This post was submitted by Bob Balslev, SRE-WSC President, 23 Feb 2009.
The following pdf documents are referenced in the post. NOTE: These pdfs are large. Right-click to download.
WSC System Improvement Plan: overview [pdf, 1.13 MB]
WSC System Improvement Plan: Well Investigation pt.1 [pdf, 8.75 MB]
WSC System Improvement Plan: Well Investigation pt.2 [pdf, 11.85 MB]
WSC System Improvement Plan: loan documents [pdf, 197 KB]
SRE-WSC Customers,
Last April the SRE-WSC Board of Directors presented in its annual report to our customers a System Improvement Plan which consisted of three primary components: Water Quality Improvement, Reliability Improvement, and a Tariff Rate Increase to fund the two basic improvement components.
The planning phase is now complete, and on 20 February 2009, we established a line of credit with the Community Resource Group [http://crg.org/], of Fayetteville, AR. The line of credit is currently established at $60,000.00 with a rate of 5.5 percent (5.5%) per annum for five years. The basic terms of the agreement are: we only draw from the line of credit when an invoice is received for work accomplished that meets the goals of the plan.
BACKGROUND
- The Directors’ concerns were focused on the following: declining water quality, systemic corrosion of the well piping requiring replacement of pipes approximately every eighteen months, aggravating intermittent rust bubbles in the system and the need to improve the reliability of our single well system serving 76 customers.
- Development of the plan established a requirement to compile a comprehensive history of the SRE-WSC well to include: original water well report and driller’s log from 5/29/85, tested samples on record by Texas Testing laboratories, lnc., Texas Department of Health well records and other recorded data over the past 23 years.
- To meet this requirement SRE-WSC contracted with: The Wellspec Company and Bond Geological Services to investigate corrosion and water quality problems in the SRE-WSC well. COMPLETED FEBRUARY 2OO8.
- The study concluded with findings and recommendations from which the current plan was developed. This study/report can be found on the SRE web site: pdfs, [pt.1 and pt.2]. COMPLETED FEBRUARY 2008.
- Implementation of the plan required that a budget estimate be accomplished and an appropriate rate (tariff) increase be approved by the Board of Directors. Our membership was notified and tariff approval was achieved in April 2008, effective June 2008.
- In the following months leading up to November 2008 the WSC accumulated a needed emergency resource reserve and made final decisions in November/December 2008 meetings to formalize the plan and solicit funding.
- In November the WSC procured 520 feet of stainless steel pipe in anticipation of an upcoming need to replace the wells pipes once again. It is envisioned that stainless piping should be an improvement over the previously used galvanized steel pipe. Procurement of the pipe was through a competitive bidding process and the contract was awarded to PMI Steel Pipe of San Antonio for $6976.80. Pipe delivery was in late December. The WSC used accumulated cash reserves for the pipe procurement.
On 7 January 2009, the board met and decided to initiate a process to establish a line of credit to meet our two objectives. The decision was made to secure funding through the Community Resource Group (CRG), which is designated by the US Treasury as a Community Development Financial Institution. One of its roles is to provide communities with loans for water and wastewater. The SRE-WSC has in the past utilized the CRG for system improvement loans. On 20 February 2009, the loan was approved and we are now executing to plan.
PLAN
- Reliability improvements are primarily through procurement of an on site Propane powered 36KW, 200 ampere, Generac Generator with a non service rated transfer switch. This system provides automatic electrical backup should we be impacted by commercial power failure or brown-outs. Through competitive bidding we have selected Blanco AC, Electrical & Plumbing who will install the generator pad, propane tank, generator, and all electrical hookups. The system is completely automated to include a monthly self test capability and automatic turn on with power interruption. Contract for this capability is: $21,345.00
- Water quality improvements include the following: a down-hole survey and/or geophysical logging of the well, systematic analysis of selected well constituents as a function of depth, chemically treating the well to remove the resident iron eating bacteria (i.e., source of the rust that appears in our water), sanitizing the well and installing the stainless pipe previously procured. This project will be managed by PGMS which is currently soliciting bids from qualified well drilling companies that can perform the tasks recommended by the February 2008 study.
- Execution planning is essential to minimizing our customer’s water supply disruption which is estimated at seven days.
- We will provide a 5 day notification of the projects initiation, estimated in early March. During the maintenance period we will be hauling water to our storage tanks to meet minimal demands. It will be essential that all customers conserve water to the utmost so that a continuous low rate of supply can be maintained without the complete loss of line pressure which must be maintained.
- There will be daily postings at the SRE entrance, SRE web site, and email notification to those members of the SRE Yahoo Group.
- We want to complete this project in March/early April before the high demands of the summer months commence.
With the completion of this project we will have a more reliable source of water supply and hope that the down-hole tasks provide us with a much improved quality of water without the need to drill to additional depths for better quality.
Should you have questions regarding this project please contact the Board’s President, Bob Balslev (847-2419) or the Operations Director, Harlan Mettenbrink (847-0031).
Regards,
Bob Balslev
SRE-WSC President
505 Stoney Creek Vista
Wimberley, TX 78676
balslev@aol.com
