Town water distribution system needs updated

Just how complicated does town water actually have to be? Turn the faucet on and there should be water, as much as you need. The water needs to be safe to drink, and ready on demand; but this comes with a caveat: a monthly price.

The Thermopolis Town Council just came off a long battle to adjust the water rates for the town resulting in a higher price for residents. This has been a much needed adjustment as the town suffered a loss last year and much of the delivery system has become antiquated.

It is the monthly price that becomes an issue, keeping it low and feasible for the residents but having it high enough to support the water system. Beginning this journey several months ago the council needed a starting point, and money. The town received a grant from the Wyoming Water Development Commission(WWDC) for $100,000 to help begin the process of updating the water system.

As part of the grant the town received they would have to report back to the WWDC the results of what the engineers had found and recommend. Anthony Barnett, the town engineer, recently presented a report of the Master Plan Water Grant Summary to Kevin Boyce of the WWDC.

The report contained many suggestions and pointed out many issues with Thermopolis’s water system. Barnett stated there is roughly about 15 years left in the current water plant. Due to wear and tear and changes in the technology, this will a future issues the town will have to face.

Another problem Barnett brought up was the transmission and distribution system. The plant has no issues making the water; problems are in the distribution system, Barnett explained. “The towns youngest pipes are from 1970,” Barnett said. “Some of the oldest pipes are in the highest pressure areas.”

Barnett’s report came with several financial options for the town to consider to help fund many of the needed improvements with options one and two to be imperative for the town to get under way. These options are for replacing many of the older distribution lines with newer PVC lines. The cost would be almost $3 million for the town to pay back over 20 years.

Boyce from the WWDC expressed it would be better for the town to just complete all the water pipe replacement at once explaining it would be cheaper in the long run.

Mayor Mike Mortimore agreed but said an annual cost of $307,713 is a rather high. “That is a third of our budget,” Mortimore said.

The town council made no decisions Tuesday night but know they face some big decisions regarding the future of water distribution in Thermopolis.

In other business during the council meeting, Barnett reported to the council that Wilson Brothers still has not returned to fix a broken manhole. Barnett said they have had ample time to fix it and now the company could be held liable financially.

Michael Wright of Koerwitz, Michel, Wright & Associates presented the financial audit results. He praised the town on their records and keeping up to date with current laws and practices.

An interesting presentation came from Hot Springs County High School students regarding a survey they conducted on citizens thoughts about deer in the town. Presenting statistical data, several students gave the council an in depth look at the towns local deer population. Bringing up concerns that the population is slowly dwindling due to disease and not enough food. The students’ findings show almost 50 percent of the residents do not like the deer in the city limits. Other findings were some residents feed the deer even though there are fines for doing so. Some options the students had for controlling the population was relocation and bow hunting within the city limits.

Fred Crosby announced the bids were in for the surplus equipment that was being stored at the town shop. The council approved all the bids but two, feeling those bids were just too low for the pieces of equipment. The auction brought in almost $12,000.