HomeMy WebLinkAbout2012-12-18 WUCFD MINUTESWATER UTILITIES COMMUNITY FACILITIES DISTRICT
CITY OF APACHE JUNCTION, ARIZONA
REGULAR MEETING
December 18, 2012
The regular meeting of the District Board of the Water
Utilities Community Facilities District, City of Apache
Junction, Arizona, was held on December 18, 2012, at the Apache
Junction City Council Chambers pursuant to the notice required
by law.
CALL TO ORDER
Chairperson Insalaco called the meeting to order at 6:00
p.m.
ROLL CALL
Board Members Present:Chairperson Insalaco
Vice Chairperson Dietz
Mrs. Barker
Mrs. Evans
Mr. Serdy (Arrived 6:10 p.m.)
Mr. Wilson
Staff Present:Kathleen Connelly, District Clerk
Frank Blanco, District Director
John White, District Finance Manager
Joel Stern, District Legal Counsel
Brad Huza, Water System Superintendent
Donna Meinerts, District Finance
Director
Others Present:Bryant Powell, Assistant City Manager
Hazel Randall, Administrative Assistant
APPROVAL OF MINUTES OF OCTOBER
16, 2012
) Vice Chairperson Dietz
MOVED THAT THE MINUTES OF OCTOBER 16, 2012, BE APPROVED.
Water Utilities Community Facilities District
Meeting Minutes of December 18, 2012
Page 1 of 18
Mrs. Barker SECONDED THE
MOTION.
VOTE:Unanimous.
The motion carried.
RESOLUTION NO. 2012-010, A
RESOLUTION OF BOARD OF DIRECTORS OF
THE WATER UTILITIES COMMUNITY
FACILITIES DISTRICT APPROVING THE
WATER STORAGE AGREEMENT BETWEEN
CENTRAL ARIZONA WATER CONSERVATION
DISTRICT AND THE WATER UTILITIES
COMMUNITY FACILITIES DISTRICT
) District Director Frank
Blanco stated they are requesting approval of an agreement with
Central Arizona Water Conservation District to store Central
Arizona Project water at the recharge facility at Ocotillo and
the Central Arizona Project canal and later recover it from
their recovery wells to develop long term storage credits.
Mrs. Barker MOVED THAT
RESOLUTION NO. 2012-010, A RESOLUTION OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS
OF THE WATER UTILITIES COMMUNITY FACILITIES DISTRICT (CITY OF
APACHE JUNCTION, ARIZONA) APPROVING THE TERMS AND CONDITIONS OF
THE AGREEMENT BETWEEN CENTRAL ARIZONA WATER CONSERVATION
DISTRICT ("CAWCD") AND WATER UTILITIES COMMUNITY FACILITIES
DISTRICT ("WUCFD")(CITY OF APACHE JUNCTION,ARIZONA) FOR STORAGE
OF WATER AT SUPERSTITION MOUNTAINS RECHARGE PROJECT AND
AUTHORIZING BOARD CHAIR TO SIGN THE AGREEMENT SUBJECT TO FINAL
APPROVAL AS TO FORM BY DISTRICT LEGAL COUNSEL BE APPROVED.
Mr. Wilson SECONDED THE
MOTION.
VOTE:Unanimous.
The motion carried.
RESOLUTION NO. 2012-011, A
RESOLUTION OF THE BOARD OF
Water Utilities Community Facilities District
Meeting Minutes of December 18, 2012
Page 2 of 18
DIRECTORS OF THE WATER UTILITIES
COMMUNITY FACILITIES DISTRICT WATER
LEASE AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE GILA
RIVER INDIAN COMMUNITY AND
SUPERSTITION MOUNTAINS COMMUNITY
FACILITIES DISTRICT AND WATER
UTILITIES COMMUNITY FACILITIES
DISTRICT
) District Director Frank
Blanco stated the agreement has been reviewed by the Bureau of
Reclamation and by the Gila River Indian Community. The Bureau
of Reclamation has made all of their changes and agreed with the
request for changing some of the major things such as the city
being able to take over ownership of the Gila River Indian
Community water should the water district become part of the
city. Another item was for the agreement to become effective on
the date they accept the lease agreement. They are all in
agreement with the changes but the water district does not have
a signed agreement in hand from Gila River Indian Community. It
is the water district's recommendation to wait until Gila River
Indian Community provides the signed agreement.
