, the Woodmoor Water and Sanitation District (WWSD) board approved a more efficient way to identify sewer lines in need of maintenance. The board awarded a contract for a sewer saddle replacement project and heard a request from a resident to buy land from the district. The board heard operational reports, and the meeting ended with an executive session.

Acoustic wave technology improves efficiency

Operations Superintendent Dan LaFontaine told the board about a new technology using acoustic waves that could reduce what the district spends on its “repair and replace” strategy for sewer lines. Currently, WWSD has divided its service area into five zones, and each year the lines in one zone are inspected by video camera and cleaned. It takes five years to inspect and clean all the lines in the service area, LaFontaine said.

LaFontaine explained a new method that uses devices that send and receive acoustic waves between manholes. The distortion in the acoustic waves is used to determine how clear or clogged a line is. LaFontaine said the Monument Sanitation District and the Palmer Lake Sanitation District have switched to this approach with good results.

LaFontaine said the technology would allow the district to inspect all five zones in one year instead of five years. Invasive tree roots are a costly problem, LaFontaine said, and a faster schedule would be more effective in dealing with them.

President Brian Bush recommended inspecting all lines annually. Director Barrie Town pointed out that using a schedule was not efficient because some lines were cleaned solely because they were on the schedule, not because they needed cleaning.

Director Town moved to add funds to the sewer line budget item, and the board voted unanimously in favor of his motion.

Contract awarded

District Engineer Ariel Hacker reviewed for the board the details of a contract to replace 30 service saddles (vertical connectors that join residential lines to mains), five gate valves, and three fire hydrants. The contract includes asphalt replacement, traffic control, and customer notification.

Hacker said Caraveo Construction Inc. had submitted the low bid for the job at $187,711. She noted there were two other bids—one for $295,000 and the other for $480,000. The range of bids was very wide, she said, adding Caraveo Construction was already working on another job for the district.

The board voted unanimously to accept Caraveo Construction’s bid and authorize Bush to sign a contract.

Resident offers to purchase land

During the public comment portion of the meeting, resident Dave Easton told the board he was interested in purchasing land adjacent to Monument Academy from WWSD. He said he had made a similar request several years ago.

District Manager Jessie Shaffer told Easton the district typically doesn’t sell land. Bush said he would be surprised if the current or a future board agreed to sell land belonging to the district.

Highlights of operational reports

  • Construction of new well 19 is due to begin in April.
  • The Chilcott Ditch is being cleaned in anticipation of beginning to deliver water to ditch customers later in the spring.
  • Classic Homes is expected to have model homes in the Monument Junction East development built by June.

Executive session

The March meeting ended in an executive session to consider strategies relative to negotiations and receive legal advice concerning pending litigation.

**********

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

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

Other Woodmoor Water and Sanitation District articles

Monument Sanitation District, March 15 – Election canceled

By Jackie Burhans and James Howald

District Manager Mark Parker told the Monument Sanitation District (MSD) board at its March meeting that its upcoming election had been canceled because there are not more candidates than vacant board seats. He also updated the board on legislation that would govern how so-called “flushable” wipes would be labeled. Finally, the board heard operational reports.

Candidate withdraws

Parker told the board that Randy Estes had withdrawn his application to run for one of the three open seats on the board, reducing the number of candidates to three and eliminating the need for an election. Parker said the election was expected to cost between $5,000 and $10,000 had it been needed. Estes is willing to serve by appointment if a seat opens unexpectedly, Parker said.

The legal report from designated election official Peggy Rupp included a cancellation of election report and declaration of candidates elected that names Anthony Archer, Daniel Hamilton, and Janet Ladowski as elected to four-year terms that will begin on May 17. Archer is currently serving on the board, having been appointed in February to fill the seat vacated by Laura Kronick’s resignation. Hamilton is currently serving as the board president.

Legislation aims to educate consumers

Parker updated the board on Senate Bill 23-150, which, if passed, will require the labels on wipes to warn consumers that the products are not truly “flushable” in that they do not dissolve once in the sewer system and increase maintenance costs by jamming the pumps in lift stations, clogging filters, and catching on tree roots, leading to repair costs that are shouldered by the ratepayers. Use of wipes increased following COVID. They can create dams that cause wastewater to back up into homes, Parker said. The bill will require informational labels instructing consumers to dispose of them without flushing them down the toilet.

Highlights of operational reports

  • Parker noted that legal expenses were higher than typical in February due to work by the district’s law firm on the election and on rewriting the employee manual, which needs to be updated in light of Colorado’s Family and Medical Leave Insurance program, the Colorado Healthy Families and Workplaces Act, and the Department of Labor Family and Medical Leave Act. Job descriptions are also being updated, he said.
  • Double authentication, which requires signoff by two employees, has been put in place to improve the security of ACH transactions.
  • The district is scanning documents produced during its 65-year existence. The paper documents are being converted to Portable Document Format files that can be easily searched.

**********

Monument Sanitation District meetings are normally held at 9 a.m. on the third Wednesday of the month in the district conference room at 130 Second St., Monument. The next regular meeting is scheduled for April 19. See https://colorado.gov/msd. For a district service map, see https://colorado.gov/pacific/msd/district-map-0. Information: 719-481-4886.

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

Other Monument Sanitation District articles

Donala Water and Sanitation District, March 16 – Board seeks long-term contract with CSU

By James Howald and Jackie Burhans

At its March meeting, the Donala Water and Sanitation District (DWSD) board met with representatives of Colorado Springs Utilities (CSU) to discuss CSU’s proposed long-term contract with DWSD. The board returned to the issue of the Upper Monument Creek Regional Wastewater Treatment Facility (UMCRWWTF), which it shares with Triview Metropolitan District (TMD) and Forest Lakes Metropolitan District (FLMD). The board also heard operational reports.

Board discusses long-term contract with CSU

DSWD, which has operated under a short-term contract that has had a series of extensions, is seeking to sign a long-term contract with CSU on the conveyance, treatment, and delivery of its renewable water through CSU’s Southern Delivery System (SDS).

Jenny Bishop, project engineer for CSU, attended the DWSD meeting to discuss CSU’s proposal, which is a short-term contract that can convert into a long-term contract. The reason for this approach is that CSU’s contract for SDS has a clause that states that it cannot be used for regional entities that are not part of the Southeastern Colorado Water Conservancy District (SECWCD) without either joining SECWCD or getting a written waiver from SECWCD and the Bureau of Reclamation (BR).

Bishop explained that both SECWCD and BR had separately indicated verbally that they were OK with the waiver, but that CSU had been unable to get them in the same room at the same time to sign a written document that CSU has drafted. The workaround is to sign a contract now that will serve as a short-term contract extendable for three years and convert it to a 25-year long-term contract once the waiver is signed. Twenty-five years, she noted, is the longest contract CSU can offer according to the city’s charter.

The board went into an executive session to further discuss the CSU proposal and came out with edits to the proposed contract and directions to their lawyer to work with CSU’s lawyer to pursue the waiver required for a long-term contract. General Manager Jeff Hodge will be available to attend any meetings that CSU might set up with SECWCD and BR to help finalize this waiver.

Debate over UMCRWWTF study continues

Hodge updated the board on recent developments in the sometimes-contentious discussion between DWSD, FLMD, and TMD over how to proceed with and who will pay for an engineering study of the UMCRWWTF performed by Carollo Engineers Inc. (CEI).

The study was commissioned by FLMD and TMD as part of their consideration of a proposal from CSU to take over the wastewater treatment currently done by the UMCRWWTF, which would make that facility unnecessary. FLMD and TMD viewed CSU’s proposal to take over wastewater treatment positively, but DWSD decided against participating, arguing that the cost and benefit of the project were not clear.

DWSD argued that because the study was initiated without its input, it would not pay any share of its costs.

Hodge summarized a letter sent from DWSD to FLMD and TMD that stated:

  • DWSD accepts FLMD and TMD’s offer to pay for work done by CEI in 2022.
  • DWSD will pay its share of CEI’s charges for work done in 2023 if DWSD can assess and update the scope of work.
  • DWSD sees the UMCRWWTF as a valuable asset, wishes to continue to use it, values its potential to allow water re-use, and appreciates its contribution to local control.

The letter also requested that DWSD receive all data provided by CEI to FLMD and TMD, asked to have its preference for continued use of the facility reflected in the contract with CEI, and expressed its willingness to discuss how one partner might leave the Intergovernmental Agreement without shutting down the facility. DWSD believes shutting down the facility would not be in the best interests of its residents.

Board President Wayne Vanderschuere said he felt the data did not support CEI’s overly negative assessment of the UMCRWWTF and the study had not been peer reviewed. He added he had reached out to FLMD and TMD but had not received a response to date.

Highlights of operational reports

In his manager’s report, Hodge mentioned the following operational details:

  • The upcoming election has been canceled since there are three candidates for the three open seats on the board.
  • The construction of the raw water line for recently drilled Well 16A was scheduled to begin the week of March 13.
  • Staff is working on a protocol to remove phosphorus from the UMCRWWTF effluent that will result in credits that will delay the need for upgrades.
  • DWSD has changed to a new lab for water quality testing due to concerns with the accuracy of results from the previous lab.

