Teller County Water & Sanitation District #1

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Annual Letter Regarding District Finances & Rate Increases for 2020

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Time again for the annual letter regarding District finances for next year – 2020.

Rate Increase

To maintain the financial health of the District, the Board is anticipating a water use increase of $1 per every thousand gallons. The basic water fee and sewer fee will remain the same.

This rate increase will go into effect on your February 1 bill next year (2020):

Service Year:                  2019                                         2020
Basic Water Fee:            $41                                          same
Water Use Rate:             $11/every 1000 gallons    $12/every 1000 gallons
Sewer Fee:                      $36                                          same

The District Budget for 2020

The 2020 budget will be presented and approved at the next board meeting on Wed, 11/13, at 6 pm, at the Midland Professional Building, 400 West Midland Avenue.

The December meeting will include our “Budget Hearing” — a meeting required each year by the State of Colorado. This meeting will be held on Wed, 12/11, at 6 pm, at the same location.

Website

Customers are encouraged to check the District website, www.TellerWater1.com, for current news and information.

If you have any questions or would like more information, feel free to contact our office at (719) 687-0761, or email us at TellerWater@gmail.com.

On behalf of the Board of Directors,

Bruce L. “Fritz” Voeltz
President, Board of Directors

Notice of 2020 Budget Hearing – 11/13/2019

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Public Notice
TELLER COUNTY WATER & SANITATION DISTRICT #1
NOTICE OF BUDGET HEARING

Notice is hereby given that the proposed budget has been submitted to Teller County Water & Sanitation District #1 (“TCW&SD#1”) for the ensuing year of 2020. That a copy of such proposed budget has been filed in the office of TCW&SD#1, at the treatment plant (201 Piute Trail), Woodland Park, Colorado, where same is open for public inspection. It is also posted on the website www.tellerwater1.com.

That such proposed budget will be considered at the TCW&SD#1 board meeting to be held on Wednesday, November 13, 2019 at 6:00pm at the Midland Professional Building (400 West Midland Avenue, 2nd floor conference room) in Woodland Park, Colorado.

This budget will be finalized & adopted at a public budget hearing meeting on Wednesday, December 11, 2019, at 6:00pm at the same location.
Any interested customer of such TCW&SD#1 may inspect the proposed budget & file or register any comments or objections thereto at any time prior to the final adoption of the budget.

BRUCE VOELTZ, PRESIDENT
Teller County Water & Sanitation District #1

Notice of 2019 Budget Hearing – 11/12/2018

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NOTICE OF BUDGET HEARING
TELLER COUNTY WATER & SANITATION DISTRICT #1

NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN THAT A PROPOSED BUDGET HAS BEEN SUBMITTED TO TELLER COUNTY WATER & SANITATION DISTRICT #1 (“TCW&SD#1”) FOR THE ENSUING YEAR OF 2019.  THAT A COPY OF SUCH PROPOSED BUDGET HAS BEEN FILED IN THE OFFICE OF TCW&SD#1, AT THE TREATMENT PLANT (201 PIUTE TRAIL), WOODLAND PARK, COLORADO WHERE SAME IS OPEN FOR PUBLIC INSPECTION, AND IT IS ALSO POSTED ON THE WEBSITE WWW.TELLERWATER1.COM. THE BUDGET WILL BE FINALIZED AND ADOPTED AT A PUBLIC BUDGET HEARING MEETING AT THE REGULARLY SCHEDULED BOARD MEETING TO BE HELD WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 12, 2018, AT 6:00 PM AT MIDLAND PROFESSIONAL BUILDING, 400 WEST MIDLAND AVENUE, 2ND FLOOR CONFERENCE ROOM, WOODLAND PARK, COLORADO. ANY INTERESTED CUSTOMER OF SUCH TCW&SD#1 MAY INSPECT THE PROPOSED BUDGET AND FILE OR REGISTER ANY COMMENTS OR OBJECTIONS THERETO AT ANY TIME PRIOR TO THE FINAL ADOPTION OF THE BUDGET.

BRUCE VOELTZ, PRESIDENT
Teller County Water & Sanitation District #1

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DOCUMENTS:

Annual Letter Regarding District Finances & Rate Increases for 2019

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Please note … this document can be downloaded as a PDF here.

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To:        All Customers
From:    Board of Directors, Teller County Water & Sanitation District #1 (“the District”)
Date:      11/01/18
Re:       Rate Increases; Your Service Line; the District Budget

Time again for the annual letter regarding District finances for next year – 2019.

Rate Increases:

To maintain the financial health of the District, the Board has determined the basic water fee will see an increase of $2 per month, beginning January 1, 2019.  The water use rate of $11 per every 1000 gallons will remain the same.

