Woodmoor Water and Sanitation District, Oct. 13 – Schedule set for 2026 budget

2026 budget workshop, hearing and vote scheduled
Financial and operational reports
Executive session

By James Howald

In October, the Woodmoor Water and Sanitation District (WWSD) board decided on the process and schedule it would use to complete its 2026 budget. It heard operational and financial reports from District Manager Jessie Shaffer, board Treasurer Dana Franzen, Operations Superintendent Dan LaFontaine and District Engineer Cydney Saelens. The meeting ended with an executive session.

2026 budget workshop, hearing and vote scheduled

Shaffer asked the board to schedule a workshop on the 2026 budget for Oct. 23. Board President Brian Bush said that most line-items in the budget don’t change from year to year, so the board’s past approach has been to concentrate on just a few items of importance and discuss them in depth. He asked the board members to read the draft budget before the workshop and bring their questions. The board scheduled the workshop as Shaffer recommended.

Shaffer asked the board to schedule public hearings on the budget and on possible rate increases at its meeting in November, and to hold a vote on the completed budget and rates at its December meeting. To comply with deadlines set by the state, the board rescheduled its November meeting to Monday, Nov. 17, at 1 p.m. and its December meeting to Monday, Dec. 15, at 1 p.m.

Financial and operational reports

In his review of September’s finances, Franzen noted that receivables were down, but everything else was as expected. He said a software problem that caused liabilities to show $42,000 higher than they should be had been fixed.

Franzen commented that supplemental water sales were much lower in the last three months than in the previous five months. Shaffer said those sales are “wildly volatile.” Bush said tap fees for the year were lower than expected, but that was offset by less spending on construction.

Shaffer reported on the Joint Use Committee, which manages the operations of the Tri-Lakes Waste Water Treatment Facility, which WWSD operates with the Towns of Monument and Palmer Lake, noting that he had just received its proposed budget for 2026 and would provide feedback.

LaFontaine updated the board on operations of the Chilcott Ditch Co. The Chilcott Ditch conveys water from Fountain Creek to the Calhan Reservoir and provides irrigation water to the shareholders in the company. WWSD is the largest shareholder. The Chilcott Ditch will play a role in the Loop water re-use project. LaFontaine said he anticipated shutting down the ditch for the winter by October’s end.

In his Manager’s Report, Shaffer noted that the Pikes Peak Regional Water Authority is moving forward with a study of Indirect Potable Reuse (IPR), an approach to water management in which treated effluent is returned to customers after having been discharged into rivers or streams after treatment. (The Loop is an example of applied IPR.) Shaffer said the study could guide Colorado Springs Utilities’ approach to this technology. Bush pointed out that the study is on a 10- to 20-year timeline—much longer-term than the Loop.

In his Water Report, LaFontaine noted a low water loss of 3% for the previous month. He said the measurement was complicated by the fact that one water tank was being filled and another being emptied while the measurements were being collected. He said many of the wells in the northern part of the district were offline in September to allow aquifers to rest.

Regarding Woodmoor Lake, La Fontaine said about 400,000 gallons of water per day were going into the lake from Monument Creek, and he expected the lake to be filled by spring of next year. The lake is still recovering from having been entirely drained four years ago so that repairs could be made to the dam, and so water from the lake could be delivered to both of the district’s water treatment plants.

In her Engineer’s Report, Saelens said most of the equipment had been moved off the Well 12R site in the South Preserve. Erosion control and site piping are underway. She said the site should be restored by spring.

Saelens updated the board on the project to proactively replace saddles, which connect residential service lines to main lines. She said two crews were replacing saddles and 70 have been replaced so far. LaFontaine commented that many of the saddles are 40 years old and so badly degraded that they are only being held in place by the soil.

Saelens said the Monument Ridge East development, east of I-25 and south of County Line Road, was moving forward with its first filing for 37 single-family residences.

Executive session

The meeting ended with an executive session for the board to receive legal counsel regarding potential agreements with the Loop Water Authority and Tallgrass Colorado Municipal Water LLC and Atlantica Sustainable Infrastructure. No action was taken following the executive session.

**********

The next meeting is on Nov. 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.

2026 budget workshop, hearing and vote scheduled

Financial and operational reports

Executive session

Other Woodmoor Water and Sanitation District articles

Reader Interactions

Leave a Comment Cancel reply