|
<br />.
<br />
<br />.
<br />
<br />0,
<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 />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 />.,',
<br />
<br />..
<br />
<br />2
<br />
|