OUR MISSION
The Mount Werner Water District is committed to providing our customers the highest quality and most cost-effective water and wastewater services in compliance with all applicable Federal and State laws and regulations while preserving public health, protecting the environment, and ensuring the utmost customer satisfaction. We are equally dedicated to maintaining a work environment where every employee is recognized as a fundamental part of the organization, whereby encouraging teamwork and individual contribution.
RECENT NEWS & ANNOUNCEMENTS
2019 Capital Projects - Summer Update
2019 Capital Projects – Summer Update
The District has been working on several Capital Projects this summer:
• Sewer Interceptor enlargement: on August 5th, Native Excavating started Phase 1 (Fetcher Park Metering Vault to the east side of the railroad tracks) and is scheduled to complete the project by mid-November. We want to thank neighboring businesses and visitors to Fetcher Park for their patience and understanding during the construction.
• Water Main Extension: in July, the District finished the connection from the existing water main on Christie Drive to the new Eagles Vista Development on Burgess Creek Road. The new connection provides reliability and increased redundancy to our customers in this area.
• New Water Main: at the end of September, in cooperation with our partners at the Yampa Valley Housing Authority, a new water main will be installed from Walgreens, through the new Housing Authority Project (Alpenglow Village), under Fish Creek and tied into the existing water main east of the Chamber building. This is a critical connection for the District and City and will provide additional reliability and redundancy to both District and City customers.
• District Office Remodel: the office remodel was completed in late spring. Staff is pleased with the improvements and happy to be “free” of the construction. The end product looks great, please drop by and see the changes!
• Wastewater Monitoring Manholes: this summer, the District upgraded one existing wastewater monitoring manhole near Casey’s Pond and has started installing a new one near the Aspens Townhomes this fall. Improvements will include new measuring devices, remote monitoring, tracking software and infrastructure upgrades.
MASTER PLANNING PROJECTS: PROGRESS UPDATE
o Water Supply Master Plan (WSMP) Update: (MWW and the City) The findings of the update were presented to the MWW Board and City Council on July 26th and June 17th, respectively. The WSMP assessed the District’s and City’s future water supplies to meet projected future water demands, water conservation objectives and water modeling under a series of growth and climate scenarios. The final report is available to review – click on this link.
o Critical Community Wildfire Watershed Protection Plan (CWP2 ): Fish Creek Watershed – Respec, Inc. with cooperation from Anchor Point, Inc. and Carollo Engineers presented the findings and recommended projects in mid-September to both the MWW Board and City Council. The purpose of the CWP2 was to define and prioritize site specific measures to implement within the water supply system and Fish Creek Watershed as a whole before, during, and after a wildfire to protect critical drinking water supply, infrastructure and watershed health. The final report is available to review – click on this link. Also, use this link for The City of Steamboat’s webpage regarding the Fish Creek Watershed Wildfire Protection Plan.
o Community Water Conservation/Efficiency Plan: In partnership with the City, an update to the 2011 community-wide Water Conservation Plan kicked off in April, 2019. A main goal of the update is to build upon the findings in the WSMP (noted above) with 5 main objectives:
• Evaluate previous water efficiency activities that the City and Mt. Werner Water have engaged in; identify the benefits from those activities and lessons learned.
• Develop new activities and steps within the Plan update that will help the City and Mt. Werner Water to achieve lasting, long term improvement in water efficiency and conservation; reduce overall per capita water demands (or water use per EQR).
• Develop activities that will complement land use planning efforts of the City’s Planning and Community Development Department.
• Develop activities that will complement goals of the City, Mt. Werner Water, City Council and Mt. Werner Water’s Board, Staff, businesses, residents and other stake holders.
• Determine new steps for monitoring target results, implementation plans and enforcement activities.
Public comment will be taken this fall with the final plan update delivered to the District and City at the end of the year.
The Fish Creek Critical Community Watershed Wildfire Protection Plan
Please join Mt. Werner Water and the City of Steamboat Springs for a public overview of the Fish Creek Critical Community Watershed Wildfire Protection Plan (CWP2). This plan takes a comprehensive look at what we can do before, during and after a wildfire event to protect our critical drinking water supply.
The project team would like to connect with Steamboat residents and those who live, work, and play within the basin. Please plan on attending our Public Meeting from 6:00-7:00 PM on Thursday, June 13th at the Steamboat Springs Community Center, where we will present analysis results and solicit input from local land and water users, as we finalize the plan.
