Arkansas - Round Mountain Water System Improvement Project_Full Application

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Round Mountain Water and Sanitation District Water System Improvements Project ATTACHMENT E B. 9. Additional Information Round Mountain Water & Sanitation District's project meets the criteria of this application for the following reasons: SB 1 79 states that the Severance tax trust fund was created to use state resources in funding programs that promote and encourage sound management and development related to water, aluong other things. The Water Supply Reserve Account was created with moneys allocated for water activities and projects approved by Roundtable's criteria. The criteria ensures allocations will meet those water supply needs identified under Article 75, and shall facilitate both structural and non- structural projects. RMW's project is a structural project. These funds will uroduce action! Article 75 refers to developing a basin-wide consumptive and nonconsumptive water supply needs assessment, conduct an analysis of available unappropriated waters within the basin, and propose projects or methods, both structural and nonstructural for meeting those needs and utilizing those unappropriated waters were appropriate...It took close to six years of engineering and water court and legal battles for RMW to get the appropriated water it needed, but what we don't have and need is a system to get the appropriated water to its users. The Statewide Water Supply Initiative (SWSI) Report contains Water Manageluent Objectives and Related Basin Roundtable Comments. Many of those objectives and comments relate to RMW's project. One objective was to Sustainably meet Municipal and Industrial and Agricultural Demands, Arkansas Basin commented that the lack of reliable Municipal and Industrial supply could impact population and tax base. RMW's project addresses improving Municipal water supply. With the proposed improvements, RMW can effectively and efficiently supply water to its existing district population, and provide for future expansion, thereby allowing for growth and an increase in the tax base of the community. Another objective in the SWSI Report was to optimize existing and future water supplies and luaximize the use of existing and new in-basin supplies. RMW's project does both, it optimizes the existing system and will provide for future growth. And even though RMW only serves a small population, it still serves residents in Custer County who are within the Arkansas River Basin. This is a perfect opportunity for an isolated county within the Basin to participate fairly in the Roundtables distribution of funds. Promote Cost Effectiveness is another objective of SWSI. Allocate cost to all beneficiaries fairly and achieve benefits at the lowest cost. Arl(ansas Basin commented that the cheapest solution is not always the best. RMW's project is not cheap, but if we cannot attain affordable funding methods now, costs will only increase later, and the consumer will be affected the most with higher utility bills. The district's debt per capita of $878 is close to the statewide average of $899 for water and sewer debt. RMW's monthly water rates of $34.27 are already higher than the statewide average of $32.45. The last objective I want to mention is Protecting Cultural Values, maintaining the quality of life unique to each basin and providing for long-term needs beyond 30 years. RMW's study completed by the Crabtree Group of Salida was based on needs projected for a 25-year growth period. Our project will provide a solution that addresses existing and long-term needs for our area. A stateluent from the SWSI Objectives Draft reads, "While recognizing that it is important to have a healthy economy in each basin, it was determined that the clearest link between water management and economics is through having a dependable supply for all uses." RMW is asking for $120,000 of Basin Grant Funds to help accomplish providing a dependable municipal water supply for existing and future Colorado residents living in a portion of the Arkansas River Basin. Water Conservation. RMW has made a lot of progress in terms of water conservation. In 1996, with a fully metered system, we pumped an average of 138,000 gallons per customer per year. In 2006, 10 years later, we pumped an average of only 116,000 gallons per customer per year. This is 22,000 gallons per customer per year less than 10 years ago, a 16% reduction in use per customer. This average was accomplished through meter testing and replacement, leal( detection, rate increases, and a program of voluntary water conservation. RMW also has available a handout on Conservation Tips and routinely adds conservation tips on its monthly water billings.