**********

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

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

Other Donala Water and Sanitation District articles

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

By James Howald

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

ARPA funding brings compliance burden

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

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

The board voted unanimously to approve the policy as presented.

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

Water quality testing underway

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

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

Financial report

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

**********

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

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

Other El Paso County Regional Loop Water Authority articles

Triview Metropolitan District, March 23 – District will hold election; multiple contracts approved

By Natalie Barszcz

At the Triview Metropolitan District (TMD) meeting on March 23, the board heard about the 2023 Board of Directors’ election for two board director seats and approved contracts with Colorado Springs Utilities (CSU), Pueblo Water, and Kiewit Infrastructure. The board also held an executive session to approve authorization to seek eminent domain should it be required to complete the installation of the Northern Delivery System (NDS).

Treasurer/Secretary James Barnhart was excused.

2023 Board of Directors election

District Attorney George Rowley of the White Bear Ankele Tanaka & Waldron law firm recommended the four self-nominated candidates for two available board seats each submit statements of 400 words or less with a photograph. The mail-in-only election will be held on May 2, and a drop-off ballot box will be located in the foyer of the district office building at 16055 Old Forest Point, he said.

District Administrator Joyce Levad said any ballots dropped off at the TMD bill pay box located in the Baptist Road shopping center will not be counted. Information on the candidates and voting instructions can be found at www.triviewmetro.com.

Note: The designated election official is White Bear Ankele Tanaka & Waldron law firm.

Board approves contract for water delivery

District Manager James McGrady said the convey, treat, and deliver contract had been presented at a Colorado Springs Utilities Board hearing on March 22, but even though the board members were supportive of the agreement, one member requested additional information, and the contract was removed from the consent agenda to allow presentation in a public forum. The contract will be considered again at the Colorado Springs City Council meeting on March 28, he said. See www.ocn.me/v22n11.htm#tmd.

Water Attorney Chris Cummins of Monson Cummins & Shotet LLC said changes were made to the draft contract the board reviewed last month, and CSU agreed to the changes and addressed the district’s concerns. Cummins requested the board approve the agreement between CSU and the district to convey, treat, and deliver regional water service via the NDS and said CSU recognizes the opportunity to utilize its underutilized water assets. The Colorado Springs Utilities Board meets between the Colorado Springs City Council meetings and are the same voting members, he said.

McGrady recommended the board approve the contract and said everything hinges on the agreement. The district purchased stranded assets, and the contract will allow the district-owned water to be delivered to its customers, he said.

The board approved the contract barring any major changes, 3-0.

President Mark Melville asked if the water delivered via the NDS would need additional treatment.

McGrady said the district may have to add a small amount of chlorine, but it will not need any further treatment when it is received via CSU. The water will be treated and delivered via the pipeline in hours, he said.

Executive session

The board moved into an executive session at 7:30 p.m., pursuant to Colorado Revised Statutes 24-6-402(4) (a), (b), (e), to discuss acquisitions and receive legal advice for negotiations associated with water delivery infrastructure, water, and property acquisitions.

When the board returned to the regular meeting, McGrady requested the board review and consider approval of Resolution 2023-02 authorizing the district manager to initiate eminent domain proceedings for the acquisition of easement and real property interests necessary for pipelines, utilities, and infrastructure associated with the NDS project, should good-faith negotiations fail.

The board approved the resolution, 3-0.

Kiewit contract amendment

McGrady requested the board approve a third amendment to the NDS contract with Kiewit Infrastructure to guarantee the maximum price for the installation of a pipeline project, procure materials and equipment for the pump station, and establish a payment and construction schedule. He said the cost increases are mainly due to inflation and the addition of four high-pressure fire hydrants, but the project had found some savings from pipe material changes and by shortening a bore around Sanctuary Pointe. The total cost of the project will be about $21.2 million, he said. See www.ocn.me/v23n3.htm#tmd.

Kiewit Infrastructure project manager Max McLean said the contract pricing will be locked in and confirmed in April and there should not be much change.

McGrady confirmed the project remains on time and the pipeline construction is expected to commence on May 4. For details, visit www.triviewmetro.com.

The board approved the contract, 3-0.

Pueblo water exchange agreement

McGrady requested the board approve an agreement between Pueblo, a municipal corporation, acting by and through the Board of Water Works of Pueblo, and the district. The 10-year agreement would make 20 acre-feet of water available for exchange with the district. The water to be exchanged to TMD would be released from Clear Creek, Turquoise, and Twin Lakes Reservoirs, or from direct-flow transmountain rights via the Arkansas River. In exchange, Pueblo will receive TMD water stored in Pueblo Reservoir. TMD will pay $150 per acre-foot or about $3,000 per annum, and a non-refundable fee of $10,000.

The board approved the agreement, 3-0.

Sand Creek Golf Course lease agreement

McGrady said the district owns 1,057 shares of stock in the Fountain Mutual Irrigation Co. and currently supplies 40 of those shares to Fontana Enterprises Inc. to irrigate the Sand Creek Golf Course. He requested the board approve a water lease agreement for $6,199.60 for the first year, with a 4% annual increase. The agreement would be in place for water years 2023 through 2029.

The board approved the water lease agreement, 3-0.

Upper Monument Creek Regional Waste Water Treatment Facility

McGrady said the UMCRWWTF study by Carollo Engineers Inc. is still in progress.

Melville asked if the UMCRWWTF would require expansion at district build out.

McGrady said the increase in high-density apartments in the region will change the wastewater flows, and the study will also look at build-out density in Donala Water and Sanitation District (DWSD) and Forest Lakes Metropolitan District, along with all future regulatory requirements. The demand on the UMCRWWTF will be slightly higher than current wastewater capacity, he said. See DWSD article on page < 17 >.

Public Works and Parks and Open Space update

Superintendent Matt Rayno reported the mild weather was helping crews get ahead on the spring projects, and he said:

  • The Old Creek Park has received new playground equipment and an Americans with Disabilities Act ramp will be installed along with a 16-by-16-foot shade structure on an 18-by-18-foot concrete pad to house a picnic table.
  • Crews conducted a thorough playground equipment audit and made repairs. A plastic slide repair at the Burke Hollow playground was made in-house. The playground is due to be replaced next year.
  • Aeration began on March 23, but the ground was very dry and completion will be delayed until moisture is received.
  • April turf fertilization and testing the irrigation main lines will begin on April 3, and that will allow aeration to continue.
  • The irrigation is in place at Agate Creek Park, and the system will be charged in time for early spring seeding.
  • Tree and shrub pruning and pre-emergent fertilization is almost complete.
  • Street sweeping occurred on Lyons Tail Road and in Sanctuary Pointe.

Director James Otis said residents had complimented the holiday light display at the Baptist Road and Leather Chaps Drive intersection.

Rayno said the lights are the crown jewel of the district during the holiday season, and the east side of Leather Chaps Drive may receive some upgraded landscaping later in the season.

The meeting adjourned at 8:40 p.m.

**********

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

Triview Board Candidate Statements

Two Triview Metropolitan District (TMD) Board of Directors positions are open for election on May 2. Ballots are mail-in-only to the district or they can be hand delivered to the drop-off box in the foyer of 16055 Old Forest Point. For further instructions, visit www.triviewmetro.com. If you are a TMD customer, you are eligible to vote.

Listed alphabetically are the four candidates for the two open positions:

  • Amanda Carlton
  • Barrett Edwards
  • Jason Gross
  • Ann-Marie Jojola

The statements below are the candidates’ responses to two questions posed by Our Community News:

  1. What in your background would help you in serving on the Triview Metropolitan District board.
  2. What are the one or two biggest issues facing the district and what should be done about them?

Amanda Carlton

Hello Monument! My name is Amanda Carlton and I am a Colorado native who grew up in the area. After attending school, working in Melbourne, Fla., meeting my husband and having three children, I always dreamt of returning to my home state. I envisioned raising my babies in the most amazing community, and moved back in 2020. I love everything about Colorado—hiking, biking, nature’s beauty, and our community. I am drawn to Monument for its quality lifestyle where families can raise children comfortably, infrastructure is well-maintained, and where people can be confident in well-managed growth. Monument is a very unique town with special people and I’m truly blessed to call it home.

I have a bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering, a master’s in Systems Engineering, and an MBA. I work in the defense industry and I strive to be successful in protecting our country through developing and expanding technology for our military and the nation’s defense.

I would love to extend my passion for our community as a Triview Metropolitan District board director. As a project engineer, I believe I will well serve the community’s need for long-term planning, maintenance, and improvement. As a Monument resident, I’m appreciative of Triview’s recent upgrade of surrounding playgrounds, landscape improvements, and efforts to reduce our dependency on non-renewable well water. As a board member, I will focus on our open spaces, parks, renewable water resources, and maximizing our tax dollars to the fullest extent. I look forward to working with members of our community and current directors of the board to continue to enrich and maximize our area’s potential.

Barrett Edwards

As of press time, OCN had not receive a response from Barrett Edwards.

Jason Gross

Retired Lt. Col. Jason Gross has lived in Monument since 2016. His 24-year military career included leadership and management responsibilities for both projects and organizations. He currently works for Space Force’s Space Systems Command integrating new satellite tracking capabilities into the U.S. Space Surveillance Network. Jason has a strong track record of successful teamwork to solve complex problems and looks forward to applying his experience to help Triview Metro District provide a sustainable, safe, and family-centered environment for our community.

