HomeMy WebLinkAbout2019 - Water Board - Work Plan1
2019 WATER BOARD ANNUAL WORK PLAN
Approved by Water Board on November 15, 2018
The 2019 Water Board work plan is organized consistent with the major responsibilities of Fort
Collins Utilities related to water (“Water”, “Wastewater”, and “Stormwater”). Additionally, the
category “Regional and System-wide Issues” includes topics relevant to the Board's goal of
maintaining a dialogue on broader water issues, such as regional issues that impact the Poudre
River.
A number of recurring annual activities are described under the appropriate subject areas 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.
Key Outcome Area Alignment:
Seven Key Outcome Areas have been identified for City Planning, as indicated below. The main Water
Utilities business areas are aligned with one or more of these outcome areas, as indicated in the introduction to
each section below. Individual items may align with several outcomes. For example, capital projects on
distribution system pipes are typically coordinated with transportation projects (outcome area T) and capital
projects include an art in public places component (outcome area CR). Utilities projects also often have an
element of high performing government (HPG). Alignment at the business area level is indicated below.
NLSH –Neighborhood Livability and Social Health
CR – Culture and Recreation
ECH – Economic Health
ENV – Environmental Health
HPG – High Performing Government
SC – Safe Community
T – Transportation
2
Water
Key Outcome Area Alignment:
Primary Outcome: Environmental Health (EH)
Secondary Outcomes: Economic Health (ECH) and High Performing Government (HPG)
Significant Linked Strategic Objectives:
• SC 5.5 – Address water, wastewater and stormwater infrastructure needs for the protection of people,
property and the environment.
• ENV 4.1 Achieve Climate Action Plan (CAP) 2020 goals and continue progress toward the 2030 goals.
• ENV 4.5 – Develop strategies to improve the community’s climate resiliency.
• ENV 4.6 – Provide a reliable, high-quality water supply.
• ENV 4.7 – Continually improve environmental regulatory performance.
• ECH 3.6 – Invest in utility infrastructure aligned with community development.
• HPG 7.8 – Maintain assets to reduce lifecycle costs while improving reliability and accessibility.
1. Provide input on planning and policies related to raw and treated water supply, such as
the Water Supply and Demand Management Policy and raw water acquisition policies.
2. Provide input and guidance on regional water supply collaboration opportunities.
3. Provide input on ditch company share rentals and other surplus raw water rental rates.
4. Review and provide input on water conservation programs and activities.
5. Address educational topics that prepare the Board for business related to water.
6. Participate in educational and public outreach efforts related to water.
7. Review and provide input on annual capital projects and capital improvement plans.
8. Provide input on programs that protect water sources and improve watershed health.
9. Provide input on specific topics that are relevant to the Board.
Specific topics of interest to the Board in 2019 include:
• Review of the Water Supply Vulnerability Study, with a focus on regular updates
based on key parameters, influence on policy updates, and actionable items moving
forward.
• Developing measurable metrics around water conservation and efficiency programs
that will be used to define City conservation programs and guide funding allocations,
including use of Advanced Metering Infrastructure (AMI).
Other potential topics for 2019 include:
• Continued review and support of water storage infrastructure projects:
◦ Halligan Reservoir permitting
◦ Additional gravel pit storage
◦ Aquifer Storage and Recovery (ASR)
• Consideration of the nexus between land use / development and water supply
planning, and development of forward-thinking City policy regarding future water
demands
3
Wastewater
Key Outcome Area Alignment:
Primary Outcome: Environmental Health (ENV)
Secondary Outcomes: High Performing Government (HPG)Significant Linked Strategic Objectives:
• SC 5.5 – Address water, wastewater and stormwater infrastructure needs for the protection of people,
property and the environment.
• ENV 4.1 Achieve Climate Action Plan (CAP) 2020 goals and continue progress toward the 2030 goals.
• ENV 4.3 – Achieve 2020 Energy Policy goals and work towards Climate Action goals for carbon
neutrality. Work towards long term net zero energy goals within the community and the City
organization using a systems approach.
• ENV 4.4 – Achieve the 2020 Road to Zero Waste goals and work toward the 2030 zero waste goals.
• ENV 4.7 – Continually improve environmental regulatory performance.
