Dear members,
Due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, the Board of Directors of the Hondius Water Users Association have deemed it in the best interests of the health and safety of our members to cancel the annual meeting of the association which was scheduled to be held on August 1, 2020. The next meeting will be August 1, 2021 at a time and location that will be determined at a future date.
Since our last meeting, the Board has been looking for solutions to the long-term viability of the existing water system. Per the direction of the membership at the last meeting, we contracted with the engineering firm CGRS to present us with options and cost analysis for replacing or upgrading the current seasonal system. They came back to us with three options which I will summarize here:
Option 1) Replacement-in-kind
This option would replace approximately 5600 feet of aging water mains with new 4” plastic water mains. Piping would be installed at the current depth of the existing water mains with a minimum depth of one foot. This option would not include replacing the tanks located inside Rocky Mountain National Park.
Cost estimate: $290,000 to $500,000.
Option 2) Replacement-in-kind with new tank and year-round operation
This option would replace approximately 5600 feet of aging water mains with new 4” plastic water mains buried at a minimum depth of 5 feet below grade to provide water on a year-round basis. This option also includes the installation of a new 10,000-gallon storage tank at a location outside the National Park (site to be determined). Members would be responsible for installing their own service lines should they want water year-round at their cabin. Existing lines could be used if only seasonal water is desired.
Cost estimate: $530,000 to $940,000
Option 3) Replacement-in-kind with new tank, year-round operation, and pumps
This option would replace approximately 5600 feet of aging water mains with 1600 feet of 8” iron pipe and 4000 feet of 4” plastic pipe. Six fire hydrants would be installed on the iron pipe section and new pumps would be installed to provide limited fire flow to the hydrants. There would be no hydrants in the plastic lines, meaning only the lower portions of the seasonal system would have fire protection. This option also includes a new storage tank as in Option 2.
Cost estimate: $2,020,000 to $2,380,000
In addition to the above options, the Board is seeking proposals for a pump only system which would eliminate the need for the tanks in the National Park but would not include the replacement of any water mains. Once we have a cost estimate for a pump only proposal, we will communicate with the members and begin the process of determining how members want to proceed.
At this stage, we have not addressed how any of the options would be paid for. A Special District was proposed at our last meeting, but the hurdles are great, and most members would not be able to vote to approve the district under Colorado law. Once we have a clear understanding of our approach to the system and the costs associated with whatever option the members want to settle on, then we can begin the discussion on how to pay for it.
One last item of business. On about August 1st, the Association will be sending out a billing of the second semi-annual installment of $250 to all members. In the past, this installment has been billed in the fall with the actual water usage portion of billings; however, as the Association pays the Town for water usage monthly as incurred, waiting until fall to collect additional funds can result in a deficit of funds for the Association. Accordingly, there will be a billing in August for the $250 installment and then the charges for actual water use and other costs (base and electric charges) incurred from the Town of Estes Park will be billed around November 1st.
If you have any questions of comments on the above information, please respond to this email. I will do my best to get you the answers to your questions.
I hope everyone is safe and healthy. Have a great summer!
Don Piepgras
President
Hondius Water Users Assn.