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OCN > 2305 > Donala Water and Sanitation District, April 20 – Waste treatment plant debate continues

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.

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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.

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