Another increase for 2019 is the sewer fee.  This fee is a pass through cost from what we are charged by the City of Woodland Park.  They typically increase their charge to the District each year. So, if you are a sewer customer with us (the District), this portion of your bill will increase $1 per month in 2019 to cover the increase the City will pass on to the District.

These rate increases will go into effect on your February 1 bill next year (2019):

Service Year:                  2018                                         2019
Basic Water Fee:            $39                                          $41
Water Use Rate:             $11/every 1000 gallons       same
Sewer Fee:                      $35                                          $36

Your Service Line:

When you replace your service line, please:

  • Notify us (the District) that this work is being done, &/or that it has been done (within the last 5-7 years).
  • Have the contractor lay down a tracer wire as they replace your service line. This is critical. Otherwise it’s impossible to locate your line in the future when needed.

The District Budget for 2019:

The 2019 budget will be presented and approved at the next board meeting on Wed, 11/14, at 6 pm, at the Midland Professional Building, 400 West Midland Avenue.

The December meeting will include our “Budget Hearing” — a meeting required each year by the State of Colorado.  This meeting will be held on Wed, 12/12, at 6 pm, at the same location.

As a District customer, you are always welcome to attend a board meeting. The board meeting schedule is posted on our website at www.tellerwater1.com.

If you have any questions or would like more information, feel free to contact our office at (719) 687-0761, or email us using our contact form.

On behalf of the Board of Directors,

Bruce L. “Fritz” Voeltz
President, Board of Directors

 

In Response to the 2018 Rate Increases

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This was written by Kent Brady, district Project Manager and former board member in response to concerns about the 2018 water district rate increases….

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It doesn’t always help but most customers acknowledge we must do what we are required to do as well as all we can, to provide safe, reliable water and maximum fire flows in emergencies.

We have a small residential-only rural water system in the mountains. Hence our distribution system serves far fewer customers per mile, and customers consume only a 1/4-1/3 as much water as large, urban systems. So our costs are far greater per household.

Unfortunately, we are almost completely built-out, hence we do not have the benefit of income from water tap fees to help with the cost of maintenance and improvements.

The City of Woodland Park’s water system is better than 10 times larger than ours. Moreover, they have a significant number of commercial customers and they benefit significantly from water tap fees for new construction.

Your board proposed a merger with the City during 2003. The City gave the matter very careful consideration over a 2-year period. Then they replied that no merger could be considered until we made significant improvements in our infrastructure. To assist us, they agreed to provide us with emergency water going forward, whereas, we and they had previously agreed to terminate their provision of water for emergencies. This relieved us of a huge cost for more storage to meet fire flow requirements. That allowed us to concentrate on those infrastructure issues that were in the way of any merger discussion. Keep in mind, a merger does not mean that we would enjoy “in-City” water rates or that we would not be impacted more seriously by a long drought than those who live in the City. If a prolonged drought were to occur, with significant rationing, the value of our homes could plummet. Given that we have the senior water rates, there certainly is no reason to believe that our community would vote for a merger. Nevertheless, board after board has done whatever it could to remove and minimize impediments to a merger as these steps are consistent with the improvement we are obliged to make by circumstances and to remain in compliance with State and Federal regulations.

So, it is in our interest to press ahead with all we can do to improve our system. On this score, we have come a very long way from the year 2000. At that time, any water main break almost certainly put almost everyone out of water. Now we have the opposite condition: water main breaks put very few out of water. The breaks we have had have been almost exclusively in Sunnywood and they have occurred about once every two years. Regrettably, the beautiful ductal iron pipes in the Sunnywood system were very poorly bedded in the trenches. Hence, over time these pipes have been placed under enormous stress that have cracked the pipes. Otherwise, given our decomposed granite soils and excellent deep well water, these 1970’s pipes look new inside and out. It costs about $4,000 to repair a broken water main in a dirt road and each break may well be the last stress-crack break. On the other hand, to replace the 4500 feet of pipe in Sunnywood would cost about a half million dollars or about $2,000/household.

If the District’s boards, have been at any fault for our current rates, it was because they were so reluctant in the past to increase rates on their neighbors. And, perhaps they didn’t fully appreciate the fall off in tap fees after the 1990’s. Hence, they were inadequately prepared for increasing regulatory costs and slow in their response to failing infrastructure.

If we can get our financial house in order so we don’t have to borrow to make repairs and improvements, we will see diminishing costs going forward and we won’t be having to pay the substantial interest on loans.

Regards,
Kent Brady (Project Manager & former board member)