The Problem Beneath The Streets
Keeping Up With Aging Infrastructure
As we all know, nothing lasts forever. Infrastructure will continue to age and deteriorate with each passing year. BMMD water and sewer infrastructure is over fifty years old and has reached the end of useful life in large parts of our community. Emergency water main breaks have become more frequent, especially in winter causing Wildernest residents to experience the effects of temporary emergency water outages and the unpleasant feeling of turning on the tap to find that water service does not exist.
BMMD is actively addressing the issue by planning and executing improvement projects to the water, sewer, and roads throughout Wildernest. However, additional improvements are needed to ensure another fifty years of functionality and beyond. Outlined below are details about BMMD’s current projects, future projects, and the absolute need to start the planning for system wide water pipeline replacement. This list does not include the regular on-going daily, weekly, and monthly maintenance activities.
2021 Construction & Maintenance Projects
Tank 2 Abandonment
With the successful completion of the new 250,000 gallon water Tank 2R and pump station last year, the District must now abandon the old water tank 2 from the existing distribution system. A section of Poplar Circle will be closed for several weeks while the infrastructure is removed. We will provide advance notice to all affected properties prior to construction.
Tank 3 Rehabilitation
Starting in April 2021, engineers conducted interior and exterior inspections on the district storage tank #3 which is a 50-year-old buried steel water tank located on the corner of Ryan Gulch Rd & Lacy Drive. The assessment was performed to identify structural, sanitary and safety deficiencies for compliance with State & Federal guidelines. While sanitary standards have been met, engineers found heavy corrosion and issues associated with nearby ground water which could soon compromise the foundation of the tank. BMMD has planned immediate rehabilitation actions to address the recommended repairs.
Water Intake Plant
Several obsolete pumps have been removed allowing room for new equipment in the intake facility plant. The water plant energy demand is very high and as a result, energy bills are also very costly on a monthly basis. BMMD is working with Xcel energy to facilitate rebates and on-going savings once needed upgrades are completed. Upgrades to the remote SCADA access system have started to replace 25-year-old technology.
Wells
The District started conducting upgrades to decades old equipment to monitor static ground water level depths and trend well system production. Due to the on-going drought, BMMD discovered the water table lowering as a result. These wells are the only source of water in the District. We must maximize well pumping efficiency and reduce stress on the water table.
Sewer Maintenance
BMMD started the bi-annual camera and cleaning of the entire sewer collection pipeline. Contractors will video the pipes and identify any areas that need repair. Part of that process includes cleaning and flushing of any line build-ups. Other maintenance includes conducting a system-wide manhole inspection.
Storm Sewer Project
A storm drainage problem occurred along Ryan Gulch Road between upper & lower Poplar Circle this past winter. Water started to freeze in driveway culverts which caused water to flow and freeze out into the path and Ryan Gulch Road. The District is planning to install an underground storm sewer culvert in this area to prevent this problem from occurring each winter. Please note: BMMD does NOT maintain driveway culverts.
Roads & Drainage
Burgundy Circle and Burgundy Drive will be re-paved this summer along with rehabilitation of the connected drainage ditches. Mitigation work to divert sub-grade ground water will also be conducted. Pothole filling and roadside shoulder work started in late May and will continue into early July. Drainage ditch maintenance and restructuring will start in mid-June and continue throughout the summer. Road culverts will be inspected, cleaned and flushed.
Driveway Culvert Inspections
BMMD will be inspecting driveway culverts this summer. It is the responsibility of the property owners to maintain driveway culverts free and clear of silt, mud, debris and ice at all times.
Updated Asset Management Plan
Renewing and replacing water, sewer, road and drainage infrastructure is an ongoing task. BMMD strives to continuously improve existing infrastructure to provide reliable services to customers. Asset management can help a utility maximize the value of its capital as well as its operations and maintenance dollars.
BMMD is responsible for making sure that our system stays in good working order, regardless of the age of its components or the availability of additional funds. Asset management programs with good data—including asset attributes (e.g., age, condition, and criticality), life-cycle costing, proactive operations and maintenance, and capital replacement plans based on cost-benefit analyses—can be the most efficient method of meeting this challenge.
Starting in early 2021, BMMD began working with engineering firm SGM, Inc. to update the existing asset management plan. The ultimate goal of this project is to ensure the District has the information necessary to allow it to be sustainable and reliably provide service at an acceptable cost.
2020 Projects
· Construction continues on the new 250,000-gallon water tank #2B and pump station including new underground water main piping to connect the new tank to the existing water distribution system along Ryan Gulch Road. BMMD discovered unknown corrosive existing pipeline and added new pipe work to the scope of the project. The project is scheduled to be on-line by the end of 2020.
· Replacement of approximately 2035 linear feet of 8" sewer main pipe, 7 manhole removal and replacements, 8 existing sewer service reconnections, dewatering, sewer by-pass, erosion control, and wetland restoration.
· Construction continues on the second of four planned underground vault pressure zone valve connections by changing from a manual system to automatic. This upgrade eliminates reliance on a manually operated system to allow water from an upper water storage tank to automatically flow to a lower water storage tank during fire flow events.
· Cleaned and vacuumed out 150 main shut-off valve boxes located 9’ below ground. Quite often shut-off valve boxes fill up with dirt, sand or debris which prohibits a water key from shutting off water in emergency events.
· BMMD will repair and replace four broken water main valves near the corner of Ryan Gulch Road and Upper Lodge Pole Circle in mid-September. This project will require a brief water shut-down. Affected residents will be notified in advance.
· Construction of a new stormwater drainage improvement project at the top of Ryan Gulch Road loop starting in mid-September to include underground culvert, retention pond, curb and gutter.
· System wide leak detection using “Acoustic Correlating Logger” technology. This process uses a correlating logger at each end of a water line (points A & B) from a building, shut-off valve or hydrant which allows a tech to listen for audible evidence of a leak in an attempt to pinpoint the location.
· Geographic information system (GIS) mapping actively continues to keep track of what infrastructure needs to be replaced and when. BMMD is recording all of its infrastructure locations, material type/size and when it was installed. Critical details including main breaks, soil conditions, and pressure records will help identify and track trends for long range planning. Technicians also continue to work inputting annual inspection and maintenance records.
Pipeline Replacement Planning
The time has come to start planning system wide drinking water pipeline replacement. Underground infrastructure is difficult to monitor and repair. Emergency main breaks are becoming more prevalent and the repair costs are skyrocketing. Replacing the existing pipeline with new improved pipe materials will ensure a long-lasting product now and well into the future. Our environment in the high country only allows a short window of time to work outdoors making this project a large undertaking that will involve strategic planning and construction over many years.
Funding
BMMD’s funding knowledge has allowed us to secure low-interest loans for the existing new Tank #2B project through the Colorado State Drinking Water Revolving Fund and Federal Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). This funding helped to reduce the costs that the local public would incur if this project was bonded conventionally. We will continue to pursue this path of funding to keep on track with needed infrastructure replacement. BMMD is meeting with consultants and researching the best method to move forward. While state and federal funding can help support improvement initiatives, they won’t cover everything. The District will continue raising water and sewer service rates incrementally on an annual basis.
Thank You
BMMD would like to sincerely thank the residents of Wildernest for caring about your community and helping the District protect the water/sewer/road system that services your valuable resource – home. BMMD continues to plan for the future and make improvements to the system but a lot more work is required.