District Legal Counsel Joel Stern stated the issue is whether
they want to take the risk of going through this again and them
coming back with some new changes.He felt there may be a
possibility they are going to change some of the language.It
is a remote possibility but it is possible.He feels it would
be prudent to get their signature and then vote on it.Once
they sign it, it would be very hard for them to re -track and
make changes in the agreement.Once it is signed it should be a
done deal.
District Director Frank Blanco stated the earliest that Gila
River Indian Community could sign it would be sometime in
January and there could be a situation where they might say that
the board needs to sign it first.
District Legal Counsel Joel Stern stated it could happen.They
might ask where the district signature is and want to see it
first.If that is the case, then communication will be brought
before the board stating they want to see the board's signatures
first so that the board does not change anything.
Water Utilities Community Facilities District
Meeting Minutes of December 18, 2012
Page 3 of 18
Vice Chairperson Dietz asked if they could have a special
meeting to vote on it, sign it and get it over to Gila River
Indian Community.
District Legal Counsel Joel Stern stated they could do that if
they would like.
Mrs. Barker MOVED THAT
RESOLUTION NO. 2012-011, A RESOLUTION OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS
OF THE WATER UTILITIES COMMUNITY FACILITIES DISTRICT (CITY OF
APACHE JUNCTION, ARIZONA) THE TERMS AND CONDITIONS OF THE LEASE
AGREEMENT BETWEEN GILA RIVER INDIAN COMMUNITY AND WATER
UTILITIES COMMUNITY FACILITIES DISTRICT (CITY OF APACHE
JUNCTION,ARIZONA) BE CONTINUED UNTIL THEY RECEIVE THE SIGNED
AGREEMENT.
Mr. Wilson SECONDED THE
MOTION.
VOTE:Unanimous.
The motion carried.
INTERGOVERNMENTAL AGREEMENT ("IGA")
BETWEEN SUPERSTITION MOUNTAINS
COMMUNITY FACILITIES DISTRICT NO.1
("SMCFD") AND WATER UTILITIES
COMMUNITY FACILITIES DISTRICT
("WUCFD")(CITY OF APACHE JUNCTION)
FOR SALE OF LONG TERM STORAGE
CREDITS
) District Director Frank
Blanco stated they have been working on this agreement over the
past year with the sewer district.Staff has sent drafts back
and forth.The agreement has been reviewed by Kay Bigelow,
their past legal counsel and Joel Stern, the current district
legal counsel.All the key issues have been addressed.Staff
is in agreement that they can move forward and have the
agreement executed.They have received an e-mail communication
from Mr. Grabek indicating there may be a risk that the sewer
board would not be amenable to signing the agreement. Staff has
done all the work they can do on the agreement on their level
Water Utilities Community Facilities District
Meeting Minutes of December 18, 2012
Page 4 of 18
and agree that it is a good agreement. This agreement is a 40
year term agreement.It helps for their assured water supply
and saves them about $19,000 in the rates they are paying the
sewer district because the rates become effective on the actual
date Central Arizona Project rates become effective versus six
months sooner. There were some benefits that were discussed and
were presented at the last district meeting.
Mrs. Barker asked what the drawback was for the sewer district.
Assistant City Manager Bryant Powell asked how long has staff
been working on the agreement.
District Director Frank Blanco stated that they have been
working on it for at least a year.
Assistant City Manager Bryant Powell asked how many more years
are there on the agreement.
District Director Frank Blanco stated there are two years left.
Assistant City Manager Bryant Powell stated for long term
planning they should work together with the sewer district. He
asked how many days ago they got the e-mail and what it said.
District Director Frank Blanco stated they got the e-mail within
the past week.In the e-mail Mr. Grabek expresses his concern
that perhaps the sewer district would not be willing to sign the
agreement at this time. They want to sign the agreement closer
to the date that it expires.
District Legal Counsel Joel Stern stated perhaps this matter
could be continued to next month so that they can talk to Mr.
Grabek and also Mr. Greger, the district counsel for the sewer
board.He does not understand why they do not want to sign the
agreement at this time.There was no explanation given to him
and he did not talk to either one of them about it. He asked if
anyone felt it would be a problem to continue it one more month.
Assistant City Manager Bryant Powell stated it would not be a
problem.He asked Frank Blanco if he had a chance to talk to
the sewer district manager and if so what the conversation was.