Jason has been married to his wife Shannon for 23 years. Shannon is a teacher in the Lewis- Palmer School District. They have four children, two of whom graduated from Lewis-Palmer High School and two are currently attending.

As a Triview board member, his initial focus would be ensuring the corner of Jackson Creek and Higbee Road near Lewis-Palmer High School is updated to improve traffic flow. Currently, the intersection is dangerous and often congested. New development is increasing traffic in that area, and the many inexperienced drivers that go to and from the high school requires thoughtful design to help keep both pedestrians and other drivers safe.

Jason’s other priorities include ensuring Triview maintains focus on long-term sustainable water supplies, adequate street and open space maintenance, and ensuring taxes are kept as low as possible and be spent appropriately.

Ann-Marie Jojola

  1. What in your background would help you in serving on this board? Through many of my current and past positions, from my 20-year career in the U.S. Air Force, working with law enforcement, finance, childcare or volunteering, integrity, professionalism, commitment, determination, a strong work ethic is among my strengths. My ability to work well with others, adapt to varying environments and problem solve while providing quality, timely responses have significantly contributed to my successful efforts in building strong, lasting relationships with internal and external offices and organizations. I believe my qualifications and experiences as well as having the desire to continue to make our community a better place for all who live and work here would make me a valued TMD board member.
  2. What are one or two of the biggest issues facing the district and what should be done about them? TMD continues to lead the way to provide for our current water needs while also anticipating and planning for what will be needed upon full build out. I find it complicated yet fascinating. It is impressive to see the hard work that has been done to date by the board, who are members of our community. They ask the hard questions and tackle obstacles all with the community at the forefront of their minds. I want to contribute to this effort, first with seeing the NDS to completion, and then to continue the development of the renewable water system.

TMD makes the time to care for customers; they take pride in their work and maintain regular communication across our community. These traits appealed to me and being able to give back to my community on TMD’s Board of Directors would be another way to serve my community. Thank you for your time and your vote.

Other Triview Metropolitan District articles

Woodmoor Water and Sanitation District, Feb. 13 – Board permits Monument Academy to build road to ease traffic

Woodmoor Water and Sanitation District, Feb. 13 – Board permits Monument Academy to build road to ease traffic

By James Howald

At its Feb. 13 meeting, the Woodmoor Water and Sanitation District (WWSD) board granted Monument Academy (MA) permission to build a road on MA’s property that crosses a WWSD easement. The board considered an amendment to its supplemental water agreement with the developer of Monument Junction. It also awarded a contract for a sewer saddle replacement project and discussed three other projects. The board heard highlights of operational reports, and the meeting ended with an executive session.

MA gets permission to build buffer road over sewer line

District Manager Jessie Shaffer explained to the board that MA, with El Paso County’s assistance, is building a road looping around the MA West campus, on land belonging to MA, that will alleviate traffic congestion on Highway 105. Shaffer described the purpose of the road as “traffic storage.” MA families had been using the driveway of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Shaffer said, but that access would be going away. The planned road would be built through a Preble’s meadow jumping mouse conservation easement belonging to WWSD and over a WWSD sewer line.

Shaffer told the board the conservation easement has been in place since 2002. He added the land in question was no longer considered to be mouse habitat, but the conservation easement was still in place. MA has the required permits from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and the U.S. Forest Service to build the road, Shaffer said.

Shaffer presented to the board an agreement that would give MA permission to build the road and would indemnify WWSD against claims or liability resulting from the road’s construction.

The board voted unanimously to authorize Shaffer to sign the agreement with MA.

Monument Junction to transfer supplemental water

District Engineer Ariel Hacker explained the background information regarding Classic Homes’ request to transfer supplemental water from one part of its development to another. The Town of Monument required Classic Homes to reduce the number of apartments in the Monument Junction West development from 250 to 240, Hacker said. Classic Homes intends to increase the number of single-family residences in another part of the development from 120 to 129, and has asked WWSD to allow them to transfer the supplemental water they purchased for the apartments to the single-family residences.

Shaffer explained that supplemental water is supplied to a specific plot of land, so the request to transfer it requires consent from the board. He went on to explain the district’s policy on supplemental water. WWSD provides ½ acre-foot of water per year for each acre of land at the district’s standard rates, which is adequate for a single-family residence on a ¾-acre lot. When a developer wants to build anything that requires more water, they must contract with WWSD to purchase supplemental water, which is much more expensive than the standard allotment, starting at $29,000 for an additional acre-foot and rising to $43,000 for larger allotments. In addition to the one-time charge, there is a monthly charge for water used, Shaffer said.

Following a brief discussion, the board voted unanimously to allow Classic Homes to transfer the supplemental water as requested.

Sewer saddle replacement contract awarded; other projects discussed

Hacker told the board she had received several bids from contractors to replace sewer saddles in the Forest subdivision, with Caraveo Construction Inc. submitting the low bid of $303,593. Sewer saddles are vertical connectors that join residential sewer lines to sewer mains. She said Caraveo had done a similar project for WWSD last year with good results and she recommended that the contract be awarded to them.

The board voted unanimously to award the contract to Caraveo.

Hacker said another project to replace 30 saddles, five valves and three hydrants adjacent to Fairplay Drive had been put out to bid. She also told the board that a total of five pressure reducing valves would need to be installed for the Monument Junction developments. She anticipated that work would cost $250,000. Shaffer said a portion of that cost would be reimbursed by Classic Homes.

Hacker also discussed how the El Paso County-led project to widen Highway 105 might impact WWSD. First, a traffic roundabout would be installed on Knollwood Boulevard at the new west entrance to MA. The county is putting that work out to bid in February. Next, some WWSD water lines would be abandoned and many water and sewer lines would be rerouted. Hacker said she anticipated those changes would be “a big long project,” starting with the portion of Highway 105 between Jackson Creek Parkway and Lake Woodmoor Drive, and then moving on to Highway 105 between Lake Woodmoor Drive and Furrow Road. A third phase would lie outside the WWSD service area, she said. Hacker added that the first two phases would take more than a year to complete.

Highlights of operational reports

  • Operations Supervisor Dan LaFontaine said two bald eagles are nesting near Woodmoor Lake. The eagles are killing Canada geese, and a large bobcat or small cougar are cleaning up remains. The district is doing any further cleanup needed.
  • The Cloverleaf development (previously known as the Walters family open space), is close to conditional acceptance and WWSD plans to provide three water taps a month until the end of 2023.
  • Construction of a new well, Well 22, is slated to begin in spring of 2023.
  • The Monument Ridge West development, in the northwest corner of the WWSD service area, has resumed its discussion about annexation with the Town of Monument.
  • The Whataburger planned for the Monument Junction West development could be complete by summer of 2023, and the apartments in that development are not expected to be complete before 2024.
  • The plan for the North Bay development, adjacent to the north side Woodmoor Lake, now specifies 30 single-family homes.
  • A design for 52 units, some duplexes, some fourplexes, has been submitted for the Waterside development on the east side of Woodmoor Drive north of The Barn community center.

**********

The next meeting is scheduled for March 13, 2023 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, Feb.15 – Board appoints new director

By Jackie Burhans and James Howald

At its Feb. 15 meeting, the Monument Sanitation District (MSD) board appointed a new director to take the seat previously held by Director Laura Kronick. General Manager Mark Parker told the board about his meeting with an engineer working for Donala Water and Sanitation District (DWSD) to discuss its possible use of the Tri-Lakes Waste Water Treatment Facility (TLWWTF). Parker covered additional topics in his Manager’s Report.

Tony Archer joins board

Before the meeting convened, Parker administered the oath of office to Tony Archer. Archer joins the board to replace Kronick. Kronick accepted an appointment to the Monument Town Council, which prohibits its members from serving on other boards in the Town of Monument. Kronick also resigned from her seat on the Joint Use Committee, which oversees the operations of the TLWWTF.

Archer’s appointment will continue until May 2, when an MSD board election will be held. Archer has filed a self-nomination form to run for the seat in that election.

Manager’s report

Parker told the board that he met with an engineer working for DWSD to discuss DWSD’s possible use of the TLWWTF. The engineer asked Parker for an overview of the TLWWTF system and operations. He also asked for information about the TLWWTF’s current processing capacity and biological oxygen demand, a measure of the amount of organic matter in water. The engineer told Parker DWSD’s transition from its current waste treatment facility to TLWWTF would likely be slow and that DWSD would pay any engineering costs related to the switch of providers. Parker said he presented two ways for DWSD to make use of the TLWWTF.

Parker reported to the board on a recent update to MSD’s Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) software, which gathers, analyzes, and displays data generated by MSD’s lift stations, valves, and treatment facility. The new version of the software alerts staff of events using texts rather than emails and can be operated remotely, Parker said.

Parker mentioned that a recent call for service to the MSD building’s heating and cooling system had revealed a need to make changes in the building’s attic to prevent extreme variations in temperature in different parts of the building.

Finally, Parker said that the repairs to pipelines on Raspberry Lane had been successfully completed.

