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<br />, <br />,-- <br /> <br />In 1997, the Authority hired GMS, Inc. of Colorado Springs to conduct an inventory of <br />county water purveyors to determine the amount of water each owns and supplies, and their . <br />future needs. In addition to the dues from each member entity, El Paso County contributed <br />$9,000 in 1998, $17,000 in 1999, and has budgeted $25,000 for FY 2000. <br /> <br />At the January 1999 meeting, the Board approved a grant to the El Paso County Water <br />Authority for development of a Multiphase County Water Master Plan. The grant was for up to <br />$37,500 on a 50% cost share with El Paso County, provided funds were available from the <br />Severance Tax Trust Fund Operational Account (STTFOA). <br /> <br />Due to managerial, administrative, and accounting process constraints, however, the <br />money did not become available. As a result, Some of the 1999 STTFOA moneys allocated to <br />the CWCB for expenditure in FY1999 went unspent and were returned to the trust fund. No <br />decision to reallocate any of the STTFOA funds allocated to the CWCB for expenditure in FY <br />2000 to the master plan has been made to date. <br /> <br />The Authority issued a request for proposals in September 1999. Seven consultants <br />responded, and the county and the Authority are currently in the process of evaluating the <br />proposals. <br /> <br />Discussion <br /> <br />The approach taken by the rural water providers in El Paso County is, I believe, <br />exactly the type of regional water resources planning effort that the Board would like to be <br />fostering. The proposed master plan represents a significant opportunity for coordination and <br />development of water supplies for the rapidly growing Colorado Springs Front Range <br />communities. It is similar in scope to the Metro Front Range study recently completed by <br />Hydrosphere with Construction Fund moneys in a non-matching grant of $450,000 authorized <br />in 1993. The master plan should complement the Water Needs Inventory recently completed <br />in the Arkansas River basin by the Southeastern Water Conservation District and supported in <br />part by the Board. <br /> <br />. <br /> <br />As requested by the Board, the master plan specifications include coordination of <br />aquifer resources and well ownership with the State Engineer. Water conservation and demand <br />management strategies will also be considered in development of the master plan. <br /> <br />From a review of the proposals, it is apparent that the cost for developing the master <br />plan will be significantly more expensive than initially anticipated. Some state funds will be <br />needed immediately after a consultant is selected if the project is to proceed on schedule. <br /> <br />We cannot be sure that the proposed "Severance Tax Trust Fund Statewide Water <br />Planning Account" in the Construction Fund will actually be created by the Legislature (see <br />agenda item 16d). In order for the master plan to proceed on schedule, and for the funds to be <br />available from year to year until the multi-phased project is completed, the most secure source . <br />of state funds is the Construction Fund. <br /> <br />2 <br />