Water Committee Report
April 2022
Update on TCEQ certification for Smith Well.
We are continuing to gather water pressure data for TCEQ on our potable water system lines. A monitor was placed in our water distribution lines on April 1 and will be removed on June 1. Jacob and Martin, our enginering firm, will analyse the data and then TCEQ will make a determination on allowing us to continue operating with our current exception. Once we have satistfied TCEQ that our system is functional they will allow us to contiue operation with the exception. We wil still need to work towards increasing the line size of parts of our water delivery system and bring another well on line to address our non compliance with our well flow and our number of connections. (TCEQ requires .6 gpm of flow per connection. There formula puts our Smith Well at 25 connections and we currently have 64.)
Update on capital improvements expenditure
We authorized the expenditure of $190,000 for capital improvement projects. (Water Supply System $79,000, Electrical System $4,000, Septic System $16,000, Laundry Renovation $16,000, and Employee Housing Shade structures $75,000.) The shade structures are complete. The RV septic systems and electrical upgrades are installed. The washing machines have been paid for and we are awaiting delivery. The shade structures were $79,000, the washers were $11,800, the septic came in at $13,500. The electrical was done in house with spare parts and did not generate any costs against the budget. We are still working on the design and layout for the water system upgrades. More work will be done on moving housekeeping washers and dryers to the bunkhouse ante room. This move will remove the conflicts between housekeepings needs and owners access.
The Water Fund
The Water Fund was formed to take 5% of our hospitality revenue and use it for water related improvements. Through 5 quarters it has generated $44,672.95. We have spent $8,677.99 on well monitoring equipment. This has allowed us to begin monthly monitoring of our wells health, and is a critical component in understanding our available supply and how to best manage it.
System improvements
Jerry Schaffer and his maintenance team have almost finished the installation of our emergency power supply at the Smith Well, a new requirement for public water supplies from TCEQ. A Generac generator, a propane tank, and a new structure are in place ahead of the TCEQ June 1 deadline. A new chlorinator at the large storage tank above the cabins just needs a small mixing tank delivered and it will be installed and operational. This will allow us to better balance our chlorine levels throughout our system. New filtration and treatment tanks have arrived and they will be placed in line at the Smith Well. They will remove most of the harmful minerals present in our well water, reduce the amount of mineral build up in our water lines, thus extending the life of those lines, and in addition improve our water quality.
Cabin Well
We have an existing well, behind the cabins, drilled in the early 70’s, that when drilled showed great promise to deliver a good supply of water. It was never brought on line. We are entertaining the idea of bringing this well on line to provide us a second source of potable water to help us relieve the pressure on our one potable well, the Smith Well. Being able to switch between the two and allow time for them to recharge, while off line, would help insure a better and more reliable supply. We will be seeking bids to get this well certified by TCEQ. If this proves to be a non viable approach, another option we will entertain is to drill a new well.
New water delivery token system
We are looking at purchasing a new token operated water delivery system that would be set up to deliver accurate amounts of water. It would be installed at the Three Mile Well. The Three Mile Well is probaby our best and most robust non potable well, with none of the limitations that the current non potable wells exhibits. Tokens will be purchased in Property owner services and then they can be used anytime 24/7 at the new location to fill your tank. It will require no attendant, is easy to use, and will eliminate the human error factor of our current delivery system. ( over/under pouring and failure to close the valve fully which before has resulted in the loss of the full 10,000 gallons in storage.)
Non Potable Water Sales
In order to improve our data collection on our water sales I have proposed to the board of directors that we move water sales to Property Owner services to insure that our water sales forms are accurate, that only account holders are receiving water, and that those that haul water for others are actually authorized by a property owner to do so.
Our current system results in unreadable, incomplete, and therefore useless information. We cannot compare water paid for and actual water drawn and we have no way to insure property owners are adhering to our weekly limits. Property Owner Services, despite their heavy work load, have seen the need, stepped up and volunteered to take on this additional and important task.
To insure we are managing and enforcing our current limits we will be rolling out a new form that will be overseen by property owner services. Property owners will be responsible for knowing and providing their account number when they arrive. It will be checked against our records and then when the form is filled out properly they will be directed to the front desk to pay.
In addition those choosing to have someone else haul their water, will be required to come into the office fill out a form designating the person they wish to haul their water and the frequency of that hauling.
We will discuss with our lawyers our exposure to this habit of allowing non licensed water haulers to deliver our water and determine if in addition we can or should add a clause that the property owner must sign to release us from any liability. Our intent is not to eliminate this custom but to protect the association from damage.
Once we have done our due diligence the board will determine when to proceed. For a smoother roll out, we will have a period of 90 days from determination to implemention which will allow property owners time to come in, become familiar with the new process, and have all their information pre installed in our system.