Woodmoor Water and Sanitation District, March 11 – Board hears update on the Loop

Loop water reuse project advances
Large water loss noted
Engineering report
Water sales improve
JUC receives hardware
Executive session

By James Howald

At its March meeting, the Woodmoor Water and Sanitation District (WWSD) board heard operational reports from District Manager Jessie Shaffer, Operations Superintendent Dan LaFontaine, District Engineer Ariel Hacker, board Treasurer Roy Martinez, and board Secretary Bill Clewe, who also serves as the district’s liaison with the Joint Use Committee (JUC), which oversees the Tri-Lakes Waste Water Treatment Facility. The meeting ended with an executive session.

Loop water reuse project advances

In his Manager’s Report, Shaffer told the board he expected a report on Colorado Springs Utility’s Edward Bailey Water Treatment Facility (EBWTF) to be complete in March. The report will help the Loop board decide if the EBWTF can be used to treat the Loop’s water, or if the Loop will need to build its own treatment facility. That decision will be a large factor in determining the total cost of the water reuse project.

Shaffer said the Loop was also working on pipeline alignments and easement acquisitions, and on the financial documents that will define the roles and responsibilities of the participating districts. The documents will address the question of whether the participating districts will lease water rights to the Loop. See the Loop article on page 14.

Shaffer also discussed bills under consideration by the state Legislature that could affect the district. A bill concerning Accessory Dwelling Units could have an impact on local land use policies, he said. Dick Brown, the district’s lobbyist, is also watching HB24-1379, which would create a state-run permit system to regulate when developers can dig up and fill in streams and wetlands. A second bill on that issue is expected.

Large water loss noted

LaFontaine told the board that the water report for February showed a 19% water loss. He said that, in addition to three other leaks, a service line to the Country Club at Woodmoor had failed and three days passed before the underground leak was identified. The lost water did not flow through the sewer system and may have made its way to Monument Creek, he said. LaFontaine said he was continuing to investigate the water loss.

He reported that the water meter replacement project was going well, with 12 to 14 meters a day being replaced. He estimated half the year’s goal for meter replacement would be met by April. He thanked the office staff for their effective communication with customers regarding meter replacement.

Engineering report

Hacker said Wildcat Construction would complete WWSD’s portion of the first phase of the Highway 105 expansion by April. Well 22, located on the southside of County Line Road, is pushing ahead, she said, and the transmission pipeline could be installed by summer if the county permitting process goes well. Installation of the pressure reducing valves required by the Monument Junction development would begin in March and should be complete in June, she said. A sewer capacity study was getting underway and planning for an additional storage tank for redundancy is beginning.

Water sales improve

In his financial report, Martinez noted that water sales were up in February, despite a fair amount of precipitation. Sewer revenue was on target, he said. The district’s repair or replace program was at 27% of the annual allocation due to general maintenance expenses and costs associated with Lake Woodmoor.

JUC receives hardware

Clewe told the board that the JUC had received two blowers, used to aerate sewage, from a sanitation district in Lafayette, Colo. The blowers are twice the size of the units they are replacing, he said, and they have variable frequency drives that pump less or more air at different times, which results in electrical cost savings.

Executive session

The board held an executive session to receive legal advice on Water Court Case 12CW1 and potential agreements with Enerfin Renewables, LLC, JWI, Inc., and El Paso County. No actions were taken following the executive session.

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The next meeting is scheduled for April 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.