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August 20, 2014 VOLU M E 49 | I S S UE 31 | 7 5 ¢
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Donala informs its customers that a great way to save on water and lower their water bills is to xeriscape. Courtesy photos
High water mark: Why do rates continue to go up? Donala general manager Kip Peterson keeps an open-door policy By Danny Summers
dsummers@coloradocommunitymedia.com
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P L EA SE R ECYC L E T H I S C OPY
One of Kip Peterson’s main goals as general manager of Donala Water and Sanitation is to keep an open-door policy to the folks in his District. One of the main questions most residents want to know is why do their water rates continue to go up and why are they restricted on their outside watering? “That is a big concern for a lot of people,” Peterson said. “And I completely understand why.” Earlier this month, Peterson and his staff included in its newsletter to its customers a rare comparison with some local water companies. The list included Donala, Woodmoor, Woodmen Hills, Colorado Springs, Monument and Triview. “I put it out there so folks can see for themselves, Peterson said. “I have a very strong belief that we have to remain transparent.” Donala customers have been on water restrictions for eight years. Colorado Springs
Donala recently informed its customers that it’s water rates are competitive within other agencies in the area. Utilities customers were on water restrictions in 2013, but that was lifted this year. “I think that was a mistake,” Petersons said. “I think that sends a bad message to the community. Do you really want to conserve water or do you want to make money? “(Donala’s) rate structure is intentionally designed for conservation.” Donala customers can water three times per week. They could water just twice per week in 2013. Donala’s monthly service fee of $25 is less than half that of Woodmoor and Woodmen
Hills, but about $10 more than CS Utilities, and more than triple that of Monument. Donala’s tiered rate rises dramatically as residents get closer to 50,000 gallons of water use per month. If a customer used 100,000 in a month his or her bill would be a whopping $2,209. That same amount of use for CS Utilities customers is $1,222.38. “We’ve had some angry customers, as you can imagine, when they discovery their rates will be higher,” Peterson said. “But we’re trying to do what’s best for the District.”
Donala merges wastewater operations with Academy Donala will add about 300 customers By Danny Summers
dsummers @coloradocommunitymedia.com It may not by the biggest wastewater merger in Colorado history, but Donala Water and Sanitation grew by more than 10 percent when the Academy Water and Sanitation District Board approved a resolution to connect its wastewater operations with Donala. “Academy made the decision between Colorado Springs Utilities and us,” said Donala general manager Kip Peterson. “It makes sense for both Academy and us from a cost perspective.” Academy, which has about 300 customers, managed its own wastewater treatment for nearly five decades. Donala has about 2,800 customers and has shown steady growth through difficult economic times in recent years.
“We’ve been talking with Academy about this merger for the last decade,” Peterson said. “We had a wastewater treatment plant already designed with that thought in mind.” Peterson said that pipes will be laid from Academy’s lagoon on Spring Valley Drive to Donala’s collection pipes. From there, a lift station will pump Academy’s wastewater to the Donala pipes for treatment by the Upper Monument Creek Regional Wastewater Treatment Facility. Peterson said the process will take some time and probably will not begin take place until the fall 2018, as required by Academy’s wastewater permit. Academy’s Board was forced to make a change months ago because of new state regulations that could not be met by the district’s current lagoon treatment system. It looked at building a new plant at its current location, but the Board found that option to be much too costly. “We’re not looking at this as a big revenue maker for us,” Peterson said. “We’re not going
into this to lose money, either. It makes sense for all the parties involved.” Peterson called the merger “historic” in the sense that rarely, if at all, do Districts make this sort of arrangement. “Academy will still provide their own water to their customers,” Peterson said. Peterson added that an election will have to be held to ask Academy residents for a new mill levy to cover the costs of connecting to Donala. The problem is that special Districts like Academy can only hold elections in even-numbered years. The Board voted to hold off until 2016, rather than try to hurry the process through this November. According to GMS Engineering, Academy voters will be looking at a mill levy that will pay the $3.9 million price tag for connection with Donala. Peterson said he does not foresee Donala merging with any other Districts as it pertains to wastewater. “We’re pretty much at our limit,” Peterson said.