**********

Monument Sanitation District meetings are normally held at 9 a.m. on the third Wednesday of the month in the district conference room at 130 Second St., Monument. The next regular meeting is scheduled for March 15. See https://colorado.gov/msd. For a district service map, see https://colorado.gov/pacific/msd/district-map-0. Information: 719-481-4886.

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

Other Monument Sanitation District articles

Triview Metropolitan District, Feb. 16 – Assistant manager hired; district receives $3.4 million

By Natalie Barszcz

At the Triview Metropolitan District (TMD) meeting on Feb. 16, the board was introduced to the recently hired assistant district manager, heard about a large net in tap fees and public works fees, and declared a board director seat vacancy. The board received multiple updates to include the Northern Delivery System (NDS) project timeline and discussed various matters in executive session.

President Mark Melville and Vice President Anthony Sexton attended via Zoom.

Note: Several district residents interested in a board seat attended the meeting.

Assistant district manager hired

District Manager James McGrady said the board’s December directive to find a qualified assistant district manager was complete, and he introduced Steve Sheffield. The idea is to train the Sheffield over the next few years and share the workload as the district completes the NDS project. By the time McGrady is ready to retire, Sheffield will be ready to take over as district manager, McGrady said.

Sheffield said he is currently working for the Town of Monument as the assistant Public Works director and will begin working for the district on March 13. Sheffield grew up in Colorado Springs and has resided in the district since 2001, having previously worked for TMD.

McGrady welcomed Sheffield and said he brings a wealth of knowledge and experience and is a great fit for the district.

Director resigns early

McGrady declared a board seat vacancy and said Director Marco Fiorito resigned from the board when he received a seat on the Monument Town Council. He suggested the board continue the discussion in executive session and either decide on the appointment of a director at the March meeting or wait until the May election. See the MTC article on page < 1 >.

Sexton thanked Fiorito for serving almost eight years on the board. Melville made a motion to formerly thank Fiorito. The board unanimously concurred.

Apartment complex generates high revenue

McGrady said the district was able to net 276 tap fees and public works fees on the Thompson Thrift apartment complex, generating a total of about $3.4 million in revenue for the district. The income virtually allows the district to pay cash for the NDS project and avoid any long-term debt on the project. The apartments are located off Jackson Creek Parkway. A second apartment complex was approved on Bowstring/Higby Road, and that is expected to generate about $4 million in tap fees and public works fees, he said.

Northern Delivery System

McGrady said the district had already ordered the valves and the pipes for the NDS project, but another amendment to the Kiewit contract would be needed because of the long lead times on materials for the pump station building and electrical equipment that could be anywhere from 50 to 70 weeks until delivery. Fortunately, the construction of the pump house is scheduled to begin at the end of the summer, and the pumps and electrical will be installed during the winter. The plans for the pipeline are at 100%, and Kiewit will begin the project in April, he said. See www.ocn.me/v23n2.htm#tvmd. For construction updates, visit www.triviewmetro.com.

Note: The NDS, in partnership with Colorado Springs Utilities (CSU), will bring TMD-owned renewable water to northern El Paso County and the district. On completion of the NDS, the district will receive 80%-90% of its water from renewable sources and will be less reliant on nonrenewable Denver Basin aquifers.

District manager’s report

McGrady said the following:


  • The district has finally received a building permit to construct a 330-square-foot pump station at the south reservoir. The construction will begin in March and is expected to take about four weeks. The goal is to begin depositing water once the pump station is finished.

  • CSU has begun a direct and indirect potable reusable water return flow study. The study is designed to find a way to avoid sending flow to and receiving flow from Pueblo County. Alternate solutions designed to pick off the reusable flow beforehand could save about 5% of the water that is lost in transit.

  • The results of the study could open some future exchange opportunities and savings for the district that were not possible in the past. The study is being fast tracked, and results are expected at the end of April.

  • The roads in the Remington Hill development are scheduled for repairs beginning in April, with an overlay of asphalt planned for May.

Utilities Department update

Water Superintendent Shawn Sexton said the A4 well is off-line for routine maintenance. The last maintenance occurred in 2017, and the wells are maintained on a rotational basis. The almost annual sludge haul from the main water plant in Promontory Pointe is expected to take about three trips from the plant to a facility in Deer Trail, he said.

McGrady said it is expensive to deposit the sludge, and the district pays about $20,000 per trip for a total of $60,000. In the future, the district plant will be supplemental and won’t be run much at all.

Note: The sludge is a result of the groundwater filtration system.

Public works, parks, and open space update

Superintendent Matt Rayno said the department is restabilizing landscape timbers along trails to prevent erosion occurring during the spring run-off. Crews are finishing up the concrete sidewalk at the north end of Agate Creek Drive that terminates in a cul-de-sac. The connection in the cul-de-sac to the trail system is too steep and the crews are making the slope compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act, he said.

Superintendent Shawn Sexton relayed kudos from a resident that lives on the south side of Bear Creek Elementary School who said they were happy with the landscaping services.

Executive session

The board moved into an executive session at 6:35 p.m. pursuant to Colorado Revised Statute 24-6-402(4)(a), (b), and (e), to receive legal advice regarding negotiations associated with water delivery infrastructure, water acquisitions, property acquisitions, and the Upper Monument Wastewater Plant Evaluation/Contract.

McGrady confirmed to OCN that when the regular meeting resumed, no action was taken by the board.

The board adjourned at 9:30 p.m.

**********

Meetings are usually held on the third Thursday every month at the district office at 16055 Old Forest Point, Suite 302. The next regular board meeting is scheduled for March 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, Feb. 16 – Donala to lease water to Martin Marietta

By James Howald and Jackie Burhans

At its February meeting, the Donala Water and Sanitation District (DWSD) considered a request from Martin Marietta to lease water from the district. A construction contract for a pipeline from Well 16A was approved and the board heard operational reports. The meeting ended with an executive session.

Martin Marietta water lease

General Manager Jeff Hodge said Martin Marietta had requested to lease DWSD’s treated effluent water and was willing to pay a higher price for that water than the district was currently getting. Martin Marietta was proposing a one-year lease, Hodge said.

The lease document specifies the water to be leased is treated reusable effluent discharged from the Upper Monument Creek Regional Waste Water Treatment Facility (UMCRWWTF). Martin Marietta needs the water to increase its discharge to the Arkansas River to offset losses from evaporation and use by its gravel mining operation.

The lease obligates DWSD to provide 135 acre-feet of water per year, and Martin Marietta to pay $300 per acre-foot. DWSD is not required to provide the water if its prior obligations are not met for any reason.

The board voted unanimously to approve the lease agreement.

Pipeline contract awarded

Hodge asked the board to consider awarding a construction contract to K. R. Swerdfeger Construction LLC for a raw water pipeline to connect newly drilled Well 16A to the R. Hull Water Treatment Plant. The engineering report for the project says the contractor will use directional boring under Bermuda Dunes Way, which will minimize impact on traffic. Some open excavation on DWSD’s property on Pauma Valley Drive will be required. The bid from K. R. Swerdfeger was for $292,302.

Hodge mentioned that only one bid for the contract was received. He said other potential bidders lacked the staff to do the work.

Highlights of operational reports

  • Hodge told the board he and one other staff member had received training that qualified them to enter the arsenic removal building.
  • Chief Waste Plant Operator Mike Boyett told the board that the UMCRWWTF had a high mercury result in its last round of testing.

Executive session

The meeting ended with an executive session to discuss contract negotiations with Colorado Springs Utilities concerning a long-term water contract and to receive legal advice on questions about the UMCRWWTF contract.

No action was taken following the executive session.

**********

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

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

Other Donala Water and Sanitation District articles

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

By James Howald

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

Budget approved and funds appropriated

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

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

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

Water testing contract awarded

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

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

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

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

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

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

Project manager position and schematic design project discussed

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

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

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

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

Administrative resolutions passed

The board approved five administrative resolutions:

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

**********

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

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

Other El Paso County Regional Loop Water Authority articles

Woodmoor Water and Sanitation District, Jan. 9 – Board sets rules for new year

By James Howald

The Woodmoor Water and Sanitation District (WWSD) board voted on two resolutions in its first meeting of 2023 that define the rules and procedures for the rest of the year. During public comments, the board heard from a resident interested in running for a seat on the board. In his Manager’s Report, District Manager Jessie Shaffer gave the board an update on the El Paso County Regional Loop Water Authority (EPCRLWA). The board also heard the timeline to refill Woodmoor Lake and operational reports.

Resolutions address procedures and election

The board voted unanimously to pass Resolution 23-01, which addresses issues required of special districts by the state of Colorado such as providing a map of the district’s boundaries and documentation of the district’s outstanding debts. Attorney Erin Smith told the board that the resolution also specifies that the date, time, and location of board meetings will be posted on the district’s web page and at the district’s office, sets forth the district’s officers and establishes the upcoming election as a polling place election.

The district’s web page is at https://woodmoorwater.com and the district’s office is located at 1845 Woodmoor Drive, Monument, CO 80132.

The board also passed Resolution 23-02, which provides further details about the election, to be held on May 2, 2023, between 7 a.m. and 7 p.m., using the Woodmoor Improvement Association Community Center (“The Barn”) as a polling place.

Two seats on the board will be filled by the election: the seat currently held by President Brian Bush, who is term-limited, and the seat currently held by Director Barrie Towne, who was appointed to the board and therefore must run in the next election.

