Longmont’s aging water infrastructure and the ability to keep the city’s water safe and reliable are targeted under a proposed $80 billion bond issue that could go to voters in November.
City council could vote tonight to submit a question to voters asking for approval to issue $80 million in water bonds to finance a set of upgrades to the city’s system.
Longmont needs the improvements to ensure it can still provide healthy, fresh water to residents in emergencies, including COVID-19, according to city officials. “A clean, safe and reliable drinking water supply is always critical,” a city report on the proposed bond issue states.
The improvements would include the $40 million expansion of the Nelson-Flanders Water Treatment Plant from 30 million gallons per day, or mgd, to 45 mgd. The expansion is needed to provide treated drinking water to meet demands in the future, said Larry Wyeno, engineering administrator with the city.
Nelson Flanders is the primary treatment plant for the city after water leaves Rocky Mountain National Park and is stored at Ralph Price Reservoir, according to the city. The other water treatment plant is Wade Gaddis, which is used seasonally to meet peak capacity and as a backup system in case of emergencies.
The city will soon decommission the Wade Gaddis plant, which was placed in service in 1983. But Longmont still needs a reliable backup system which Wade Gaddis provided, according to officials.
Longmont conducted engineering studies to determine the best way to replace Wade Gaddis. Planners decided the most-reliable and cost-effective option was to expand capacity at the Nelson Flanders water treatment plant, said Bob Allen, director of operations for Public Works and Natural Resources.
The Nelson Flanders plant was placed in service in 2005 and was constructed with expansion in mind, Allen said.
The city also plans upgrades to the potable water treatment system in the next few years, including up-to-date treated water storage (potable water tanks) and water pipe repairs and replacement.
Last year, city council approved a five-year rate schedule that contemplated selling bonds to spread out the costs to upgrade Longmont’s water system, said Becky Doyle, Longmont’s assistant director of business services.
A bond issue would spread out the cost of needed infrastructure improvements over time to avoid rate spikes, Doyle said, which keeps rates more predictable for users.
City officials also note that many of the improvements called for under the bond issue are required by federal regulations such as the Safe Drinking Water Act.