Water Utilities Community Facilities District
Meeting Minutes of December 18, 2012
Page 5 of 18
District Director Frank Blanco stated he talked to the sewer
district manager on the phone who told him he had talked to the
board members one on one, not as a quorum, about some of his
issues.He felt there was some reluctance to move forward.
Frank asked him if this is something they can take care of
administratively through a letter with the understanding that
they will continue the term of the agreement even though it may
expire in 2015.He also told him they would charge them when it
is appropriate versus six months ahead of time.Frank stated he
does not have anything in writing from him and the sewer
district manager has not agreed to this at this point.There
could be an administrative solution that would be an interim
thing but in terms of the agreement itself, there is no reason
as to why the sewer board would not sign the agreement at this
time.
Mrs. Barker asked if there is a downside for the sewer district
with this agreement.
District Director Frank Blanco stated there is not a downside to
this agreement and there could be something really positive for
the sewer district in firming the relationship between the sewer
district and the water district by agreeing to purchase the long
term storage credits for at least another forty years.He does
not know of any downside to this agreement and no downside was
expressed to him.
District Legal Counsel Joel Stern stated that he would contact
Clarke Greger tomorrow by e-mail and try to find out any
information he can.
Mrs. Barker, MOVED THAT THE
INTERGOVERNMENTAL AGREEMENT ("IGA") BETWEEN SUPERSTITION
MOUNTAINS COMMUNITY FACILITIES DISTRICT NO. 1 ("SMCFD") AND
WATER UTILITIES COMMUNITY FACILITIES DISTRICT ("WUCFD")(CITY OF
APACHE JUNCTION) FOR SALE OF LONG TERM STORAGE CREDITS BE
CONTINUED TO THE NEXT MEETING OF THE WATER BOARD.
Vice Chairperson Dietz
SECONDED THE MOTION.
Water Utilities Community Facilities District
Meeting Minutes of December 18, 2012
Page 6 of 18
VOTE:Unanimous.
The motion carried.
DISCUSSION OF PROFESSIONAL SERVICES
AGREEMENT FOR SYSTEM CONNECTION AND
WATER RESOURCE ACQUISITION FEES
BETWEEN TISCHLERBISE AND APACHE
JUNCTION WATER UTILITIES COMMUNITY
FACITITIES DISTRICT
) District Director Frank
Blanco stated this is a professional service agreement to do a
study on their system connection fees and water resource
acquisition fee.They have the 2008 system connection fee study
that was done by TischlerBise.This is the same firm.The
scope of work is to update the study and include water resource
acquisition fees.Prior to the original study in 2008 there had
not been a rate adjustment.The study contained information
that allowed the board to decide on a rate adjustment so with
the board's approval they were able to raise the rates at that
time. The recommendation after raising the rates was to look at
it after five years including water resource acquisition fees.
Water resource costs are currently absorbed by the water
district rate payers.The current and future cost for Central
Arizona Project water is absorbed by current rate payers.The
cost for new wells, long term storage credits and the cost for
recharge is currently being absorbed by current rate payers.
Some of these components are related to sustainability which
makes sense that our current rate payers would pay for them, but
some are also tied into future growth.By having a water
resource acquisition fee for future growth it would help growth
pay for itself.Other cities in the valley have this fee in
place.The water district does not currently have this fee.
Mrs. Barker asked how it would be charged.
District Director Frank Blanco stated the fee would be applied
to new development.
Assistant City Manager Bryant Powell stated they would be in the
connection fees or water resource fees.
Water Utilities Community Facilities District
Meeting Minutes of December 18, 2012
Page 7 of 18
District Legal Counsel Joel Stern stated that in Title 9 there
is the development fee which does not apply to the district so
their fees are not called development fees.It is a similar
concept coincidently.
Vice Chairperson Dietz stated it is a one time fee like the
capital facilities fees they will be able to hold on to for
future development and so forth.
District Director Frank Blanco stated these fees are not so much
for water infrastructure as they are for renewable supplies of
Central Arizona Project water.The proposal of this agreement
with TischlerBise is not to exceed $16,240.Additional meetings
will be $2,800.Since it is below the $25,000 threshold limit
the question did come up if it is an agreement that needs to be
approved by the board and signed by the chairperson.
District Legal Counsel Joel Stern stated it does not need to be
signed by the chairman and can be signed by the district manager
unless the chairperson wants something prepared for his
signature.
District Chairperson Insalaco stated he felt there was no need
for his signature since it was under the $25,000 threshold.