Candidates for the seats must file a Self-nomination and Acceptance with the district’s Designated Election Official, Mandi Kirk, by Feb. 24, 2023. Kirk can be reached at MKirk@NortonSmithLaw.com.

Resident announces candidacy

Roy Martinez used the public comment portion of the agenda to introduce himself and announce his candidacy for a seat on the board. Martinez told the board he is retired but had worked as the director of the Water Works Foundation, as a senior staff member at the Water Research Foundation, and at HDR Engineering, as well as at other water-related jobs.

Loop Water Authority to hold first meeting

Shaffer told the board that the EPCRLWA had scheduled its first regular meeting for Jan. 19. The EPCRLWA is an intragovernmental agency formed by WWSD, the Town of Monument, Donala Water and Sanitation District, and Cherokee Metropolitan District to design, build and operate water re-use infrastructure that will treat and convey water from Fountain Creek to customers in the four participating districts. When complete, the infrastructure will give WWSD a way to move the water it acquired when it purchased Woodmoor Ranch to WWSD customers.

Shaffer said the EPCRLWA was working on administrative issues such as choosing a law firm and bank and on technical issues such as defining the water quality testing required to establish a baseline to be used in developing the water treatment requirements.

The first meeting of the EPCRLWA is covered in a separate article on page < 16 > in this issue of Our Community News.

Woodmoor Lake refill timeline

Operations Superintendent Dan LaFontaine, in response to a question from Bush, told the board that the district’s plan was to have Woodmoor Lake fully refilled by May 2024. Currently there is 28 feet of water in the lake, he said.

The construction of the new Lake Pump Station required the lake to be completely drained, which is not typical during the annual cycle of filling the lake during the spring and emptying it during the high demand months in the summer. LaFontaine said water levels in the lake would rise during the spring of 2023 but not to the levels seen in a more usual year, due to the degree to which the lake was emptied to accommodate the upgrade to the pumping station. Then levels would fall again during the summer. By 2024, he said, levels would return to what they were previously.

Highlights of operational reports

  • LaFontaine reported that there were five line breaks in December.
  • Shaffer reported that the district was replacing sewer saddles in the Woodmoor Forest neighborhood of the WWSD service area. Saddles are the connections between sewer main lines and residences.
  • Shaffer said he expected home construction in the Cloverleaf development east of Lewis-Palmer High School would begin soon.

**********

The next meeting is scheduled for Feb. 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, Jan.18 – Raspberry Lane repair launches

By Jackie Burhans and James Howald

Correction

In the January issue of OCN, it was incorrectly reported that candidates for seats on the MSD board had until Feb. 24, 2024, to file a Self-Nomination and Acceptance form. In fact, that paperwork must be filed by Feb. 24, 2023, with Peggy Rupp, the Designated Election Official. Rupp can be reached at prupp@cogovlaw.com. OCN regrets the error.

In his Jan. 18 manager’s report, Monument Sanitation District (MSD) General Manager Mark Parker told the board a project to repair the sewer line on Raspberry Lane would begin in January. Parker covered other projects, policy changes, and operational details in his report. The board also voted on a resolution on public notices for meetings.

Raspberry Lane sewer line near failure

Parker said the sewer line on the west side of Raspberry Lane was clay pipe, and an inspection showed that failure was imminent. The repair would be done using a technique called sliplining that involves lining the clay pipe with a smaller carrier pipe without the need to disturb the asphalt by digging a trench to reach the line. The sewer line on the east side of Raspberry Lane required other repairs before being sliplined, Parker said.

Parker told the board a preconstruction meeting would be held Jan. 20 and the work would begin on Jan. 23. Manhole repairs on Raspberry Lane have already begun.

Manager’s report

Parker told the board that the lift station installed by the developer of the Willow Springs Ranch development was working well and processing about 8,000 to 10,000 gallons of wastewater daily. Parker said an official acceptance of the gravity waste system and the lift station would be issued soon.

Parker said MSD was changing its policy on payment of late fees to allow for some discretionary waiving of fees, based on payment history and other factors. In the past, no exceptions to late fees were allowed, he said.

Parker told the board he had been contacted by an engineer working for the Donala Water and Sanitation District (DWSD) concerning that district’s request to explore using the Tri-Lakes Waste Water Treatment Facility (TLWWTF) to process DWSD’s wastewater. At present, DWSD uses a treatment facility operated jointly with the Triview Metro District and the Forest Lakes Metro District. Those metro districts are considering partnering with Colorado Springs Utilities for wastewater treatment and abandoning the facility they share with DWSD. If that happens, DWSD has inquired about the possibility of routing its wastewater through MSD’s infrastructure to the TLWWTF for processing.

MSD’s boundary maps were updated in December, Parker said, as required by the state Department of Local Affairs and El Paso County. Some properties surrounded by the MSD service area that were not part of the service area would need to be annexed, he said, adding that three of these were owned by the Town of Monument. Two of the properties are on Washington Street, he said.

MSD will begin posting signs in locations where projects that might inconvenience residents are due to begin, Parker said. MSD will put more effort into communicating changes to the public, he explained.

Resolution specifies posting sites

The board voted unanimously to approve Resolution 01182023-1, which requires notices of public meetings to be posted on the MSD website at https://monumentsd.colorado.gov. If internet service is interrupted for any reason, meeting notices will be posted at the MSD offices at 130 Second St. Notices must be posted 24 hours in advance of the meeting,

**********

Monument Sanitation District meetings are normally held at 9 a.m. on the third Wednesday of the month in the district conference room at 130 Second St., Monument. The next regular meeting is scheduled for Feb. 15. See https://colorado.gov/msd. For a district service map, see https://colorado.gov/pacific/msd/district-map-0. Information: 719-481-4886.

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

Other Monument Sanitation District articles

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

By James Howald

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

Background

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

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

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

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

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

Operating rules approved

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

Law and accounting firms engaged

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

Operational study authorized

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

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

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

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

Water quality baseline discussed

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

Developer wants to join project

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

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

The board took no action on Flannery’s request.

Meetings and workshops scheduled

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

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

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

**********

The next regular meeting is scheduled for Feb. 16, 2023 at 9 a.m. Regular meetings are usually held on the third Thursday of each month at 9 a.m. at Monument Town Hall at 645 Beacon Lite Road. Workshop meetings are held every Thursday at 9 a.m. at rotating venues. Please see loopwater.org or call 719-488-3603 to verify meeting times and locations.

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

Other El Paso County Regional Loop Water Authority articles

Triview Metropolitan District, Jan. 19 – Rate increases approved; NDS pipeline project moving along

By Natalie Barszcz

At the Triview Metropolitan District (TMD) meeting on Jan. 19, the board approved water and wastewater rate increases effective Feb. 1, received an update on the Northern Delivery System (NDS) pipeline project, received multiple other updates, and held an executive session to discuss water delivery infrastructure and water and property acquisitions.

Director Marco Fiorito was excused.

Rate and fee increase discussion

District Manager James McGrady said a comprehensive rate study a few years ago looked at the district’s future revenue requirements. The study revealed that over the next five years the district needed to consider an annual 10% rate increase. An increase was implemented last year, and this year it is necessary based on capital projections, he said.

Vice President Anthony Sexton said that last year the increase did not equate to 10% due to the adjustment of the rate tiers. It actually lowered water rates for the bulk of the users.

In 2022 the Tier 1 water rate was increased by 2,000 gallons, from 6,000 to 8,000 gallons from previous years. Average ratepayers did not notice much of an increase. This year, the district does not have that option and a rate increase across the board is needed, Sexton said.

Director James Otis recommended the district include an explanation in the district newsletter to avoid any bad feelings. Two years ago, the rate increase blew up on social media, because everyone shut off their sprinklers due to an early freeze, and when they turned them back on the rates were higher, and that caused bad feeling until calmer heads prevailed, he said.

President Mark Melville asked what was causing the incremental rate increases over five years.

McGrady said the debt service, obtaining water rights, and the NDS pipeline project were causes. The district can pay for the vast majority of the NDS project with saved revenues, but it will deplete reserves. The budget has set aside about $16 million on the NDS, but the total cost of the project is about $20 million. The downturn in the housing market has also reduced revenue. It was common to sell 10-15 taps per month, and over 12 months that equated to 150-200 homes at $26,000 per tap ($2.6 million-$3 million), but now the district is selling half that amount of taps. The district needs to pay the debt service, replenish reserves, and recapture the expenditure because of the slowdown in the housing market, and that is what is driving the rate increases, he said.

Treasurer/Secretary James Barnhart said that on the plus side, the district will have renewable water, but we cannot change or predict the housing market.

Sexton said that after the study, the district enacted the recommended plan, but it ought to conduct another study, because at the time the district did not know the cost of the NDS project.

Water attorney Chris Cummins said that when he resided in the neighboring Donala Water and Sanitation District, a 30% increase year over year was implemented for two or three years when they were purchasing renewable water resources. The costs are significant, and in the long term the resources are extremely beneficial to the residents, but the residents need to know in the monthly newsletter—knowing ahead of time did soften the blow for Donala customers, he said.

Otis said unlike TMD, Donala residents have a distinct lack of commercial revenue, and the TMD residents are used to having a gravy train.