• ENV 4.8 – Protect and enhance natural resources on City-owned properties and throughout the
community.
• HPG 7.8 – Maintain assets to reduce lifecycle costs while improving reliability and accessibility.
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. Review and provide input on annual capital projects and capital improvement plans.
6. Provide input on specific topics that are relevant to the Board.
Specific topics of interest to the Board in 2019 include:
• Planning for new and emerging nutrient regulations, and specifically targeting
regional partnerships with the agricultural sector that can reduce Utilities costs.
Other potential topics for 2019 include:
• Enhancement projects such as:
◦ Biogas to energy possibilities and opportunities
◦ Carbon source projects, such as a food waste collection facility
• Industrial pretreatment program
• Graywater and reuse opportunities, particularly in the commercial sector
4
Stormwater
Key Outcome Area Alignment:
Primary Outcome: Safe Community (SC)
Secondary Outcomes: Environmental Health (ENV) and High Performing Government (HPG)
Significant Linked Strategic Objectives:
• SC 5.5 – Address water, wastewater and stormwater infrastructure needs for the protection of people,
property and the environment.
• ENV 4.1 Achieve Climate Action Plan (CAP) 2020 goals and continue progress toward the 2030 goals.
• ENV 4.7 – Continually improve environmental regulatory performance.
• ENV 4.8 – Protect and enhance natural resources on City-owned properties and throughout the
community.
• HPG 7.8 – Maintain assets to reduce lifecycle costs while improving reliability and accessibility.
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, MS4 (Municipal Separate
Storm Sewer) reporting and program accomplishments.
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. Review and provide input on annual capital projects and capital improvement plans.
6. Provide input on specific topics that are relevant to the Board.
Specific topics of interest to the Board in 2019 include:
• Participation in the Magnolia Street Outfall project planning and implementation.
• Review and provide input on stream restoration activities of the Natural Areas and
stormwater programs.
Other potential topics for 2019 include:
• Update of the Poudre River floodplain mapping in conjunction with the Federal
Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) RiskMAP program
• Review of the Low Impact Development (LID) standards, with specific focus on
effectiveness and maintenance of installed LID measures
• Review of the City flood warning system, including periodic system testing
• Updates or review of the City’s Stormwater Criteria Manual, which includes the Low
Impact Development (LID) Implementation Manual
5
Regional and System-wide Issues
Key Outcome Area Alignment:
Regional issues typically are related to one or more Utilities business areas (Water, Wastewater, Stormwater)
on a larger scale beyond the Utilities service area, and consequently interface with regional neighbors and in
some cases at a state or federal level. System-wide issues impact one or more Utilities areas. Alignment with
Key Outcome Areas depends on each item. For example, topics related to raw water supplies are aligned as
per the Water business area described above.
1. Provide input on planning and policies related to regional issues that impact Fort Collins'
water.
2. Participate in regional dialogue (e.g., annual Tri-City meeting, South Platte Roundtable
meetings, and coordination with other City boards and commissions).
3. Provide input on specific topics that are relevant to the Board.
Specific topics of interest to the Board in 2019 include:
• Creating more media and outreach around positive impacts that the water utilities has
accomplished, to help influence other municipalities on water issues. Create action
items for each water sector.
• Evaluating present and future staff levels at Fort Collins Utilities, with a focus on
identifying service roles and analytical / reporting roles, technology offsetting staff
needs, and knowledge transfer programs
• Development of an open data policy that guides what data will be publicly available
and creation of simple open data web links for a variety of water-related data.
• Short and long-term planning and management for ditch and reservoir companies
where Utilities owns shares, with an emphasis on asset management and effects on
the City landscape
Other potential topics for 2019 include:
• Review of Utilities performance metrics
• Projects in the Poudre River corridor, including removal of diversion structures,
stream restoration, recreational uses and impacts, and the Natural Areas flow
augmentation project
• Continued collaboration with neighboring water utilities, and support of the
collaboration working groups
• Continued development of mitigation measures for impacts of the Northern Integrated
Supply Project (NISP).
• Impacts of Thornton’s water pipeline on local water resources, the Poudre River, and
ditch ownership and use
• Statewide ballot issues such as Colorado Water Plan funding