HomeMy WebLinkAbout2013 - Water Board - Work Plan1
2013 WATER BOARD ANNUAL WORK PLAN
The 2013 Water Board work plan recognizes a structural change in the Board’s organization.
Whereas work plans from recent years were organized around Water Board committee activities
(“Conservation and Public Education”, “Engineering”, “Legislative, Finance, and Liaison”, and
“Water Supply”), the 2013 work plan is organized around the major responsibilities of Fort
Collins Utilities related to water (“Water”, “Wastewater”, “Stormwater”). Additionally, the
category “Regional Issues” includes topics relevant to the Board's goal of maintaining a dialogue
on regional water issues, such as those that impact the Poudre River.
Since September, 2012, the Water Board has been holding monthly work sessions on the first
Thursday of each month as an alternative to committee meetings. Whereas committee meetings
involved a subset of the Board, the work session format helps ensure that all Water Board
members participate in all meetings, allows staff to engage the Board in preparatory discussions
outside of normal meetings, and decreases demands for staff support. The Water Board and staff
will continue to evaluate the work session format during 2013, monitor benefits and limitations
of this approach, and make adjustments as appropriate. Enhancing communications with City
Council is also a goal and improvements may be implemented considering ongoing discussions
with other boards and commissions.
A number of recurring annual activities are described under the appropriate operational area
below. Bulleted items are specific topics of current importance relevant to the Board. On an as-
needed basis, the Water Board also provides input on quasi-judicial matters such as floodplain
variances, easement dedication, and property acquisition or disposition.
Water
1. Provide input on planning and policies related to raw and treated water supply, such as
the Water Supply and Demand Management Policy.
2. Provide input on annual business such as water rates and surplus raw water rental rates.
3. Review and provide input on the Water Conservation Plan and annual report, and
conservation programs.
4. Address educational topics that prepare the Board for business related to water.
5. Participate in educational and public outreach efforts related to water.
6. Provide input on specific topics that are relevant to the Board. Potential topics for 2013
include:
• Impacts of wildfires on water supply and budget
• Impacts of drought and water conservation on the urban landscape
• Impacts of and adaptation to climate change
• Use of Advanced Metering Infrastructure (AMI) to enhance City programs
• Water storage infrastructure:
◦ Halligan Reservoir permitting
◦ Development of gravel pit storage
• Capital projects such as Michigan Ditch improvements and impacts from Mason
Street Corridor project
• Implementation of an instream flow right to preserve environmental flows
• Fluoride regulations and requirements
2
• Land use/development, water rights, and transactions
Wastewater
1. Provide input on planning and policies related to wastewater, such as wastewater
strategic plans dealing with infrastructure financing, workforce development, nutrient
regulations, and public/private financing options.
2. Provide input on annual business such as wastewater rates and capital improvements.
3. Address educational topics that prepare the Board for business related to wastewater.
4. Participate in educational and public outreach efforts related to wastewater.
5. Provide input on specific topics that are relevant to the Board. Potential topics for 2013
include:
• Performance of the upgraded Mulberry wastewater treatment plant
• Impacts of new nutrient regulations
• Enhancement projects such as:
◦ Alternative to chlorine gas for wastewater disinfection
◦ Community food waste to energy pilot program
◦ Supplemental carbon source pilot study and report
◦ Biogas to energy possibilities
• Industrial pretreatment program
Stormwater
1. Provide input on planning and policies related to stormwater, such as revisions to the
Stormwater Master Plans and Low Impact Development guidelines.
2. Provide input on annual business such as stormwater rates and capital improvements.
3. Address educational topics that prepare the Board for business related to stormwater.
4. Participate in educational and public outreach efforts with emphasis on improving and
enhancing customer awareness and understanding of stormwater programs.
5. Provide input on specific topics that are relevant to the Board. Potential topics for 2013
include:
• Progress on water quality, stream restoration, and ecosystem modeling projects
• Progress on capital projects
• Update of the Poudre River Floodplain and mapping in conjunction with the Federal
Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) RiskMAP program
• Updates to City Code related to compliance with the Municipal Separate Storm Sewer
System (MS4) permit
• Evaluate fees associated with review of floodplain use permits and Conditional
Letters of Map Revision (CLOMRs)/Letters of Map Revision (LOMRs) in relation to
staff time/costs and recommend adjustments if needed
• Update Chapter 10 Floodplain Regulations to incorporate the revisions to the
Colorado Water Conservation Board’s Floodplain Rules and Regulations and address
necessary code language clean-up
3
Regional Issues
1. Provide input on planning and policies related to regional issues that impact Fort Collins'
water.
2. Participate in regional dialogue as appropriate (e.g., annual Tri-City meeting, South Platte
Roundtable meetings).
3. Provide input on specific topics that are relevant to the Board. Potential topics for 2013
include:
• Regional land-use planning, such as sustainable agriculture and land conservation
• Greeley's Seaman Reservoir and Northern Water's Northern Integrated Supply Project
(NISP) permitting
• Oil and gas development, utility service to the oil and gas industry, and relationship
between energy and water in general
• State regulations related to a variety of water, wastewater, and stormwater topics,
including the state impaired waters list and state water quality standards
• Statewide ballot issues such as the public trust doctrine initiative
• State and federal legislation related to water