McGrady said at the conception of the NDS project the district was fortunate to know the cost, but that was when the plan was to use 24-inch pipe, and when neighboring partners were onboard. To make matters awkward, piping increased in price, so the pipe was downsized to 16-inch pipe, and now the district is without partners in the project. A study in 2024 would be beneficial, because sooner or later the development will go away. Without the tap fees from the hundreds of homes, the district would not have been able to obtain water rights and build the NDS.

Melville said in retrospect the district has made capital purchases when interest rates were low, some very timely decisions that were needed for the future of the district.

McGrady said that most of the bonds that were issued had less than 3% interest rates.

Melville opened a public hearing for the 2023 water and wastewater rates and fees, effective Feb. 1.

Resident Jason Gross said McGrady did a good job explaining the reasons for the rate increases.

Hearing no other comments, Melville closed public hearing.

Later in the meeting, the board approved 4-0 the 2023 increase in the district’s water and wastewater rates and fees.

Note: The new base rate (renewable water fee) increased by $3; the metering and billing charge per month increased by 50 cents. The volume rates per 1,000 gallons are: Tier 1: 0 to 8,000 gallons—increased by 62 cents. Tier 2: 8,001 to 20,000 gallons—increased by 95 cents. Tier 3: 20,001 to 30,000 gallons—increased by $1.69. Tier 4: 30,001 to 40,000 gallons—increased by $2.21. Tier 5: Over 40,000 gallons—increased by $3.27. The wastewater base rate will be $52.44 per month. For more information and the full rate table, visit: www.triviewmetro.com.

Northern Delivery System update

McGrady said the following:

  • The plans for the NDS pipeline are almost at 100% and the pump station plans are at about 90%.
  • The 16-inch pipe has been ordered, with about a 16-week delivery time. There are no other apparent supply delays.
  • The installation of the pipeline will begin at TMD plant “C” (behind the Sanctuary Pointe development) and be installed from there toward Roller Coaster Road beginning in April. The district expects to have all the pipe installed by September.
  • The convey, treat and deliver contract was expected to be delivered for comment by the end of January. The Colorado Springs Utility Board will then consider the contract in late February, followed by a review in March by the Colorado Springs City Council.
  • Segment “C” of the NDS pipeline, from Agate Creek Park through Homeplace Ranch and up to serve Jackson Creek filings 3-6 is complete. The project went over cost by $30,000 due to an additional bore of 30 feet at $500,000 per foot and the addition of poured concrete bores to secure giant reverse anchors to hold the pipeline in place and prevent sagging. The final cost was $1.699 million. See www.ocn.me/v22n12.htm#tvmd.

District receives reimbursement

McGrady said the district received about $537,147 from the Colorado Water Conservation Board (CWCB) to help reimburse the costs for the work the district completed on the south reservoir. The district has almost $300,000 remaining on a 2022 loan at 2.05%.

Cummins said CWCB is almost begging districts to build water storage facilities.

Reservoir level outlook

Cummins said the snowpack statewide is terrific, particularly in the upper and lower Colorado River basin where it is about 158% above normal. The Arkansas River basin is at about 72% and maybe better by late January. The levels emphasize how necessary it was for the district to purchase water rights diversification and the development of adequate storage, because the long-term forecast is wet and cold this winter, and depending on where the low pressure passes along the Front Range, somewhere the district owns water rights that will receive snow, he said.

Higby Road widening project

McGrady said he had met with the Lewis-Palmer High School principal, the D38 school board, and the administrative staff to discuss the widening of Higby Road. The district shared its design for the widening project, and it was generally happy with the district’s design, but the intersection has not been defined. A solid island with a pass through is included in the design from Bowstring Road to Jackson Creek Parkway. Students will be able to exit and travel east on Higby Road. It is a tough spot and school officials rejected a traffic circle that would create excessive traffic pouring into the neighborhoods along Bowstring Road, he said.

Otis said that the final plan needs to be idiot proof, unlike the traffic islands on Baptist Road that adults cannot navigate safely. The island should be just high enough that no one will plow over it, exactly like the islands along Jackson Creek Parkway, he said.

Gross said that he would prefer the district spend extra dollars during the widening of Higby Road to ensure the high school students can navigate the Lewis-Palmer High School area safely. One life of a student saved will be worth it, he said.

Public Works, parks, and open space update

Superintendent Matt Rayno said the following:

  • The Public Works Department had been clearing snow from the streets in Forest Lake Metropolitan District, another 3-4 miles of road in addition to TMD roads.
  • Some minor repairs and preventive maintenance were made to the snow removal equipment.
  • Public Works implemented additional webinar safety training for 2023, along with the regular weekly training.
  • Staff are working around the weather to put the landscaping back at Agate Creek Park.
  • Detention pond repairs and maintenance will be made in February, before the spring snow run-off begins.
  • At the end of February and in early March, the pre-emergent herbicide weed control application will begin.
  • Snow clearing is the priority in the winter.

Barnhart complimented the district on the snow clearing during the Jan. 17-18 storm, saying the Public Works staff did a phenomenal job.

Rayno said the crews worked 10-hour shifts to complete the major roads and side streets in the recent heavy storm, the staff are getting better educated with every storm, and he thanked the board for their compliments.

Otis asked about street parking problems during snow clearing operations.

Rayno said it happens just about everywhere, but it is the worst in Sanctuary Pointe where the roads are narrow, and due to the higher elevation of that neighborhood the roads become icy, and it is challenging. It is the homeowner’s responsibility to clear driveways and sidewalks, and the staff make every effort to slow down and avoid spraying snow back on sidewalks, he said. For the Public Works snow removal policy, visit www.triviewmetro.com.

Public comments

Resident Eric Lingle said at the request of a neighbor, the district installed signs in his neighborhood stating “private property of Triview.” That same neighbor has also planted shrubs in the space and had thrown dog excrement into the open space to deter trespassers. It appears they are attempting to claim the space as their private property along an unofficial path that runs up to a district park. Those same neighbors ran out of their house last night to scream at children sledding on the open space in an effort to enforce the signs.

Lingle said it is a joy to see kids playing in the woods, and it does not bother him, but his grave concern is that children go home and complain to parents, and that could escalate into a bad interaction between neighbors. He has not seen anyone misusing the path in 12 years, and other neighbors are not bothered by the children playing. He can, however, hear everything that is going on whenever there is an interaction on the path, and it would be beneficial if the district could incorporate the path into the greenbelt of the district and remove the signs, he said.

Executive session

The board moved into an executive session at 7:15 p.m., pursuant to Colorado Revised Statutes 24-6-402(4)(a), (b), (e), to discuss acquisitions, receive legal advice, to negotiations, regarding water delivery infrastructure, water, and property acquisitions.

The district administrator confirmed that no decisions were made or approved when the board returned to the regular meeting.

The meeting adjourned around 8:35 p.m.

**********

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

Forest Lakes Metropolitan District & Pinon Pines Metropolitan Districts 1, 2 and 3, Dec. 5 – Rate increases for residents; 2023 budgets and mill levies adopted

By Natalie Barszcz

The Pinon Pines Metropolitan District (PPMD) 1 board met via teleconference on Dec. 5 to adopt and approve the 2023 budget and set the mill levy. The PPMD 1 meeting was followed by the Forest Lakes Metropolitan District (FLMD) and Pinon Pines Metropolitan Districts 2 and 3 meeting where the board approved residential rate increases for water, wastewater, and landscaping services. The boards adopted the 2023 budgets and the mill levies for each district and received multiple updates on regional water delivery and wastewater projects, and the status of the district wells.

PPMD 1 board members are: President Mike Hitchcock, Vice President Mike Slavick, Secretary Chris Paulene, and Director AJ Slavick. One vacancy exists on this all-resident board.

FLMD and PPMD 2 and 3 board members are: President George Lenz, executive vice president of finance for Classic Homes; Secretary James Boulton, vice president/project manager of Classic Homes; Assistant Secretary Joe Loidolt, president of Classic Homes, and Treasurer Douglas Stimple, CEO of Classic Homes.

Ann Nichols is the manager for all four districts.

Note: FLMD, located west of I-25 at the end of Baptist Road, is a Title 32 service district established in 1985. FLMD is the half-acre operating district responsible for the public infrastructure and utility and general government services for the residents of PPMD 1 and 2 and the commercial property in PPMD 3 (Falcon Commerce Center). FLMD collects the residential property taxes from PPMD 1 and 2 and receives a public improvement fee from sales taxes collected in PPMD 3. PPMD 1 and 2 are in unincorporated El Paso County, but the commercial section, PPMD 3, is within Monument town limits.

Residential rates increase

District counsel Russell Dykstra of Spencer Fane LLP said the proposed residential rate increases for water, wastewater and landscape services had been published as required by statute. No public comments were received before or during the public hearing held for the proposed residential rate increases.

Nichols said the district was proposing a 7% rate increase for water and wastewater services, a $1 increase to the landscape maintenance service fee (from $14 to $15 per month), and a $1 fee for construction water cost (although rarely sold). A simple cost of service study was conducted, and a 7% cost increase will need to continue annually, said Nichols.

The FLMD board unanimously approved the rate increases.

