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OCN > 2408 > El Paso County Regional Loop Water Authority, July 18 – Board considers new roles for Merrick and Co.

El Paso County Regional Loop Water Authority, July 18 – Board considers new roles for Merrick and Co.

By James Howald

The El Paso County Regional Loop Water Authority (EPCRLWA or the Loop) board met in July to hear to hear suggestions for next steps from John Kuosman, a water practice leader with Merrick and Co., who also serves as the Loop’s project planning and workflow manager, and to consider a new contract between the Loop and Merrick. Board President Jessie Shaffer presented invoices from the previous month. The board also held an executive session, which was attended by representatives from all the participating districts, after which no action was taken.

Will Colorado Springs Utilities play a role?

Kuosman told the board that the option for Colorado Springs Utilities (CSU) to have a near-term partnership with the Loop was still being considered. The possibility that the Loop could make use of CSU’s pipelines and its Edward W. Bailey Water Treatment Plant has been discussed for months. Kuosman explained that a formal request to CSU had been made by the Loop and he expected CSU to provide a timeline and preliminary costs by mid-August. The possibility that the Loop could make use of CSU’s pipelines and excess water treatment capacity has a direct impact on the final cost of the Loop’s project.

Kuosman also said CSU is studying indirect potable reuse of water. “Indirect potable reuse” refers to systems where treated effluent from wastewater treatment facilities is released into a stream or river and then an equal amount of water is diverted from the stream or river to be reused by customers. The Loop is an indirect potable reuse design, with effluent from treatment facilities in northern El Paso County being released into Monument Creek and traveling downstream to Fountain Creek, where it is diverted, treated, and then conveyed north to customers for reuse. Kuosman said there were lots of overlap between CSU’s long-term plans and the Loop. CSU’s goals aligned with the Loop, he explained, but CSU’s timeline was years behind the Loop’s schedule.

New contract with Merrick for next phase

Kuosman told the board that its current contract with Merrick covered activities up to the drafting of the Member Agency Financing and Contribution Agreement, which defines the benefits and responsibilities of the participating districts. That contract is now complete, he said, and the board should consider a new agreement with Merrick for services related to the next phase of the project.

He briefly discussed financing options for the Loop, which include use of municipal bonds, federal grants, and public/private partnerships. He said he was working with Piper Sandler on financing options and with EPCOR, a company that invests in infrastructure projects and recoups its investment over the long term.

Kuosman said that the Loop’s current contract with Merrick covered project planning, workflow management, and advancing a conceptual design to the point where costs could be estimated. He suggested that the contract with Merrick for the phase two scope of service should include:

  • Project management, including attending board meetings, meetings with other agencies, and weekly phone calls.
  • Securing easements for 30 miles of pipelines.
  • Development of a hydraulic model for the project that will be used by engineering companies.
  • Exploring federal grants, federal programs, and public/private partnerships.
  • Pumping and storage, treatment and processing, and pipeline designs.
  • Putting BBNA’s conceptual design into an operating agreement for the participating districts to sign.
  • Long-term staffing plans.

Invoices

In his financial report, Shaffer mentioned four invoices that had arrived in the last month:

  • JVA Inc. for $5,519.
  • Kimley Horn for $3,150.
  • Spencer Fane LLC for $4,202.
  • The American Company for $18,341.

The board voted unanimously to accept the financial report.

Executive session

The meeting ended with an executive session to receive legal advice from the Loop’s attorney and to discuss negotiating positions. The session was attended by representatives from the participating districts, to whom the Member Agency Financing and Contribution Agreement was presented. No votes were taken after the executive session.

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The next regular meeting is scheduled for Aug. 15 at 9 a.m. Regular meetings are held on the third Thursday of each month at 9 a.m. at the Monument Town Hall at 645 Beacon Lite Road. Workshop meetings are held the first Thursday of each month at 9 a.m. at the 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.

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