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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