District Clerk Kathy Connelly asked what happens if there are
enough of the $2,800 additional meetings to put them over the
$25,000 threshold limit.
District Director Frank Blanco stated it should not happen
because the consultant has been approved by the city for a city
development fee study.Some of the meetings they will be having
will cover some of the concerns the water district may have as
well as concerns the city may have.He does not envision them
going above $25,000.The reason they are using TischlerBise is
they are doing a city development fee study at the same time
which should cause a little bit of savings.He stated the
$16,240 fee includes one or two meetings.The $2,800 would be
for additional meetings if required.
Water Utilities Community Facilities District
Meeting Minutes of December 18, 2012
Page 8 of 18
District Chairperson Insalaco asked if the $2,800 for an
additional meeting would be counted towards the $25,000.
District Director Frank Blanco stated it would be counted
towards the $25,000 but he does not see a reason for additional
meetings.
DISTRICT MANAGER REPORT
None.
DISTRICT DIRECTOR REPORT
District Director Frank Blanco stated he will be giving a water
system update and talk about an agreement that they have an
option to enter into with Salt River Project and some of the
other cities in the East Valley that addresses some regional
options for water resources in the East Valley.He will talk
about Arizona Department of Water Resources groundwater fees,
Central Arizona Project non -Indian agricultural water and
Arizona Department of Water Resources assured water supply
connected to that.
Well 5 is providing 28% of the total demands.Well 6 is at 13%
of the total demands and their Mesa interconnect is currently
serving 67% of the 1.4 million gallons per day average demand.
This is calculated from January 1st through December 16th of
2012.Mr. Brad Huza will give an update on Well 8.
Water System Superintendent Brad Huza stated they have been
working with a consultant, Southwest Groundwater Consultants, to
identify the problem as to why Well 8 quit functioning and also
to come up a tentative plan to try to put in back on line.The
reason it started nonfunctioning was because the screen had a
lot of calcium carbonate in it.They tried to scrub it but it
did not get it off because the screen is located in two
different aquifers.It is located in the upper aquifer and the
bedrock aquifer. The water chemistry mixing causes the calcium
carbonate to start precipitating out and start to plug the
screens.The only practical way to clean it out is through an
acid wash.There are a number of well rehab companies in the
valley that do this acid wash.This is good news but the bad
Water Utilities Community Facilities District
Meeting Minutes of December 18, 2012
Page 9 of 18
news is that it will cost $45,000 to $50,000 to take care of it.
It is going to cause some operational changes if they decide to
use Well 8 as a reproduction well or a recharge well once it is
repaired.It is going to have to be used on a continual basis
so as not to let the water go stagnant and be able to
precipitate out.They looked at whether they could plug off one
of the aquifers and only use one or the other.They could but
that would diminish the yield or the capabilities of recharge so
drastically it is not cost effective to do it.They really need
all the screening capabilities which Well 8 has right now.They
will try to put a bid together to firm up the cost of well
repair but the cost of $45,000 is the estimate their consultant
came up with.
Mr. Serdy asked if this was something only Beeman can do or if
there were other specialists that could take care of the
problem.
Water System Superintendent Brad Huza stated there are a handful
of companies that can do this.Weber Company, Layne Christensen
Company and two or three others can do this wash.
Mr. Serdy asked how big the area is that needs to be acid
washed.
Water System Superintendent Brad Huza stated there is 300 feet
of screen.The calcium carbonate is throughout the screen and
there are no open areas in the screen.When it was drilled
there was no level specific water chemistry run on it.
Vice Chairperson Dietz asked if this happened from lack of use.
Water System Superintendent Brad Huza stated if the water stands
stagnant, then they mix the chemistry, it will precipitate out.
This is why if they acid wash it they will need to put it back
in production to keep this problem from happening again.This
will not be hard to do.
Mr. Serdy asked what the cost is to do a whole new well.
Water System Superintendent Brad Huza stated he would have to do
some research on that but felt it would cost in excess of
Water Utilities Community Facilities District
Meeting Minutes of December 18, 2012
Page 10 of 18
$500,000 plus to drill a new one.There has been $700,000 put
into Well 8 already. If they do decide to drill a new one, they
may want to do a well siting study to find a site more conducive
from a water quality standpoint because Well 8 has higher
arsenic levels.The well produces about 250 gallons per minute.