For more information, please click on the following link… https://www.steamboatsprings.net/928/Fish-Creek-Watershed-Wildfire-Protection
Mount Werner Water Board Meeting
The next regular Mount Werner Water Board meeting will be held 8:00 AM on Friday, March 20, 2020 at the District Office, 3310 Clear Water Trail, Steamboat Springs, CO.
Water Conservation Plan
The City of Steamboat Springs and Mount Werner Water District strive to implement strategies that promote water supply resiliency by preparing for growth, planning for drought and wildfire, planning for a Colorado River Compact Call, implementing water conservation and developing a redundant supply.
In 2019 the City and District completed an update to their Water Supply Master Plan (WSMP) which helps accomplish the items above by assessing the availability of current and future water supplies to meet future consumptive municipal demands, under a series of growth and climate scenarios. Please take a few minutes to review the document and complete a brief survey. Click on this hyperlink: https://www.engagesteamboat.net/savewater
RETIRED
After 29 years of service as Plant Operator for the District, Tim Gibbons has retired. Tim has been an incredible asset to the District! His experience and can-do attitude was truly beneficial to all District customers. Over the years, he was instrumental in facilitating and implementing new plant processes, upgrading equipment and assisting in the District’s plant(s) infrastructure upgrades. He worked closely with his colleagues when the improvements at the Yampa Wells Plant occurred in 2018, embracing the new
technology and new systems.
His great attitude, and even greater sense of humor, will be missed and on behalf of the MWW team and Board, we wish him the best and A HAPPY RETIREMENT!
Main Sewer Trunk Line Project - Fetcher Park Road Moves to Full Closure
Mount Werner Water & Sanitation District is upgrading a main sewer trunk line, which runs from its facility adjacent to Fetcher Park along Fetcher Park Road towards Pine Grove Road and Alpine Lumber.
Due to increased safety concerns and the complexity of the overall project, Fetcher Park Road will move to a full closure immediately as Mount Werner Water & Sanitation upgrades a main sewer trunk line in this area. The full closure will be in effect through November 1.
Routt County Hazard Mitigation Plan Update
Routt County Hazard Mitigation Plan Update Public Involvement/Participation
A partnership of the county government, cities, towns and residents in Routt County are working together to create the updated Routt County Hazard Mitigation Plan. Community input and involvement is instrumental in the development of a mitigation plan that truly reflects the perceptions and needs of Routt County residents.
We have developed a community survey and would like as much input from Routt County residents, businesses, and interested citizens as possible. Please take a few minutes to fill out this survey so that your ideas may become a part of the plan to make Routt County a safer and more resilient county!
Community Survey Link: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/RouttCoHMP
Backflow Prevention/Cross Connection Control Program (BPCCC)
As a municipal water provider, the District must abide by Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment (CDPHE) and Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) regulations. The Colorado Primary Drinking Water Regulations, 5 CCR 1002-11 (Regulation 11), Section 11.39 requires that water suppliers that own and/or operate public water systems protect the drinking water from potential contamination through cross connections. A cross connection can happen when the drinking water system is connected to uses that make the water no longer potable. If a cross-connection has been made to a hazardous substance or non-potable water, this substance or water has the potential to flow back into the distribution system and create a public health risk. The regulation only applies to commercial or non-single-family-residences and we have asked these customers to assist the District in two areas:
1.Identify potential cross-connections within properties where backflow could occur. We are compiling the results from that survey.
2.If a backflow assembly exists at your service address, be sure that it is tested annually by a certified technician and those results are sent to the District.
Need help? Whether you have identified a cross-connection on your property or you don’t know where to start looking for one, we can help so please call us!
Water Resources and Water Rights Updates
Design and Engineering: In late September, Baseline Engineering, Inc. oversaw construction of two new monitoring wells and a 48-hour well pumping test. Data gathered from this project will be utilized to design and engineer the proposed new raw water infiltration gallery. We have commenced discussions with the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment (CDPHE) as their approval is required prior to construction. The new gallery, to be sited south of the existing Yampa Wells Treatment Plant (YWTP), is scheduled to be constructed in 2020-21 and will provide additional raw water capacity to the recently upgraded YWTP. The new raw water supply will add valuable redundancy for District and City of SB customers.
Water Rights and Resources: Jonathan Kelly of Wright Water Engineers (WWE), along with Water Attorney, Jeff Houpt have made significant progress with respect to the District’s Water Rights and Augmentation Plan application. A Colorado water court decree is necessary for the new Raw Water Infiltration Gallery construction to move forward.