Arkansas - Las Animas Sanitary Sewer System Improvements_Water Activity Summary

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of cost associated with operation and maintenance on the collection system and give the city the ability to comply with state requirements on obtaining composite samples at the WWTP. All work will be installed by means of heavy machinery. These goals will have a positive net effect on the ground water quality within the vicinity. By replacement of old, brittle and failing sewer mains, the sewer system will become tighter. This will effectively eliminate exfiltration of raw sewage in areas of sewer main replacement. Consequently, ground water quality is anticipated to improve as a direct result. This in essence provides more water at a better quality for both municipal and agriculture users. Furthermore, as water quality deteriorates, it becomes less useable for municipalities and agriculture, and it contributes to more degradation of the ecology and environmental habitat of the Arkansas River. Thus, the improvement in water quality resulting from this project will help provide a greater amount of useable water supply for both consumptive and nonconsumptive purposes in the basin. Discussion: The proposed project appears to be an important and necessary action by the City of Las Animas. In evaluating the application staff clearly saw this need but our primary focus was on the nexus between the proposed project and the purposed of the Water Supply Reserve Account (WSRA). The applicant astutely identified the need to make this nexus and provide some justification for the project. Their justification focused on: 1) the reduced non-beneficial consumptive use that is associated with evaporation of infiltrated groundwater once it enters the treatment system (estimated at 2 acre-feet per year); and 2) reduced impacts from loss/seepage of sewage. The applicant did not specify the method by which they estimated the reduced evaporation but in any case the amount of reduced evaporation is relatively modest in relationship to the amount of funds requested. In regard to the identified reduced impacts. Staff could potentially see a nexus to addressing non- consumptive needs if: 1) there was an impairment of aquatic species that were identified as a priority need for the area or basin, and/or 2) there was an impairment of consumptive beneficial use. The applicant has not specifically identified any impairment nor have they shown how the proposed project would eliminate any potential impairment. For these reasons staff did not see a strong nexus to the WSRA. Issues/Additional Needs: ? The scope of work, budget, and schedule are not sufficiently detailed to document and/or justify the project cost estimates. The scope, budget and schedule does not detail those work elements that will be paid for by the WSRA. ? The Preliminary Engineering Report costs ($1.587 million) do not match the identified ($1.037 million) total project costs. ? The proposed project only met a few of the evaluation criteria for statewide funding. Staff Recommendation: The proposed project is clearly and important priority for the City of Las Animas and has several sources of funding to leverage WSRA funds. However, as discussed above the water supply and potential non- consumptive benefits of the proposed project are either marginal or do not appear to exist. In addition, only a few statewide evaluation criteria are met by the project. For these reasons staff does not recommend funding of the Las Animas Sanitary Sewer System Improvements. 4