Chairperson Insalaco asked what does Well 5 produce compared to
Well 8.
District Director Frank Blanco stated Well 5 brings in about 600
gallons a minute.
Vice Chairperson Dietz asked if they could pour water down into
Well 8 and just use it for recharge water for recharge credits.
Water System Superintendent Brad Huza stated that could be done
on a regular basis with little or no impact on water production
schedules.
Vice Chairperson Dietz stated they would not have to worry about
cleaning the screens or filters.
Mrs. Barker asked if they would still have to clean them.
Water System Superintendent Brad Huza stated anytime they have a
rechargeable they have to bring water back out to make sure they
keep the screens operational.He has talked to the sewer
district and they will let him hook up with them to clean the
screens.
Vice Chairperson Dietz asked if they could drill for new
groundwater with the lease agreements they have.
District Director Frank Blanco stated they could.
Vice Chairperson Dietz asked if there are some sites south of
the city that look positive for groundwater.
District Director Frank Blanco stated there was a siting study
done before he was part of the district.Those locations were
south of Baseline.Nothing was done in terms of drilling some
pilot holes to see exactly what the aquifer was like.Future
Water Utilities Community Facilities District
Meeting Minutes of December 18, 2012
Page 11 of 18
analyses would have to been done before drilling.Salt River
Project is interested in doing some of the analyses to determine
where that groundwater is available and what the good sites
might be for future wells.
Vice Chairperson Dietz stated he felt there needs to be some
kind of back up program just in case anything happened to
Central Arizona Project water or anything like that.
Chairperson Insalaco asked how long they could let Well 8 be in
the condition it is in.
Water System Superintendent Brad Huza stated he reviewed videos
of the well from 2008 and 2009.There was definitely some
degradation that occurred.He estimates the longest they could
let it go in the condition it is in would be about 18 months and
still be able to do a scrubbing and acid wash to get it where it
needs to be.
Chairperson Insalaco stated he was wondering if the $45,000 was
worth it to save it.He mentioned they already have $700,000
into Well 8.If they could spend $45,000 to save it versus
$700,000, it does not seem that much to him.
District Director Frank Blanco stated they did budget $50,000
this year for the project, so there is money for the project if
they decide to do it.
Vice Chairperson Dietz asked how much of a benefit it is to the
district to use it for recharge.
District Director Frank Blanco stated that is what they would
like to use it for as a pilot.They still have to clean it out
regardless of what they use it for.They will not have a clear
answer on how they can use it until they try to clean it out and
bring it back to where they could pump some water out and also
inject some water into it to the capacity they need for
recharge.
Vice Chairperson Dietz asked if they would still be able to draw
water from it with it cleaned out.
Water Utilities Community Facilities District
Meeting Minutes of December 18, 2012
Page 12 of 18
District Director Frank Blanco stated they would be able to do
that but the water would still have to be blended because it is
above the maximum contaminant level for arsenic.
Assistant City Manager Bryant Powell asked Frank Blanco if his
thinking was to bring this for discussion only as part of his
report and at some point bring it back.
District Director Frank Blanco stated this was for discussion
only and at some point they would bring it for project approval
once they get some additional numbers.The water system booster
stations interconnect needed a minor modification to bring in
some Central Arizona Project water treated by the City of Mesa.
They used their pressure, basically, to fill their Baseline
tank.They avoided the cost of running the pumps at the
interconnect because there is enough pressure in the Mesa system
to fill Baseline. They would typically only use the pumps to
fill the Buena Vista site.This modification cost less than
$10,000 and staff can do the work so the cost would be for the
material.They are using the Baseline tank and the new tank for
storage.They have full capacity of 2 million gallons and 4
million gallons for the entire system.They no longer have to
worry about having enough water stored, but they need to make
sure they turn the water over so it stays fresh.
Vice Chairperson Dietz asked how soon could they get the other
tank at Baseline ready for repair.
District Director Frank Blanco stated there is still additional
work at the new tank for a level sensor and some electrical work
being done there.They can sense the level of the water by
looking at the old tank to estimate the level until the sensor
is fixed.He hopes to have the tank completely operational by
March and a chlorination system installed at the Baseline
facility.
Vice Chairperson Dietz asked if they would shut down the other
tank to do repairs on it once the new tank was fully
operational.