Note: A contract with Triview Metropolitan District (TMD) to provide operator services for the district was approved on Dec. 6, 2021. The contract went into effect on Jan. 1, 2023, and includes non-residential landscaping services and district maintenance. See www.ocn.me/v22n1.htm#flmd and #tvmd.

Northern Monument Creek Interceptor project update

Nichols said that TMD and FLMD are participating in the design phase of the Northern Monument Creek Interceptor (NMCI) project, and Colorado Springs Utilities (CSU) is in the process of choosing a design engineer. Donala Water and Sanitation District decided not to participate in the design phase, but it has agreed to participate in a cost share study of the jointly owned Upper Monument Creek Wastewater Treatment Facility (UMCWTF). The study will be conducted by Carollo Engineers and will provide a detailed analysis of the future costs of keeping the UMCWTF operational in compliance with all the regulatory requirements, said Nichols.

The study will take into account the cost of upgrades, retrofitting the plant to meet the new regulations, and the potential need for cooling towers. Upon completion of the study, the three districts are expected to make a good economic assessment before deciding whether to participate in the NMCI project and allow CSU to process wastewater or continue operating the UMCWTF. The study will be made public and is expected to be completed by April. A cost estimate for the NMCI project design is expected at the end of 2023, said Nichols. See TMD article on page < 12 >.

Pikes Peak Regional Water Authority reuse study update

Nichols said the Pikes Peak Regional Water Authority Reuse study had been completed. A couple of options had been identified to treat and deliver water back to the region after it is sent down Monument Creek or potentially to the JDS Phillips plant using the NMCI. CSU identified three alternatives at the preliminary stage to return potable water to all the regional water districts. Nichols recommended the district participate in a future CSU project that could potentially recapture return water flows to the district, once costs are determined, said Nichols.

Well updates

Nichols said the A1 well had been completed, and it had been augmented during the summer when the Dillon well was out of service for five months due to a pump and motor failure and the discovery of holes in the screens that cost about $270,000 in repairs. The Denver well is drilled and expected to be completed in May for a total cost just under $1 million, said Nichols.

Tom Blunk of CP Real Estate Capital, representing Forest Lakes LLC and Forest Lakes Residential Development, said a spare pump came in handy to get the Dillon well back up and running. Blunk recommended a spare pump be ordered due to the current lead times on well equipment taking up to a year. The district has come a long way in two years, and it is a great system with a lot of capital in place, but mother nature does affect the reservoir levels, he said.

Nichols said the dam monitor showed the Bristlecone Reservoir actually rose 3 inches at the end of November.

Public hearing proposed 2023 PPMD 1 budget

Hitchcock opened the public hearing for the Pinon Pines Metropolitan District 2023 budget. Hearing no public comment, the public hearing was closed.

The board unanimously approved the resolution adopting the 2023 budget and appropriating funds for PPMD 1.

Nichols said the mill levies remain the same for 2023 in PPMD 1 at 11.133 mills for the operation and management of the district and 31.500 mills for the debt service for a total of 42.633 mills. The preliminary assessed property values are subject to change until the final assessment is received from the El Paso County Assessor’s Office. The state Legislature’s two-year temporary Residential Assessment Rate reduction to 6.95% had brought the assessed value down minutely, said Nichols.

The board unanimously approved the setting of the mill levies subject to the final property assessed values.

Nichols said the cost of the 2022 audit had increased from $5,650 to $6,000.

The board unanimously approved the letter of engagement with Hoelting & Co. for the PPMD 1 2022 audit.

The PPMD 1 board also unanimously approved:

  • The administration of PPMD 1.
  • The district opt-out of the workers compensation program.
  • 2023 transparency notice of PPMD 1.

Election resolution for 2023

Nichols said the next Board of Directors election would be held on May 2, 2023, for three director positions on all four of the district boards.

Dykstra said the election will be canceled if there are no additional nominees by the end of March. The designated election official will be Melissa Oakes of Spencer Fane LLP.

Hitchcock said there had been no rush of volunteers for director positions on the PPMD 1 board, and he asked about term limits for the board directors.

Dykstra confirmed that term limits were removed when the districts were formed, and any incumbent directors can serve indefinitely.

The board unanimously approved the 2023 election.

Note: The board positions held by Directors Chris Paulene and A J Slavick, and a vacant position will be four-year terms after the 2023 election. The positions held by Stimple, Lenz, and Loidolt will be on the May 2023 ballot for four-year terms and Stephen Schlosser will be on the ballot for a two-year term. Self-nomination forms can be obtained from Stephanie Net Johnson, Paralegal, Spencer Fane LLP, 1700 Lincoln St., Suite 3800, Denver, CO 80203. 303-839-3912 snet@spencerfane.com. Forms should be returned to Johnson and will be accepted until 5 p.m. on Feb. 24, 2023.

Board vacancy filled

Dykstra requested the board confirm the two-year term of Schlosser to fill the fifth director position on the FLMD, and PPMD 2 and 3 boards that had previously been vacant.

Boulton said the board wanted to fill the vacancy and Schlosser was the new project manager for the Forest Lakes Development and other projects in the area.

The board unanimously accepted the new board member.

PPMD 1 financial review for September

Nichols said there was nothing of note in the September financials.

The board unanimously accepted the financial statement as presented.

Nichols said the financial review for October was not available for the meeting.

The PPMD 1 board adjourned at 4:17 p.m.

Amended 2022 budget—PLMD 2 and 3

Nichols said an amendment to the 2022 budget was needed because about $4.5 million was needed for both PPMD 2 and 3. The increases to each district were needed for public infrastructure in both districts. The changes in the exact amounts were expected to be made to the budget at the end of 2022.

The board approved the resolutions adopting the amended 2022 budget and appropriating funds additional funds for PPMD 2 and 3.

2023 budget—FLMD, and PPMD 2 and 3

Nichols said the following:

  • In 2022, the district budgeted about $5.5 million for infrastructure, and that has increased to about $6.1 million for 2023. The increase is in anticipation of finishing the Denver well in early 2023 and a capital expenditure on the detention ponds after the big rains during the summer showed some deficiencies.
  • PPMD 2 has little activity and the operation and management and debt service fund remain the same.
  • The general operating expenses for PPMD 2 will be levied at 11.133 mills and for the purpose of meeting all capital and debt retirement expenses, 44.531 mills will be levied for a total of 55.664 mills.
  • The main change in PPMD 3 is an increase to the purchase services fees needed for the capital outlays in FLMD that went from $350,000 in 2022 to $650,000 in 2023.

Dykstra opened the public hearing for the proposed 2023 budgets for FLMD, PPMD 2 and 3 and, hearing no comments, closed the hearing and the board unanimously approved the following:

  • The 2023 budgets appropriating funds for FLMD, and PPMD 2 and 3.
  • The certification of the mill levies is subject to updates when the final assessed values are received for FLMD, PPMD 2 and 3.
  • An engagement letter with Hoelting & Co. to perform the 2022 audits for FLMD and PPMD 2, and prepare the audit exemption request for PPMD 3.
  • The 20th amendment to the Professional Services Agreement between FLMD and Nichols.
  • An Election Resolution for 2023.
  • The 2023 annual administrative resolution.
  • The transparency notices.

Workers’ compensation opt-out

Dykstra recommended the workers’ compensation opting-out forms for the board be approved, subject to confirmation from the Special District Association (SDA) pool that opting-out is not more expensive than keeping it in place. Opting out is only for districts with significant general liability coverage, and the PPMDs only have basic liability coverage, in comparison to FLMD.

The board unanimously approved opting out subject to SDA confirmation.

The FLMD and PPMD 2 and 3 meetings adjourned at 4:45 p.m.

**********

Meetings are usually held quarterly on the first Monday of the month at 4 p.m. at 2138 Flying Horse Club Drive, Colorado Springs, or virtually via teleconference. Meeting notices are posted at least 24 hours in advance at https://forestlakesmetrodistrict.com. For general questions, contact Nichols at 719-327-5810, anicolsduffy@aol.com.

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

Other Forest Lakes Metropolitan District articles

Donala Water and Sanitation District, Dec. 12 – Rate increases approved for 2023

By James Howald and Jackie Burhans

At its December meeting, the Donala Water and Sanitation District (DWSD) board increased some rates, leaving the majority unchanged. The board also set mill levies as they are required to do annually. A resolution calling for a district election and appointing a Designated Election Official was approved. Finally, the board adopted a budget and appropriated the necessary funds.

Rates to increase 4.6% in total

District Manager Jeff Hodge told the board that the district’s costs have increased, citing an increase of 18.5% in the cost of electricity as an example. Christina Hawker, the DWSD Accounts Payable specialist, said overall rates increased 4.6%.

Resolution 2022-5 enumerated which rates will increase in 2023 and which will remain unchanged, including:

  • Residential water and sewer tap fees will remain unchanged at $8,500.
  • Commercial water tap fees for ¾-inch and 1-inch taps will increase to $9,350.
  • Commercial sewer tap fees will remain unchanged at $9,350 for the first 20 fixture units, as defined by the American Water Works Association.
  • The Water Investment Fee, which covers renewable water costs for new development, will remain unchanged at $4,000 per residence.
  • The Water Service Rate will increase to $30.66 per month.
  • The Water Usage Rate for all six tiers of consumption will increase 0.5%.
  • The Sewer Service Rate will increase to $40.54 per month through June 30, 2023. In July the billing methodology will change to a consumption-based charge.

