HomeMy WebLinkAbout04.17.23 WRAB MinutesWRAB Minutes
04/17/2023
Page No. 1
CITY OF BOULDER, COLORADO
BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS MEETING MINUTES
Name of Board / Commission: Water Resources Advisory Board
Date of Meeting: 17 April 2023
Contact Information for Person Preparing Minutes: Karen Sheridan, 303-441-3208
Board Members Present: Gordon McCurry, John Berggren, Steve Maxwell
Board Members Absent: Amy Broughton, Lauren Koopman
Staff Present: Joe Taddeucci, Director of Utilities
Joanna Bloom, Utilities Deputy Director of Policy and Planning
Chris Douville, Utilities Deputy Director of Operations
Laila Parker, Water Resources Senior Project Manager
Kim Hutton, Water Resources Manager
Jon Stoddard, Water Treatment Manager
Dwayne Sullivan, Business Services Senior Manager
Emily McMurtrey, Water Resources Project Manager
Melissa Mimna, Water Quality Manager
Isabelle Lheritier, Water Resources Project Manager
Megan Wilson, Water Quality Manager
Karen Sheridan, Board Secretary
Agenda Item 1 – Call to Order [6:04 p.m.]
Agenda Item 2 – Approval of 20 March 2023 Meeting Minutes [6:05 p.m.]
Motion to approve by: Maxwell Seconded by: Berggren
Vote: 3:0 Motion Passes
Agenda Item 3 – Public Participation and Comment [6:07 p.m.]
Lynn Segal: I just got my water bill today. I went to the Conference on World Affairs and Becky
Mitchell was really good. You should watch what she said about the Colorado River. There were two
parts: first, what are the issues; and second, what you can do for action. Afterwards I went up and I said
one thing I am upset about is 90% of the water coming out of my tap is going down the drain waiting for
warm. And she said well, actually, that is not so bad because all that water comes back, and no one has
ever told me this. You know, I am sorry, I am not a water expert, I am an ultrasound technologist, but I
kind of figured this. My brother was a water chemist for the city. But what Becky said was your water
gets used 11 times, so it will be reused 11 different times. But before I could kind of grok that, I realized
that’s a problem because that is expensive. And my water bill is expensive. And then ironically today, I
get a bill because I have been waiting, I am low income and I can get some funding for my water bill,
and they say you have to wait until you get the bill. You can’t pay it or these providers of the funds,
ARPA funds or whatever, can’t pay it unless you have a big bill. So, I asked Joanna what I do, and she
said just wait. And now I get a bill, I get no notice, no warning until they have already charged me $27.
So, to my understanding, maybe it is my bad, I don’t know, but from what I understood from Joanna,
you get a good warning before this happens but instead they just stuck me with $27 more and now it is
$400. And this was the cheapest water bill I have had in a long time because I try not to use any water. I
don’t even irrigate my yard. I don’t irrigate and 90% of the water I am losing. It just seems like a kind of
futile situation to be paying $80 a month when we have got these critical water situations going on with
the upper basin and the lower basin and what have you. And then we are putting on CU South so we can
have more water demands, and then we have the missing middle being accommodated for with reduced
parking spaces when neighbors have spoken up and said the utilities are not working. The sewer lines
don’t work in that area. Our area got flooded at 2206 Pearl. So, it seems like you’ve got some problems
to deal with. I’m done, I guess. Thanks.
Tim Holbrook: Hi everyone, I’m sorry I missed the first minute or two here. If this has been covered
please just tell me. I appreciate the opportunity to bring up an issue I brought up last time, which was
communication with property owners that have creek frontage and their responsibility to keep the flow
channel and flow capacity clear, not just debris. I noticed today I got a handy little reminder about flood
awareness. Great, good work in the Utility department. And now it does say that if you have a creek on
your property, it is your responsibility to maintain the channel and keep it clear of debris and ensure
you’re not impacting surrounding properties. Well, that’s better than nothing. But you’re on the way and
WRAB Minutes
04/17/2023
Page No. 2
I know it takes quite a while to do things, and maybe it is coming up later. Like I said, if it is, fine. I got
a nice email from Joe that you did receive my email and I assume the board has seen it as well. There
are other very specific interim flood control measures that I think bear some attention of the board and
Utilities to see if some of them can be done without even changing budgets. It’s more about
reprioritizing resources. So, I appreciate it if that would be addressed if not in this meeting maybe
another one. I know these things take time.
Staff Response:
• American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds are available but unfortunately, funds cannot be
credited until there is an overdue bill. An online form is available and staff from the Utility
Billing office will reach out to Ms. Segal to provide further assistance.
• Staff will address Mr. Holbrook’s questions further with a planned item under Matters from
Staff.
Agenda Item 4 – Swearing in of New Board Member/Election of Officers [6:15 p.m.]
Swearing in of New Board Member: Lauren Koopman
Tabled to next meeting due to board member absence.
Election of Board Officers
A. Chair
Motion: Berggren moved to elect McCurry as Chair
Second: Maxwell
Motion Passes: 3:0
B. Vice Chair
Motion: Maxwell moved to elect Berggren as Vice Chair
Second: McCurry
Motion Passes: 3:0
C. Secretary
Motion: Berggren moved to elect Maxwell as Secretary
Second: McCurry
Motion Passes: 3:0
Agenda Item 5 – Water Supply Update [6:20 p.m.]
Laila Parker, Water Resources Senior Project Manager, presented this item.
