PROJ00159

• Contract/PO #: C153305
• Contractor Name: Dolores Water Conservancy District
• Water District: 0
• County: Dolores
• Bill Number: XB 99-999
• Loan Projects - Doc Type: Feasibility Study

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CHAPTER I
SUMMARY, CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS

A. SUMMARY

An increase in energy development activities plus a greater influx of tourists

and recreational visitors will result in significant growth in the population of

the Dolores Water Conservancy District during the study period (1984 - 2004).

On a district-wide basis, existing potable water supply facilities are inadequate

for meeting the increased demands imposed by this growth.

The separate service entities within the district vary in their capacity to

tolerate rising demands for municipal and industrial water. For example, the

City of Cortez, by far the largest population center, will not be able to fulfill

the requirements for treated water production after 1984-85 without extensive

renovation to its existing facilities. Over the past year, Montezuma Water Company

has experienced a growth rate in new taps about double the rate anticipated. The

company is in need of improving its transmission capacity from the standpoint of

rural fire protection, and will eventually be restricted in serving new customers

by quantity and pressure limitations. The Town of Dolores has the reserve filter

capacity to handle its own water treatment needs for the foreseeable future, but

with the growth being experienced by Montezuma Water Company, demand on the present

Dolores plant may reach its full output capacity by 1990. Towaoc does not

appear to have adequate water treatment facilities at the present time. Even the

new treatment plant at Dove Creek will need to be expanded in 1984 if it is to serve

the northern portion of the district as proposed in this report. A similar expan-

sion will be required again in 1995 assuming population growth occurs as projected.

A number of alternatives were considered in determining the most feasible method

of supplying potable water service to the district. The primary consideration in

formulating alternatives involved the comparison of a large new central facility to

serve the entire district versus renovation and expansion of existing treatment

plants and addition of new small plants to serve the various individual entities

within the district. A comparison of cost estimates for capital construction and

operation and maintenance of treatment plants varying in size from 1 MGD to 20

MGD graphically illustrated the economies of scale available with the larger

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