The board voted unanimously to pass the resolution.

A complete list of rates and fees can be found on the district’s website here: https://www.donalawater.org. Click the “District Information” menu item to see rates and fees.

Two mill levies set

Each year, the DWSD board must set two mill levies, one for the bulk of the DWSD service area (Area A) and one for the Chapparal Hills neighborhood (Area B). Resolution 2022-9 set a mill levy of 21.296 mills for Area A. Resolution 2022-10 set a mill levy of 10.648 mills for Area B. Chapparal Hills requires its own mill levy because it receives only water service from DWSD. The board voted unanimously in favor of both resolutions and authorized letters to the El Paso County Assessor’s Office and the Division of Local Government notifying them of the mill levies.

Election set for May 2

The terms of Directors William George, Kevin Deardorff and Kenneth Judd will expire on May 2, 2023, and Resolution 2022-5 sets an election to fill those three seats. The directors elected will serve four-year terms.

The DWSD office building at 15850 Holbein Drive, Colorado Springs, will serve as the polling place, and voters may cast their votes between 7 a.m. and 7 p.m. on May 2.

The resolution also names Hawker as the Designated Election Official. Candidates must file a Self-Nomination and Acceptance form to run for one of the three seats. The forms are available at the DWSD office building on Holbein Drive.

If there are three or fewer candidates for the open seats, the election will be cancelled, and the candidates will be seated.

The board voted unanimously in favor of Resolution 2022-5.

2023 budget adopted and funds appropriated

Resolution 2022-6 adopts the 2023 budget presented at the Oct. 13 board meeting and reviewed at a Nov. 17 workshop, and Resolution 2022-7 appropriates the required funds. The board voted unanimously in favor of both resolutions.

The discussion of the 2023 budget at the Oct. 13 board meeting can be found in the November issue of OCN here: https://ocn.me/v22n11.htm#dwsd.

**********

The next meeting is scheduled for Jan. 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 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. 13 – 2023 budget approved; NDS timeline

By Natalie Barszcz

At the Triview Metropolitan District (TMD) meeting on Dec. 13, the board held a public hearing, approved the 2023 budget and set the mill levy; approved a staff pay raise; and revealed the final details of the Northern Delivery System (NDS) pipeline project. The board also heard about the potential for future water and wastewater rates and tap fee increases.

Director James Otis joined the meeting in person for the executive session.

2023 budget hearing

President Mark Melville separately opened the public hearings for the district’s 2023 budget, and for the sub-districts A (future Conexus development) and B (future development southeast Higby Road). Hearing no comments, Melville closed each hearing individually.

District Manager James McGrady said the future sub-districts A and B have a zero-balance budget for 2023.

McGrady said the district 2023 budget indicates that the amount of money necessary to balance the budget for the General Operating Fund is $343,772, and the amount necessary for the Debt Service Fund, for debt services expenses, is about $2.6 million. The assessed valuation of property is about $125 million.

Mill levy 2023

McGrady recommended the board approve a drop in the Debt Service Fund mill levy by .25 mills from previous years, and an increase in the General Operations Fund mill levy from 2.5 mills to 2.75 mills. He said raising the operations mill levy slightly will allow the district to pay the debt service and still bank about $70,000 to $80,000 for future use. The district could have been assessing 35 mills and banking the excess to pay off the loans in 10 years, but the debt issued in 2015 can’t be pre-paid. In the past, the board had voted to lower the mill levy and give the residents a break on 10 mills. Giving relief to homeowners is important rather than retaining a huge sum in the bank, he said.

The board certified the mill levy at 32.250 mills less a temporary mill levy reduction of 11.000 mills, for a total debt service mill levy of 21.250 mills for 2023.

Staff salary increase

McGrady said that he does not recommend chasing inflation but advocates giving reasonable raises to those that have earned it. He recommended the board approve a 6.5% pay raise for the employees. Inflation is about 10% but the district does not want to lose employees over a few hundred dollars. The district has not lost any staff at the utility plant and only a few recently in the Parks and Recreation Department, he said.

Water and wastewater rates

McGrady said he had built the budget around a 10% water and wastewater rate increase, and the concept was a conservative increase. He also said a similar approach would be taken for tap fees, and estimated about 60 homes, five per month, would incur increased tap fees, plus the potential addition of an apartment complex for 2023. The board did not implement any rate increases at the board meeting.

McGrady said overall the 2023 budget is solid, and it will get the district from point A to point B and way down the road on the NDS project.

The 2023 budget can be viewed at www.triview.com.

The board approved Resolution 2022-14 adopting the 2023 budget, appropriating funds, and setting the district’s mill levies, 4-0.

The board approved multiple resolutions to include Resolution 2022-17, adopting the annual administrative resolution. For more information, see www.triviewmetro.com.

Board election

Resolution 2022-18, calling an election on May 2, 2023 to elect members to the TMD Board of Directors, was approved, 4-0.

NDS construction contract

McGrady recommended the board approve the pre-ordering of materials for the NDS pipeline project, because some items are out for six months up to a year. Pipe is now more readily available and reduced from 12 weeks to four weeks wait time, but fittings are 12 weeks, and some items 16 weeks until delivery, he said.

The district’s attorney, George Rowley, said he had reviewed the Kiewit Infrastructure contract and forwarded his comments back. His main comment was to ensure the district, as a governmental entity, will not pay sales tax on the materials.

Treasurer/Secretary James Barnhart asked if Kiewit will purchase materials incrementally in accordance with availability to avoid project delays.

Rowley said some provisions about possible delays would require further review.

McGrady said it may be prudent to add that Kiewit may begin ordering materials as of Jan. 1, 2023.

Director Marco Fiorito said the board and district have a responsibility to the residents to avoid unnecessary delays with the NDS project.

The board approved the proposal from Kiewit for pre-construction services and construction services for the NDS, and directed McGrady to sign the contract, with additional language permitting the pre-purchase of materials and stipulating the avoidance of project delays, 4-0.

NDS timeline

McGrady said the following:

  • The 1041 permit to commence the project is expected by February, and the convey, treat, and delivery contract is expected to be approved by Colorado Springs City Council in March 2023. See www.ocn.me/v22n12.htm#tvmd.
  • Construction is expected to begin in April, with two crews likely working on the pipeline at each end, ensuring that paving can be completed by winter.
  • The crews will begin with the exterior of the pump station at the C plant in the north and another crew will work from the south.
  • The plan is to have the pipeline installed and the roads overlaid by November 2023.
  • The interior of the pump station will be completed over winter 2023-24.
  • The NDS is expected to be operational by summer 2024.
  • The total cost for the NDS project is about $20 million; about $17 million is budgeted for 2023.

Park access during construction

McGrady said he had met with Kari Parsons, El Paso County planner, to discuss the 1041 request, and the only comment received so far came from county Parks and Recreation, with a concern about access to Fox Run Regional Park during the construction phase. A detour plan has been devised, keeping the trailhead on Roller Coaster Road open to local traffic from South Baptist Road. Roller Coaster Road will be closed in certain segments during construction, but local and full access to the park will continue.

Public works, parks and open space update

Superintendent Matt Rayno gave a “big kudos” shout out to the district snow removal team and the equipment provided to get the job done. And he said:

  • The wind storm downed about eight posts in the district, and temporary signage was put in place to avoid traffic problems.
  • Winter watering and the pruning of trees and shrubs had taken place.
  • The Agate Creek Park irrigation is back in place after the installation of the NDS “C” section of pipeline, and the park will be seeded in spring.
  • Trash pick-up occurs daily.
  • The bulk of the work will be snow removal and trail rebuilding.

McGrady said the restoration of Agate Creek Park will involve reworking the irrigation, new top soil, and re-seeding for a budgeted cost of $150,000. It is a horrible looking park after the pipeline installation, he said, but it has the nicest view, and it needs restoring. He also said a gazebo and a portable restroom enclosure are planned for the Little Train Park in Promontory Pointe.

Vice President Anthony Sexton asked about the location of the restroom enclosure.

Rayno said the district staff will install a gazebo and a concrete pad close to the existing playground, and the drinking fountain for the portable restrooms. The restrooms will be enclosed by a 6-foot cedar fence and a padlocked gate. The restrooms will be serviced weekly and locked during winter, he said.

Melville said the public works team is doing a “great job,” everything looks good, and it is a joy to drive in the district. It is good to recognize all the public works trucks now have district signage, he said.

Public comments

This reporter commented on the display of lights at the Baptist Road and Leather Chaps Drive intersection.

Sexton agreed they enhanced the development and said many residents had requested the upgraded landscaping, the lights have added value to every resident, and the appeal draws in new residents. That, in comparison to the cost, is pennies on the dollar, he said.

Melville said when you drive around and see the quality of the roads, the district parks and open spaces, it is head and shoulders above other neighborhoods and it all equates to an increase in the homeowner’s investment, he said.

Executive session

The board moved into an executive session at 7:11 p.m., under Colorado Revised Statutes 24-6-402(4)(a), (b), (e), to receive legal advice regarding acquisitions and negotiations associated with water delivery infrastructure and conservation easements.

**********

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