For the past 3 years the RWD Board has diligently studied our water usage and the details of the water district’s aging infrastructure. At a high level, we focused on our growing water demand and better understanding our water sources from our two active wells, which showed lower output than when they were initially brought online decades ago.
In 2020, we made $35,000 in capital improvements to the pumps and controls for Well #2 and #3 which subsequently increased the total well output by 15-20%, meaning more water is available to meet our growing needs.
Teller County records show the oldest residence in the Ridgewood Water District was built in 1972, and 26 residences were built before 1980. Unfortunately, the 40 years of wear and tear have degraded both the water meters / patron water lines and have left some curb stops inoperable. That causes compounding problems if a water main or patron water line has a break.
In 2021, we made approximately $65,000 in capital improvements, focusing on locating and upgrading patron curb stops as well as installing new water meters. This helps us locate and isolate leaks more quickly, prevent unnecessary water deliveries, and minimize system outages. In the last few years almost all major leaks impacting the district have been on homeowner’s properties and the ability to isolate those leaks quickly conserves dollars and water for the district as a whole.
The RWD Board is replacing old curb stops and water meters with new technology that typically is installed at patron lot lines. To prevent the water meters from freezing, these are installed in an 8-foot deep, 15 inch diameter “meter pit”. The pits include a new curb stop and a backflow preventor. So far, we have installed 29 meter pits of the 61 appropriated for patrons in in our district. These installs have been prioritized based on the age of the home, and whether that home’s curb stop has been located and proven functional or not.
The recent service disruptions have been primarily due to unforeseen circumstances found in homeowner’s infrastructure. In some situations, this has required us to temporarily disconnect service for a section of homes, rather than individual residences as planned during the meter pit installs. Until we excavate and locate a patron water line, we have no way of knowing what buried issues will present or what type of pipe we will find. Ideally, we find ¾” copper, but that has only happened with about 40% of the time. Sometimes the pipe is steel, and we have seen 6 different types of plastic pipe in sizes ranging from ¾” to 1 ¼” rigid white plastic, black irrigation poly, and some hybrid PEX. These irregularities, in conjunction with some supply chain issues, have made some of these installs difficult and have in some instances required emergency water shut off to prevent major impacts to the system. During this process we are updating inaccurate documentation that in some cases is decades old. This will help in planning and executing future projects, as well as isolating issues as they arise more efficiently.
The good news is that we are done with the initial round of upgrades. We expect to restart the project Mid-Spring 2022. There aren’t any major projects planned until that time but will reach out when we plan to resume work. We appreciate everyone’s patience as we continue to upgrade the RWD infrastructure to provide consistent, clean water service for years to come.
Thank You and have a Happy New Year!
Ridgewood Water District