Arkansas - Fowler Water Resource Development_Water Activity Summary.docx

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have wide-ranging benefits outside of the region but does provide important improvements to the Town's water supply system. Discussion: Considering that the Town is operating the Potable Water System under a Compliance Advisory from the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment, this project has the potential to greatly improve the town's water quality to a level within State water quality standards. This project does not appear to increase the Town's overall water supply by any significant yield but will exchange low quality potable water with higher quality potable water. Poor drinking water quality is a significant problem throughout the Lower Arkansas Valley and the Arkansas Valley Conduit project is currently being pursued to help communities similar to Fowler obtain high quality potable water supplies. Issues/Additional Needs: • The scope of work needs to be refined to provide a more detailed description of the tasks to be performed. Please have the tasks relate directly to the project's budget and schedule. • Based on the application, it is unclear what the WSRA grant funds will be applied towards as the total project cost is $678,648. Please describe which tasks the WSRA funds will be applied towards. • The applicant indicates matching funds of $47,000. Please describe all other funding sources. • The budget includes a contingency fee of $75,405. The State will not pay for contingency fees. • The budget includes "consulting and legal fees" of $100,540. If WSRA grant funds are to be applied to these costs, please provide further detail in the budget and description of tasks to be performed. • The project schedule indicates that the project is well underway with a project completion date of January 2009. It should be noted that any costs incurred prior to execution of a contract are not subject to reimbursement. Otherwise, please provide an updated schedule. • Considering the efforts to construct the Arkansas Valley Conduit to provide a source of clean drinking water for communities within the Lower Arkansas Valley (the same goal described in this application), please indicate whether the Town would seek water from the Arkansas Valley Conduit project if built. Staff Recommendation: Staff recommends approval of up to $15,000 from the Arkansas Basin Account and $175,000 from the Statewide Account to help fund the Water Resource Development for the Town of Fowler, Colorado contingent on resolution of the item in the issues/additional needs section. All products, data and information developed as a result of this grant must be provided to CWCB in hard copy and electronic format as part of the project documentation. This information will in turn be made widely available to Basin Roundtables and the general public and will help promote the development of a common technical platform. 2