The Water Line - Vol 1 Issue 1

Water Conservation has been a growing District concern for some time. The Pinery Water & Wastewater District will submit a Water Conservation Plan to the State of Colorado for approval in the near future. Pending State approval, the plan will, in accordance with the law (HB1154), begin a 60-day public review period. When the review period begins, notices will be posted in the same locations used for posting notices of the District Board meetings. We hope to have your support in our attempt to conserve our most precious resource.

The District is making a Water Conservation Kit available to all customers inside our district. The Conservation Kit consists of the following; A low-flow shower head, toilet tank displacement bag, 1.5 gpm bathroom faucet aerator, kitchen faucet aerator, home water audit booklet, flow gauge bag and two leak detection dye tablets. The District will sell the kits for only $3.00 apiece! If you are interested in purchasing a kit, please give Mary Applegate a call at 841-2797. The District will order kits based on the level of customer interest. Once the kits have been received, they can be picked up at our main office.

Enclosed with this newsletter is a packet of leak detection dye tablets. We encourage you to use these tablets to determine if your toilets are leaking. Just drop one tablet in the toilet tank and wait 30 minutes. If the dye appears in your toilet bowl you have a leak between the tank and the bowl. Flush as soon as the test is done since the dye may stain the bowl. Most toilet replacement parts are inexpensive, readily available and easily installed. If you need additional tablets please drop by our main office and pick up more at no cost. The testing only take half an hour. WHY NOT DO IT NOW!

The Pinery Water and Wastewater District has adopted an Alluvial Groundwater Protection Program designed to protect the District's alluvial groundwater supplies from contamination. The program applies to activities and development within the newly defined groundwater protection zone which follows the alluvial areas of Cherry Creek, Bayou Gulch and some of the tributary drainages.

Establishment of the groundwater protection zone is the result of over two year's effort by District Board, staff, and CH2M-HILL Engineers. CH2M-HILL's studies found that " because of the shallow depth of the groundwater and the transmissive nature of the alluvial aquifer sediments, a contaminant introduced at the surface can easily enter the aquifer system, is not likely to be attenuated or dispersed significantly, and will move rapidly away from the entry point in a relatively short period of time." Seventy to eighty-nine percent of the District's potable water is pumped from shallow, alluvial wells.

The restrictions on development and activities which can occur in the alluvial groundwater protection zone are contained in Part III of the District's Rules and Regulations. The regulations include restrictions on construction activities, above and underground storage tanks, fertilizer and pesticide use, golf courses and greenbelts, animal boarding facilities, commercial facilities, road maintenance, excessive water usage, stormwater detention ponds, spills and leaks.

The funds to administer the program will be primarily raised through a special fee charged on all lots, homes and businesses located within the groundwater protection zone.

The Pinery Water and Wastewater District provided a water tap and meter for the new trees that were planted near the entrance to Northeast Elementary School off North Pinery Parkway. The trees were planted to replace nine trees that were removed to eliminate a vehicle and pedestrian hazard. The water tap will also provide water for an upcoming wild songbird habitat project. It is anticipated that the tap will be needed for three growing seasons until the trees become fully established.

Rain and moisture sensors are a great water conservation tool for those with large lawns or landscaped areas. Moisture sensors are installed in the ground and measure the moisture received. When the desired amount of moisture in the soil has been reached the sensor shuts off the sprinkler system until moisture is again needed. The most commonly used moisture sensor is the Mini-Click II. Rain sensors, on the other hand, are mounted on the side of a house or building in a place exposed to direct rainfall. These sensors conserve water by suspending irrigation during and after a rainfall. The Rain Switch by TORO is the sensor most widely used by professionals. Sensors can be purchased at most large hardware stores. The moisture sensor retails for about $45.00 and the rain sensor for about $35.00. If you choose to have a professional install your sensor, expect to pay around $85.00 for installation.

At its March and June 1998 Board meetings, the Board of Directors approved water rate increases for all residential, commercial and large irrigators in the District. The rate increases, were adopted after notifying district customers of the proposed increase and holding public hearings on March 10, 1998 and June 9, 1998. The new rates became effective June 1st. Commercial customers will experience a second rate increase effective September 1, 1998 and large irrigators will experience additional step increases through September 1998. Residential users will first see the higher rates reflected in their August or September bills.

