PRWID Discusses Reserve Policy, Clarifies Water Loss Misconception

By Sun Advocate

The Price River Water Improvement District met April 4 and discussed a resolution to set a reserve water policy.
Originally, the resolution was proposed to establish a 30 percent water loss rate for the district. But it was never adopted. There have been several drafts of the document and discussions in previous meetings.
At a meeting in March, a review of multiple studies led to a suggestion that instead of a water loss standard, the resolution should be changed to a water reserve policy.
The wording was changed, and the resolution presented at Tuesday’s meeting called for the board to adopt a 30 percent water reserve policy. The resolution was adopted with one dissenting vote.
In a related matter, board member Tom Matthews said the wanted to clarify a misconception that came out of the last meeting.
One water study quoted at the March 21 meeting stated that the district experienced a 24 percent water loss between Scofield dam and the treatment plant in Price Canyon in 1991, pointed out Matthews. But the district has never been charged for a water loss in the river. The water loss was actually a 23.7 percent loss through the treatment facility.
PRWID general manager Phil Palmer said he wanted everyone to understand that PRWID has never been charged with a delivery loss from the dam to the treatment plant.
In an unrelated matter, the board considered a request from Richard Lee for a sewer line to serve homes on the west side of U.S. Highway 6 at the mouth of Consumers Wash. Lee presented the board with plans and drawings.
Palmer pointed out that the project had been discussed informally last fall and staff had been directed to study the proposal. PRWID’s position is that a sewer line extension in the area should be part of a major project to incorporate all of U.S. 6 from Consumers Wash to Helper.
Palmer said no detailed plans have been made since no formal request was presented until the meeting. PRWID had done preliminary surveys and the proposal will require a full engineering study.
The board approved hiring an engineering firm to complete a detailed study of the proposed project.
In another matter, Karl Kraync petitioned the board for sewer and water hookups for a five unit subdivision on property he owns called the Poplar Grove subdivision.
Palmer told the board he had reviewed the project and the district had the capacity to accommodate the hookups.
The board approved the subdivision hookups.
Returning to old financial business, PRWID managers discussed the need for a mini-excavator and trailer.
The items were budgeted for 2006, but board members have questioned the need. After a presentation by district managers, the board voted to approve leasing the items for one year.
Palmer then gave the board an update on the winter water project for livestock watering in the county. He said miscellaneous items needed to be taken care of and final inspections of the project are scheduled.
The federal bureau of reclamation would audit the program before the end of the week, explained Palmer. He expected the full project to be wrapped up and signed off in just another few weeks.
In a different matter, the board discussed the need to use impact fees to replace an aging water line along 1100 north near Questar.
Palmer said the four-inch line is rapidly deteriorating steel pipe that has been in place for 40 years. He told the board there is about $80,000 in the PRWID impact fund. He suggested using an estimated $40,000 to $50,000 of the revenues to replace the 2,400-foot line.
The board voted to approve the expenditure and replace the line.
In a manger’s report, Palmer pointed out that the Scofield dam project is underway and contracts should be awarded in the summer. Work on the spillway might begin by early fall.
Palmer said the bureau of reclamation will soon start releasing 250 second feet of water or about 161,000,000 gallons per day from the reservoir to keep the level below the spillway.
Board members voiced consternation at losing that much water.
Palmer said the snowpack has been good, but a lot of it has melted and run off with the recent rains.
The board also discussed the proposed bypass project in Helper and Palmer said awarding of the contract had been moved back to April 18.
As a final matter, assistant manager Jeff Richens noted that a recent audit and report by PRWID’s insurance agent, the Utah Local Governments Trust, had given the water district high marks.
“Our score was excellent,” commented Richens.
He said the district had no lost time accidents to report and zero liability issues for last year.
“They said we have a good safety record, the cleanest shop they inspected, and our waste water facility is extremely clean,” concluded the PRWID assistant manager.