District Director Frank Blanco said they would do repairs at
that time.They did have a break in the distribution system
Water Utilities Community Facilities District
Meeting Minutes of December 18, 2012
Page 13 of 18
north of Broadway and Ironwood.They discovered a couple of PVC
lines running in parallel which should have been copper that had
a break.The draft agreement they have been discussing for
review is not an agreement that requires action from the board.
It is an agreement between the parties to agree to look at
regional opportunities for providing water to the East Valley
which includes Apache Junction, Queen Creek, Roosevelt Water
Conservation District area and Arizona Water.They are being
spearheaded by Dave Roberts of Salt River Project.There are
some opportunities for water exchanges, building a pipeline
corridor to move water back and forth between where it currently
is which might be west of them in the Roosevelt Conservation
District area.They are looking at raw water supply redundancy.
There is quite a bit of infill area just west of Ironwood that
used to be an agricultural area.There is a Roosevelt Water
Conservation District canal in this area that brings water north
that is Salt River Project water that connects to their eastern
canal located approximately at McKellips and the 101.Not only
does Salt River Project water run into this canal but also
ground water.The canal is also connected to the Central
Arizona Project so there is also Central Arizona Project water
in this canal system.When they look at raw water system
redundancy there could be a potential for a corridor along
Guadalupe Road that could bring a pipeline to augment or supply
the water treatment plant if there are some issues with the
Central Arizona Project Canal such as a shortage or if the canal
is down.There are a lot of opportunities with the cities,the
other private water company and Salt River Project working
together to look at future planning on what they might be able
to do in terms of addressing their water issues.One
opportunity is to exchange Salt River Project water for Central
Arizona Project water. There is also an opportunity to build a
dual pipeline where some of the effluent could be brought over
for exchange.
District Legal Counsel Joel Stern stated part of why this effort
is happening is because in 2010 House Bill 2661 was passed which
created the Water Resources Development Commission. The state
said they wanted to create this commission of 15 members. The
point of this law was to discuss what Arizona demands were for
water for the next 25, 50 and 100, years and what water supplies
were available throughout the state. Legislative recommendations
Water Utilities Community Facilities District
• Meeting Minutes of December 18, 2012
Page 14 of 18
were made on how to change the law to help out local communities
to address the water needs.This is where some of the
cooperative activity is coming from.There is actually some
statutory authority that started the whole effort.There was a
commission supplemental report that came out on September 27,
2012. He stated he could give the board a copy if they would
like one. It was directed in the 2010 law to have been issued by
September 30, 2012, so they made it by 3 days.
District Director Frank Blanco stated the Arizona Department of
Water Resources groundwater withdrawal fee is $3 per acre foot,
which was $2.75 in 2005. The long term storage credit recovery
fee is $1 and has not changed in many years.There is a minimal
impact on the cost to produce water.The major cost is in
energy, chemicals and raw water. The replenishment cost for raw
water that they pump out of the ground is $437 per acre foot.
In 2014, it will be $492 per acre foot. For every acre foot of
groundwater that is pumped it needs to be replenished at that
cost.In 2005, it was only $188 so it has more than doubled in
10 years. It will continue increasing.Pumped groundwater is
water that is not recovered as a long term storage credit. It is
not Central Arizona Project water that was recharged or effluent
that was recharged that is now considered effluent or Central
Arizona Project water in the form of a long term storage credit.
If it is not being recovered as a long term storage credit it is
pumped underground and costs $437 per acre foot to replenish.
Non -Indian agricultural priority water has a reallocation
process that is going on.It is going to be a complicated
process.Arizona Department of Water Resources is responsible
for this process.This water was developed from water that was
given up by non -Indian agricultural users.There was some
Central Arizona Project water that was allocated to non -Indian
agricultural users. The water became very expensive for the non-
Indian agricultural users to use so they chose to give it up.
They decided to use groundwater they could pump out of the
ground themselves which cost them less than $10 per acre foot.
Arizona Department of Water Resources is responsible for the
reallocation process. Their goals are to use this water to
reduce ground water overdraft, use it for areas of limited
physical availability and to meet current and future demands.
There was an Arizona Department of Water Resources public
comment letter that was due in November. He wrote in the comment
Water Utilities Community Facilities District
Meeting Minutes of December 18, 2012
Page 15 of 18
letter three key points which are that Arizona Department of
Water Resources should help with the Apache Junction groundwater
availability problem, that one of the charges was unjustified
and that Non -Indian Agricultural should help serve state lands.
