Donala Water and Sanitation District, Jan. 15 – 2026 rates and fees amended

• Water investment fee corrected
• General manager position to be filled
• NMCI gets another look
• Administrative resolution passed
• Executive session

By James Howald and Jackie Burhans

At its meeting in January, the Donala Water and Sanitation District (DWSD) board held a public hearing on corrections and amendments to its water and sewer rates and fees. The board discussed how to proceed with hiring a new general manager. DWSD’s possible participation in the North Monument Creek Interceptor (NMCI) project was briefly discussed in the open session and deferred to the executive session. Annual housekeeping matters were addressed in an administrative resolution and a board meeting schedule. The meeting ended with an executive session.

Water investment fee corrected

Board President Wayne Vanderschuere opened a public hearing on Resolution 2026-2, which documents changes to the water and sewer rates and fees approved in 2025. Interim General Manager Christina Hawker explained that the Water Investment Fee, which pays for the purchase of Willow Creek Ranch, the connection to Colorado Springs Utilities (CSU), and additional water resources, was originally set at $4,200 but should have been set at $4,200 per single-family residence or equivalent. The new resolution corrected that error, she said.

Billing Administrator Ashley Uhrin explained additional changes, which include:

• A new $3 per-day fee will be imposed if installations and inspections are not completed within the designated time.
• A $750 deposit, to be paid by developers, on bulk water provided by DWSD’s fill station.
• An increase of 5% to the Minimum Water Service Rate over the 2025 rate.
• An increase of 5% to the Minimum Sewer Service Rate over the 2025 rate.

Uhrin said the new rates would go into effect immediately, except for water and sewer rates, which will go into effect in March.

Vanderschuere closed the hearing, and the board voted unanimously to approve the resolution.

General manager position to be filled

Vanderschuere said the last time DWSD had interviewed candidates for its general manager position, it had assigned two board members to cull resumes and applications, then the board discussed that short list and interviewed selected candidates. He said Linda Glesne, DWSD’s attorney, had offered to brief the board on the hiring process. Directors Ken Judd and Kevin Deardorff will do the first round of resume evaluation, Vanderschuere said.

NMCI gets another look

Vanderschuere said CSU had contacted the district to ask if it would reconsider joining the NMCI project. Participation in the NMCI would enable DWSD to send its sewer flows to a CSU-owned treatment plan and remove the need for DWSD to continue to operate the Upper Monument Creek Regional Wastewater Treatment Facility (UMCRWWTF), which it shares with the Triview Metropolitan District (TMD), the Forest Lakes Metropolitan District (FLMD), and the Academy Water and Sanitation District. TMD and FLMD have expressed interest in joining NMCI.

DWSD has debated joining the NMCI project for several years but has decided to join the Loop water re-use project instead, in part because the NMCI design does not provide a way for DWSD to re-use its effluent, which the Loop does provide.

Vanderschuere said there were legal ramifications involved in the decision, adding that Roger Sams of GMS Inc., DWSD’s consulting engineer, would go into the details of the legal decision in the executive session.

Administrative resolution passed

The board voted unanimously in favor of Resolution 2026-1, which established the rules and regulations that special districts must follow, such as the schedule for preparing, submitting, and amending their budget, and where their meetings will be held. The board also approved a schedule for its board meetings, which are typically held on the third Thursday of every month at 1:30 pm.

Executive session

The meeting ended with an executive session to confer with legal counsel regarding the district’s Intragovernmental Agreement for the UMCRWWTF. No actions were taken following the executive session.

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The next board meeting is on Thursday, Feb. 19, at 1:30 p.m. Generally, board meetings are held on 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

Other Donala Water and Sanitation District articles

• Donala Water and Sanitation District, Dec. 11 – 2026 budget adopted (12/31/2025)
• Donala Water and Sanitation District, Nov. 20 – Water rights and exchange options reviewed (12/4/2025)
• Donala Water and Sanitation District, Oct. 9 – 2026 budget planning (10/30/2025)
• Donala Water and Sanitation District, Sept. 11 – 2026 budget planning kicks off (10/2/2025)
• Donala Water and Sanitation District, Aug. 13, 22 – General manager on administrative leave (9/4/2025)
• Donala Water and Sanitation District, July 17 – Board tours treatment facility, adjusts sewer bills (8/1/2025)
• Donala Water and Sanitation District, June 12 – Positive audit report; inconsistent waste treatment numbers (7/3/2025)
• Donala Water and Sanitation District, May 5 – Directors sworn in; district offices temporarily closed (6/7/2025)
• Donala Water and Sanitation District, April 17 – Workshop covers finances, water supply (5/3/2025)
• Donala Water and Sanitation District, Mar. 27 – New water and sewer rates take effect (4/5/2025)