| An open hatch provides the light to view the corrosion occurring inside the water storage tank on Four Mile Hill. Painting the inside of water tanks prolongs the life of the storage units many times over a tank that is not properly coated or one that does not receive proper maintenance. The photograph of the inside of the water storage unit PRWID plans to recoat was taken during the fall of 2000 when the tank was emptied for regular maintenance. |
During the regular meeting of the Price River Water Improvement District board last week, the recently completed study on water and sewer impact fees was presented to the members for review.
“This is the final draft of the new impact fee study,” noted Jeff Richens, assistant district manager. “Impact fees have a life of six years. At that point, they must be reviewed and reapproved by the board.
“In addition, state law has changed so we can no longer charge for project extensions or improvements in the same way. But the law does allow for project improvement funds to come from impact or connection fees,” pointed out Richens.
Compiled by Lewis, Young, Robertson and Burningham Consultants, the study is a 34-page document spelling out what is involved into developing impact fees like past trends, future growth forecasts and development along with PRWID’s present state of affairs.
The adoption of fees and the specific amounts will be decided once the study has passed board and public review. The public hearing for the study will take place at 8 p.m. on Feb. 18. Copies of the document are available for Carbon County residents to review at the PRWID offices during regular business hours.
At 7 p.m. on Feb. 18, a second public hearing will be conducted on the district’s proposed sewer extension projects.
At last week’s meeting, the PRWID board members discussed and acted on several unrelated matters.
First on the agenda was an update discussion concerning the utility relocation project on U.S. Highway 6 between Price and Wellington.
“The existing six-inch water line is being replaced with an eight inch line as we go,” said Phil Palmer, PRWID manager. “Between the money that the Utah Department of Transportation is giving us to do this relocation and some grant money we are getting about $600,000 worth of improvements in the area.”
The relocation work is being primarily funded by UDOT in connection with a project the state agency plans to start to widen the roadway between the two towns into a four-lane highway.
“The main thing is that, while we have this dug up, we should get as many improvements in the area done as we can,” added the district manager.
Palmer asked the PRWID board members to approve an extension to the project that will interconnect the district’s water line in the area with Price city’s line.
The interconnect will not remain open all of the time, but will allow PRWID and Price to jointly coordinate water supplies in times of emergency.
“There is no active connection there now, but it would be a good thing to have,” stated Palmer. “The 100 feet of extra line there will cost about $1,000.”
Palmer also pointed out that PRWID has inherited several obsolete lines and connections in the site in question.
“In those areas, the possibility could arise that a whole new line would need to be put in, either for replacement or for further development,” noted Palmer. “Most of those problems relate to two-inch lines.”
“I would like to see us put new eight-inch tees in those areas rather than just connect the two inch lines into the main. Those tees would be reduced down to the two inch system, but would make it much easier in the future to connect to new lines if needed. We could do this with extra grant money we already have,” indicated the water improvement district manager.
There was also discussion concerning the Helper overpass project as well.
“I have received the UDOT contracts on some of this project as well,” said Palmer. “The first thing that needs to be done is to look at the interconnections in the area of the relocation there. We need to get some quotes from contractors. We have engineering drawings and their estimates but we need to get on this in the next six weeks.”
In addition, Palmer reported that it appears some small water companies in the Carbonville area will soon be receiving funds from the state to upgrade water lines.
The money to pay for the line upgrades will come in the form of low interest loans and, once the projects are completed, the water companies will be absorbed into the PRWID system.
“Some of the lines there are very old,” commented Palmer. “Replacement of those lines has been a long time coming.”
Another project that PRWID plans for the current year involves the repainting of the storage tank on Four Mile Hill.
The tank was to be painted last year, and some of the money was budgeted then, but the cost was very high.
However, with the carry over of the funds appropriated for the the tank improvements last year – $80,000 – the rest of the money was put in the district’s current budget to finish the task. The total cost of completing the project appears to be $210,000.
The painting of water tanks is important for corrosion control. Without proper coatings, water tanks wear quickly and the storage units are expensive to rebuild, according to the PRWID officials.
The board authorized the water improvement district’s staff to proceed and enter into a contract on the plans and specifications for the project.