The state lands being master planned in the Portalis area have
some Central Arizona Project water that has been assigned or
designated for Apache Junction state land. It is not enough
water to cover the entire development and state land is saying
it is not on the table for this development.The total amount
of water is 96,295 acre feet and 51,000 of that is for municipal
and industrial users within the Central Arizona Project service
area.The Central Arizona Project service area is Maricopa
County, Pinal County and Pima County.It is lower priority
water and only about 70% of the water will be available. An
average amount of 64,000 acre feet of water will be available
annually.That will be reduced to 58,000 acre feet by 2030.
That is the total amount'of water, not the municipal and
industrial portion.The municipal and industrial portion will
be reduced accordingly by 70%. Potential uses for this water are
direct delivery, recharge for long term storage credits or
recovered Central Arizona Project water.Since it is low
priority there is an issue because at certain times the water
will be partially available or not available so it is not
something they can rely on, but it could supplement their
current water portfolio.The application for this water is due
February 18, 2013.The cost is comprised of three components:
the debt component, which is the amount that is required by the
farmers that gave up the water to pay back Central Arizona
Project for constructing the canal system; the $899 which is the
back capital charges component and the third one is $1,000 for
supply availability charge.He did not feel it was right for
them to charge supply availability when it is not always going
to be available.The initial estimate is about 2,288 per acre
foot of water and so if they add 30% to that since it is only
available 70% of the time it is close to $3,000 per acre foot
which is the Gila River Indian Community amount.Groundwater
allowance was determined in 1995 and calculated based on the
groundwater that was being pumped in 1994.At that time it was
Consolidated Water.The groundwater allowance was based on what
they were pumping around 7,365 acre feet.That allowance is
groundwater that could be pumped over 100 years, 10 years, 5
years or whatever but once that water is used up there is no
Water Utilities Community Facilities District
Meeting Minutes of December 18, 2012
Page 16 of 18
more allowance for groundwater.This is groundwater the state
allows them to pump and at some point they will need to get
renewable supplies.There is a 3 year free option.
Consolidated wrote a letter requesting it, however it was
overlooked by Arizona Department of Water Resources.For the
first 3 years that this was implemented in 1995, they could
continue pumping groundwater in and it would not count against
their groundwater allowance. Since it was overlooked by Arizona
Department of Water Resources for the first few years they
continued deducting the groundwater allowance if they did not
have the three years for free.This caused the 2009 balance to
be 510 acre feet.After an adjustment was made the 2009 balance
went up to 3,127 acre feet.The net effect is that it
reinstated 2,617 acre feet of groundwater allowance.This is an
error Arizona Department of Water Resources made. There was a
project where they had to go through all their data bases to get
one accurate data base.In doing so they discovered this error.
What this means in terms of money is the value of the 2,617 acre
feet of groundwater allowance at $437 per acre times 2,617 is
about 1.1 million dollars.There is a lot of value to that in
terms of Arizona Department of Water Resources discovering the
error and giving them back the credit.The cost avoidance value
increases over time. In 2017-2018, Central Arizona Groundwater
Replenishment District tax will be at $633 per acre foot.So
that would make that 1.1 million cost avoidance of replenishing
even higher than that.
DISTRICT TREASURER REPORT
None.
ADJOURNMENT
adjourned the meeting at 6:56 p.m.
ACCEPTED THIS
) Chairperson Insalaco
DAY OF , 2013,
BY THE CHAIRPERSON AND DISTRICT BOARD OF THE WATER UTILITIES
COMMUNITY FACILITIES DISTRICT,(CITY OF APACHE JUNCTION,
ARIZONA).
SIGNED AND ATTESTED TO THIS DAY OF
2013.
Water Utilities Community Facilities District
Meeting Minutes of December 18, 2012
Page 17 of 18
n S. Insaraco
hairperson
ATTEST:
Kathleen Connelly
District Clerk
WATER UTILITIES COMMUNITY FACILITIES DISTRICT MINUTES
CERTIFICATION
I hereby certify that the foregoing minutes are a true and
correct copy of the minutes of the regular meeting of the Water
Utilities Community Facilities District of the City of Apache
Junction, Arizona, held on the 18th day of December, 2012.I
further certify that the meeting was duly called and held and
that a quorum was present.
Dated this 8th day of January, 2013.
Kathleen Connelly
District Clerk
Water Utilities Community Facilities District
Meeting Minutes of December 18, 2012
Page 18 of 18