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY:
This memo provides an update on 2023 water supply conditions and the city’s drought stage
determination procedures as set forth in the recently adopted Drought Plan. While an official
determination is not made until early May per that Plan, at this time we do not anticipate declaring a
Drought Alert Stage or implementing water use restrictions in 2023. Snowpack above the city’s
watershed is around average and reservoir storage is currently trending just below normal and is
expected to fill during runoff. The city will continue to monitor conditions closely and will encourage
efficient water use throughout the year. The purpose of this memo is to provide a water supply update
and an opportunity for the board to ask questions.
WRAB Board Discussion Included:
• Question regarding plans to use additional data sources such as ASO (Airborne Snow
Observatory).
• Request for further explanation of Northern Water quota and comparison to prior years.
• Question regarding data provided to Northern Water to establish quota.
• Question if water supply is reassessed by staff later in the year.
• Question how water source allocations are prioritized if there is concern of potential drought.
Agenda Item 5 – Matters from Board [6:41 p.m.]
• Board Member McCurry: Brought attention to the inserts in water bills, this month on water
efficiency plan update and two other topics, speaking of the effectiveness and encouraging
continued use of this communication tool.
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04/17/2023
Page No. 3
• Board Member Berggren: Spoke of community survey asking customers how they want to
receive information.
Agenda Item 6 – Matters from Staff [6:45 p.m.]
• Wastewater COVID Update, presented by Melissa Mimna, Laboratory Program Supervisor
- SARS-CoV-2 monitoring began in March 2020.
- Collaboration with State of Colorado began August 2020.
- Current MOU with state and CSU runs through July 2023.
- Federal funding secured through 2025, with discussion of finding more permanent funding
sources.
- National Wastewater Surveillance System (NWSS) established by CDC September 2020.
Two centers of excellence include Houston, Texas, and Denver, Colorado.
- Denver center of excellence supports expanding the surveillance system through training
and education, looking globally for improved distribution and equity of monitoring,
improving public dashboards, and expanding pathogen list in August 2023.
• Flood Maintenance Update, presented by Joanna Bloom, Deputy Director:
- Relevant to flood maintenance, the Comprehensive Flood and Stormwater (CFS) Master
Plan recommended increased staffing levels and definition of roles to set policy direction.
- 2024 budget request for five additional full-time employees (FTE) and related equipment to
enhance maintenance activities.
- Guidance being developed for defining roles and responsibilities.
- Evaluating and implementing outreach methods for providing clarity of individual and
public responsibilities.
- Ongoing maintenance continues. Focus on sediment removal, outfalls, and some vegetation
removal.
- Partnering with Mile Hi Flood District (MHFD) on stream assessment.
- Ongoing volunteer opportunities through Count Me In.
- Alert 5 network hosted by MHFD combines camera footage as well as predictive weather
information.
- Side channels are part of mitigation planning.
• Multiboard Working Group, Boulder Junction Phase 2:
- Request from City Manager for board designees including WRAB.
- Project involves area bordered by Pearl Parkway, Valmont, Foothills Parkway and 30th
Street.
- Goose Creek drainage and multiuse path crosses middle of project area.
- Duration and frequency of assignment not yet known. Phase 2 plan will go to council in
fall 2023. Assignment could go 9 to 12 months beyond.
- CMO seeks response by end of April.
- Board tenure likely to begin May or June.
- Further details will be provided by internal update prior to April deadline.
• Safe and Managed Public Spaces Program (SAMPS):
- City used outside contractor, coordinated separately by multiple departments, until 2021.
- Council approved pilot in 2021 budget, establishing internal crew in Utilities.
- Close collaboration with police.
- 2023 budget approved for nine positions plus trucks and equipment . Paid partly out of
stormwater and flood utility and the rest from the general fund.
- Camping occurs in the flood and drainageways.
- Over one year there have been more than 700 cleanups, 130 tons of debris cleared, and
5600 needles collected.
- Prioritization formula guides lead and crew.
- In 2023, conditions deteriorated and procedures have now been updated.
- Ongoing costs are approximately $700,000 per year plus equipment.
- Will confirm costs and potential rate impacts.
Agenda Item 7 – Discussion of Future Schedule [7:24 p.m.]
• May: Racial Equity Training, virtual only; Capital Improvements Project (CIP), written memo
only; Phosphorus Upgrades Program Public Hearing, virtual only (WRAB invited to attend, no
formal role).
• June: Capital Improvements Project (CIP) Presentation and Feedback.
• July: Capital Improvements Project (CIP) Public Hearing and Recommendation.
• August: No meeting.
Agenda Item 8 -Adjournment Motion to adjourn by: Berggren Seconded by: Maxwell
Vote: 3:0 Motion Passes
Date, Time, and Location of Next Meeting: The next virtual WRAB meeting will held on Monday, May 15, 2023 at 6:00 p.m.APPROVED BY:ATTESTED BY:[7:30 p.m.]
Board Chair: � 1111' ;1t cl:p,.,,---: Board Secretary: ___________ _ Date: _ __:G�f-=-z_=-<r; t�z>,,L.s __ _Date:----------------
An audio recording of the full meeting/or which these minutes are a summary is available on the Water
Resources Advisory Board web page via the Access Meeting Agendas and Materials link. 1'Vater Resources Advisorv Board i City o(Boulder (bouldercolorado.gov) WRAB Minutes 04/17/2023PageNo.406/26/2023