DONALA OPERATOR AND

WATER PLANTS

WIN ROCKY MOUNTAIN AWARDS

Mark Parker, Donala’s Chief Water Operator, has been selected as winner of the 2008 Ralph M. Leidholdt Water Treatment Plant Operator by the Rocky Mountain Chapter of the American Water Works Association.  The Rocky Mountain Chapter covers Colorado, Wyoming and New Mexico.

In addition, both the Graham-Nance (Holbein Drive) and the Robert Hull (Bermuda Dunes Way) Water Treatment Plants were selected for the RMSAWWA Outstanding Plant Award.  This is the second straight year for the award to the Graham-Nance WTP.

The District is proud of Mark’s accomplishments.  The work that he and his operators do led directly to the plant awards, but most importantly to the outstanding quality of water served to our customers.

RATIONING REPORT

By the time you read this, the rationing restrictions for the year will be lifted.  We thank everyone for cooperating and encourage you to keep up voluntary controls through the fall.  September can be dry and although you may be tempted to “catch up” on your distressed lawn, every little bit you help will save us all in the long run (see article “Water Supply Efforts”). 

July was very comparable to July 07 ….  hot and dry.  There were only six rain event days for a total of 1.24”.  It seems that many more folks using less than 40,000 gallons in a month “cranked up” their systems in July.  Thirty percent of single-family homes used over 40,000 gallons, as opposed to 12% in June.  Coincidently 12% used over 50,000 gallons, with ten using over 70,000.  My hypothesis (at the risk of incurring the wrath of customers who actually READ this newsletter) is that 375 customers who had used less than 40,000 gallons in June became distressed with their yellowing lawns, and watered more in July.  Therefore, this month I’ll use 50,000 as my “glutton” measure.  Even ET controller customers didn’t use that much water, and the ET controllers commanded water almost every day.  It is interesting to note as well, that as I write this article we just came through a week of PM thunderstorm activity, and those “distressed”, yellow lawns are looking pretty good.

Again, thanks for your cooperation.  Thanks as well to our Water Returns customers and others who took the opportunity to landscape to a more “water-friendly” environment.

WATER SUPPLY EFFORTS

As an example of how expensive our water has and will become, consider this when you decide how much you should water.  Donala just signed a contract for some Upper Arkansas River water for about $5.2 million.  It is agricultural water – the definition of “Buy and Dry”.  The differences here are that it is a ranch, not a farm – only used seasonally for summer grazing, and the rancher came to us.  He, like other ranchers and farmers on the river know that their greatest asset is their senior water-right water, and that there is a huge market here on the Front Range.  We should get about 300 acre-feet of water from this deal, and bringing it from up river to your tap is a complex process.  That is only about one fifth of our total demand requirement.  We are pursuing other sources, and we are confident the water will flow when it is needed.

Suffice it to say the more we all conserve, the less water we will need to buy.  The less we buy, the less you will have to pay in rates and taxes. 

RATE DISCUSSION

At the board of Directors meeting, on Wednesday, September 17 at 1:30 p.m., the Board will discuss tap fees, the water/sewer rate, and the availability of service fees for next year.  This is your chance to express your opinions.  Please call to let us know if you plan to attend.  (488-3603)

LATE PAYMENT POLICY

Periodically we publish our late payment policy.  A water and sewer bill is payable IN FULL by the 20^th of each month.  There is a State mandated “grace” period of 5 days, making the “late date” after the 25^th. 

We check our mail and drop boxes several times a day on or around the 25^th to be sure your payment is received.

For those of you having trouble making your payment on time, please consider our automatic withdrawal program.  It is painless and it works.  At this writing, we have 600 accounts on the system.  For more information, please call us at 488-3603.

DROP BOXES

We would like to remind you there are 3-drop boxes available for your convenience located at:

1) Loaf-N-Jug parking area

2) King Soopers on Baptist Rd. near the outside video drop (right of store entrance)  

3) 15850 Holbein outside our office building at the entrance of the parking lot