The rate schedule is structured to encourage water conservation. Customers who use greater amounts will experience a larger increase. For example, a residential customer who uses 6,000 gallons of water or less every two months will not experience any rate increase. The customer who uses 30,000 gallons every two months will experience a $2.40 increase every two months, and the customer who uses 60,000 gallons every two months will see an increase of $5.40 in bimonthly charges. A new, higher water rate was also added for residential users who use over 100,000 gallons every two months.

RESIDENTIAL WATER RATES (Bimonthly)	EFFECTIVE JUNE 1998
0 - 6,000 Gallons	No Change
6,001 - 60,000 Gallons	$27.00 + $1.50/1000 gals.
60,001 -100,000 Gallons	$108.00 +$2.60/1000gals.
Over 100,000 Gallons	$212.00 +$3.20/1000gals.

The District strongly encourages its customers to avoid higher water bills by using water wisely!

The Pinery Water and Wastewater District needs someone to do general office work one day a week and cover for longer periods when office staff is on vacation. Good customer relations, word processing, and general office skills required. Please send resume to the District address aon the lower right front page. Call Mary at 841-2797 if you have questions.

Homeowners that live on Derby Way have experienced low water pressure for some time. This has led to some unique problems such as difficulty in operating their sprinkler systems and taking a shower at the some time. The reasons for the low water pressure are three fold; Derby Way is served from the District's low-pressure zone, the street is hilly, resulting in significant water pressure differences along the street, and some homes are setback some distance from the street resulting in long service line runs and increased friction loss.

To solve the problem, the District will change the Derby Way water line to a higher pressure zone and install individual pressure regulators in each homeowners meter pit. Derby Way customers will be given the option of increasing their water pressure, to as high as 75 psi. The pressure change will be made early this summer.

It would be wonderful if all of our customers had great water pressure. However, due to the hilly terrain within our service area, water pressures vary from home to home. On Derby Way, there was a practical solution to help our customers. Unfortunately, low water pressures that exist at some other homes in our system, especially homes that are near the upper end of a water pressure zone, cannot be as readily improved.

Several years ago the District implemented a sewer main cleaning program. The purpose of this program is to reduce the risk of sewer backups due to obstructions in the sewer mains. In conjunction with the cleaning, we are videotaping all sewer lines to inspect for broken pipes, tree roots or any defects that may create a problem within our system.

The videotaping and cleaning is being done by DRC Construction. Periodically, Pinery residents may see their truck in the streets or in the green belt areas within the District. The cleaning and videotaping will not cause any interruption of sewer service to you home, but on occasion, traffic flow may be affected. Your patience and cooperation are greatly appreciated.

Every spring the water system is flushed to clear the lines of mineral and organic deposits that build up during the winter. Fire hydrants are opened to increase the velocity of water moving through the water mains, flushing the deposits out. The maintenance crew flushes the water down sanitary or storm sewer lines and also uses diffusers that fan the water into the air to reduce damage from erosion. At the same time maintenance crews assure that the fire hydrants are fully operational.. Approximately 50 miles of main lines will be flushed using about three million gallons of water. While this may seem wasteful, high water quality is maintained and problems related to taste, odor and color are greatly reduced. If you have any comments concerning the program, please let us know.

Tree roots are rapidly becoming a problem encountered by many residents in our older subdivisions. The trees we all love become our worst nightmare in a sewer line with any minor imperfections. Current technology gives us several solutions for this condition. One is to call a plumber every one to two years and have the roots cut out. This will soon destroy your sewer lines. Option two is dig up your sewer service and repair the problem. This can be very costly, destroy landscaping and harm mature trees. Option three is a product called RootX. This product kills roots in the sewer line and prevents their re-growth for up to one year. The EPA has approved RootX for use in all fifty states. RootX will not harm your trees, only the roots that intrude into your sewer. RootX can be purchased at the District office for $25.00. Please call the office at 841-2797 for additional information.

The District is able to purchase vehicles through the State at a significant discount. We replace these vehicles every few years to avoid the maintenance associated with older vehicles.

Currently the District has three 4-wheel drive trucks for sale: 1993 ž ton Chevy, 1995 1 ton GMC & 1996 ˝ ton Ford with mileages 52,000, 25,000, and 34,000 miles respectively. Call the District office at 841-2797 for more information.

NOTE: The Saving Water Tips (Indoors and Outdoors) from this newsletter are on the FAQ's Page