HomeMy WebLinkAbout1973-02-09 Town Council MinutesMINUTES
SPECIAL JOINT MEETING
TOWN COUNCIL OF THE TOWN OF VAT
AND
BOARD OF DIRECTORS/VAIL WATER AND SANITATION DISTRICT
FEBRUARY 9, 1973
A special joint meetingof the Town Council of the Town of Vail and the
Board of Directors of the Vail Water and Sanitation District was convened
at 10:10 a. m. , February 9, 1973, in the Conference Room of the Vail
Municipal Building.
Mayor John A. Dobson and the following Councilmen were present:
Richard Bailey
John Donovan
Josef Staufer
Tom Steinberg
Gerry White
The following members of the Board of Directors were present:
John Dobson
Josef Staufer,
Gerry White
Also present were:
Terry Minger, Town Manager
Eric Edeen, County Sanitarian
Kent Rose, Town Engineer
Mr. Minger explained that recently there have been problems in both the
Vail sewer plant and the Upper Eagle Valley plant. The Town has a 3=year
agreement with the Upper Eagle Valley Sanitation.District to send sewage
to the Avon plant where it is treated for 38 cents per 1 ,000 gallons. The
Vail district entered into this agreement rather than expand their plant two
years ago; it is beneficial to UEVS in that they need the revenue and, at
the time, they needed the flows for the efficient operation of the system.
A fact sheet was distributed which indicated the extent to which the system
has been overloaded recently. During this time, the Vail system never
exceeded the state standards for ROD; the standards for settleable solids and
turbidity were exceeded, however.
There have been some operating difficulties with the Vail plant; in the past
it would treat 750,000 gallons, but lately only 500,000 gallons have been
treated. The Environmental Protection Agency has made some suggestions
for improvement, which we are trying to implement; it might be possible to
have one of their experts make further observations and studies of our system.
Some portable treatment plants with a capacity of 75,000 gallons each might
need to be used. The Avon plant is, likewise, probably not as efficient as
possible.
The proposal from UEVS is that if Vail will sign a contract with them for
continued cooperation, they will expand their plant this summer. It may be
that the District needs to saythat if the system is not solved by this summer,
no more taps can be allowed. In addition, the UEVS is willing to enter into
a management agreement with the Town. The Town does have the people'and
knowledge to manage this District. However; it would not be a good idea at
this time to try to combine the two districts, due to the poor financial condi-
tion of UEVS. It might be possible to buy the Bighorn portion from them to
4P merge with the Vail District.
Mr. White asked what were the specific .plans for the summer. As portions
of the present Vail plant have the potential capacity of 1,000,000 gallons, an
attempt will be made to build the deficient portions.up to this level. This
would enable the plant to accommodate all the construction From last sum-
mer which is not yet tapped on; there are approximately 2100 beds in this
category, assuming 3000 people at 100 gallons per day per person, this
increases current loads by 3 00, 000 gaItons. . Mr. Rose noted -that if the
District is willing to sign another contract with the UEVSD, Ken Richards
says he can double their plant capacity by the end of the summer.
Councilman Steinberg noted that Senate Bill 35 allows taps onto the lines to
be halted when the capacity is reached. Mr. Minger agreed but the problem
is to define the precise Figures for the level at which the plants are overloaded.
After some further discussion, Councilman Staufer suggested that the
$600,000 in unissued bonds of the Water and Sanitation District be used to
purchase the Bighorn portion of the UEVS system. He was not in favor of
taking on the problems west of Vail, however. Councilman Steinberg dis-
agreed; his feeling was that if the opportunity exists to get a management
contract with the UEVSD, advantage should be taken of it. He also suggested
that an, attempt should be made to go to tertiary treatment; a third stage
which removes phosphates and nitrates. Councilman Donovan inquired what
the potential for a lawsuit against the Town or UEVSD is. Mr. Minger felt
that it would be possible that if a person were told that he could not tap onto
the lines, he might sue. A pollution lawsuit might be a possibility, although
the Vail plant i.s within the rather lenient state standards..
Another item to be considered is the financial one; if the District does not
allow any more taps, the lack of the fee payments might make it impossible
to pay for plant improvements. -Councilman Steinberg suggested that in this
case the tap Fees might have to be increased.
Further items of discussion were; 1 , to what extent the state pollution. standards
vary from the ideal standards; 2, the possibility of a study of the situation by
the Ken R. White Company; 3. the failure of the county to as yet make a deci-
sion on projects which would be tapping onto the UEVSD lines; 4. whether
there is enough land at the Vail plant to permit expansion, a question which was
settled with a qualified affirmative; 5. if a management contract were signed,
the efficiency of the UEVSD plant might be able to be improved; 6. the alter-
natives if Vail could not send a portion of its sewage to Avon; 7. the possibility
of political resentment down -valley if a management agreement were signed,
however, these areas do have re.presentatives.on the Board which would have
• to make the agreement. Discussion brought out that such a contract should not
cost the Vail Water and Sanitation District taxpayers. any money;. the UEVSD
has its own mill levy.
Mayor Dobson summarized that it was basically agreed that the Town should
attempt to consolidate the Bighorn area with the Vail district and attempt to
get a management agreement for the areas west of here. Mr.. Minger stated
that another meeting will be .held at which the staff can present more detailed
information as to what the options are, Wiat the costs are, and what the time
frame is. The Ken R. White Company will be given approval to begin their
studies and an attempt will be made to obtain the services of a man from the
Environmental Protection Agency.
The meeting adjourned at 11.30 a.m.
Town Clerk
Secre ry
Page 2
VAIL WATER AND SANITATION DISTRICT
UPPER EAGLE VALLEY SANITATION DISTRICT
RECORD OF FLOWS FROM
NOVEMBER 24, 1972 TO FEBRUARY 5, 1973
AVERAGE DAILY FLOWS CALCULATED ON A WEEKLY BASIS
WEEK BEGINNING UEVSD VAIL TOTAL
(rated capacity)
1,000,000
500,000
1,500,000
11 - 24 -- 72
6 72, 875
617,250
1,290,125
11 - 28 -72
545,428
496,142
1,039,570
12- 5 - 72
623,714
498,714
I, 122,428
12- 12 - 72
687,857
531,857
1,219,714
12- 19 - 72
759,571
588, 142
1,347, 713
26 - 72
915,857
615,428
1,531,285
0 - 2 - 73
931,428
467,428
1,398,856
1 - 9 - 73
85 l , 857
413,142
1,264,999
1 - 16 - 73
746,428
474,428
1,220,856
1 - 23 -73
995,000
226,571
1,221,571
1 - 30 -73
758, 142
459,714
1,217,856
During this ten and one-half week period the Vail sewage treatment plant exceeded
rated capacity a total of thirty eight days; the UEVSD sewage treatment plant
exceeded rated capaclty a total of four days; the total combined system a total of
even consecutive days, a listing of which follows: .
12-27-72
1,514,000
12-28-72
1,579,000
12-29-72
1,576,000
12-30-72
1,600,000
12-31-72
1,556,000
1 - 1 -73
1,569, 000
1- 2-73
1,530,000
0