The City of Alpine sent out a release as this story was going to press noting Stage 4 water restrictions and trucking in water to help supplies. Read the release here.
Water bill rates could go up $5
Alpine
Water rates for Alpine residents are not going up this week, but could go up in two weeks. The City Council voted on May 5 to use money from the city’s general fund to kickstart work on a new municipal water well. The council will take up further funding and a possible rate increase at the May 19 meeting.
The city had instituted a water emergency after a well failed last week. “The loss of this well places additional strain on the city’s water distribution system, creating potential risks to system pressure, fire flow capacity, and overall water supply reliability, thereby constituting an imminent threat to public health and safety,” city officials said.
The council took the action, saying it would allow work to start immediately on the new well, allow the city to research interest rates and other details with potential lenders, and give city staff time to provide council members with more information on how a rate increase could best be implemented.
“We need to start John Skinner [of Skinner Drilling] turned on right now,” said Councilmember Rick Stephens, “Then start talking about how much we need to borrow.”
The original resolution, presented to the city council as an emergency addendum added just hours before the regular meeting, called for an increase of $5 per month to Alpine’s base water rate.
The city declared a water emergency on May 1 and has been under Stage 3 water restrictions since the Roberts 3 municipal well dropped to below 25% capacity last Wednesday, April 29.
At that time, city staff had hoped the problem could be solved with mechanical repairs to the well’s pump, but further investigation showed there was more significant damage to the more than 50-year-old well.
“The well casing is rotting out,” said Councilmember Robert Rückes, and city staff described holes larger than a fist.
The new well is set to be drilled next to the old Roberts 3 well. This will help workers move more quickly, since they already know the area has a good water supply and some of the connections are still usable, said Michael Maciaz, Alpine director of utilities.
The project also calls for permanently plugging the Roberts 3 well and for the city’s other wells to make up the difference for the six weeks it is expected to take to bring the new well online, Maciaz said. He estimated the project’s cost, including bringing in equipment, at $1 million.
City staff and council members stressed how this should be considered a temporary situation and that residents, businesses, and schools should work to conserve water and follow Stage 3 restrictions.
Stage 3 Water Restrictions include:
- Outdoor watering is limited to handheld hoses or watering cans.
- Watering is permitted only between 6 a.m. and 8 a.m. and 8 p.m. and 10 p.m.
- All irrigation systems, including sprinklers and automated systems, are prohibited.
- Washing sidewalks, driveways, and other paved surfaces is prohibited.
- Filling or refilling of swimming pools, spas, or similar features is prohibited.
- Vehicle washing is prohibited, except at commercial car washing facilities, and only between 12 p.m. and 5 p.m.