By James Howald
The El Paso County Regional Loop Water Authority (EPCRLWA, or the Loop) board met briefly in September to hear a progress report from John Kuosman, a water practice leader with Merrick and Co., who serves as the Loop’s workflow manager. Board President Jessie Shaffer gave a financial report. The meeting ended with an executive session after which no action was taken.
Madeline Vandenhoek, the interim town manager for the Town of Monument, replaced the previous Town Manager Mike Foreman. The Cherokee Metropolitan District did not have a representative at the meeting.
Progress report
Kuosman told the board he had sent a letter to Colorado Springs Utilities (CSU) asking for its timeline on allowing the Loop to use the Southern Delivery System pipeline to convey the Loop’s water and to use the Edward W. Bailey Water Treatment Plant to treat its water. The Loop has been trying to negotiate the use of CSU’s infrastructure for several months without reaching an agreement. Kuosman said he thought CSU could be open to sharing resources with the Loop at the end of 2025.
Kuosman said three of the Loop’s providers—EPCOR, a financing company, Vidler Water Company Inc., which develops water supplies, and Tallgrass Water, a water infrastructure company—had requested the Loop board sign non-disclosure agreements (NDAs) with them to protect their financial estimates. Kuosman said he and Nicole R. Peykov, the Loop’s attorney, recommended waiting before signing the NDAs provided in the board packet for the meeting. In response to Kuosman’s recommendation, the board tabled its vote on the NDAs.
Financial report
Shaffer listed five invoices the Loop had received in the last month from providers:
- Fromm & Co., $592.
- JVA Inc., $5,268.
- Kimley Horn, $1,780.
- American Co., $12,010.
- Spencer Fane, $4,204.
The board voted unanimously to approve paying the invoices.
Executive session
The meeting ended with an executive session to receive legal advice from the Loop’s attorney on negotiating positions regarding the use of the funds remaining from the $4 million American Recovery Plan Act (ARPA) grant the Loop received from the Biden administration via the El Paso Board of County Commissioners. No votes were taken after the executive session.
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The next regular meeting is scheduled for Oct. 17 at 9 a.m. Regular meetings are held on the third Thursday of each month at 9 a.m. at the Monument Town Hall at 645 Beacon Lite Road. Workshop meetings are held the first Thursday of each month at 9 a.m. at the Cherokee Metropolitan District offices at 6250 Palmer Park Blvd., Colorado Springs. Please see loopwater.org or call 719-488-3603 to verify meeting times and locations.
James Howald can be reached at jameshowald@ocn.me.
Other LOOP articles
- El Paso County Regional Loop Water Authority, April 17 – Pumps and pipeline proposal out for bids (5/3/2025)
- El Paso County Regional Loop Water Authority, March 20 – Contract awarded for water treatment plant design and pilot test (4/5/2025)
- El Paso County Regional Loop Water Authority, Feb. 20 – Interim workflow manager joins Loop team (3/1/2025)
- El Paso County Regional Loop Water Authority, Jan. 16 – Board moves forward with RFP for water treatment design (2/1/2025)
- El Paso County Regional Loop Water Authority, Dec. 19 – Cherokee Metro District withdraws from Loop project (1/4/2025)
- El Paso County Regional Loop Water Authority, Nov. 21 – Board approves 2025 budget (12/5/2024)
- El Paso County Regional Loop Water Authority, Oct. 17 – Board hears financial reports (11/2/2024)
- El Paso County Regional Loop Water Authority, Aug. 15 – Board amends contract with Merrick and Co. (9/7/2024)
- El Paso County Regional Loop Water Authority, July 18 – Board considers new roles for Merrick and Co. (8/3/2024)
- El Paso County Regional Loop Water Authority, June 20 – Board pursues easements (7/6/2024)