Meeting Minutes and Presentation - Colorado Wastewater Utility

CWWUC/ CWUC Joint Meeting Minutes
Wednesday, June 10, 2015 at 1:00 PM
at Littleton/Englewood WWTP
2900 S. Platte River Drive, Englewood
In Attendance:
Tim Grotheer
Jim Dorsch
Shelley Stanley
Sherry Scaggiari
Rhonda Birdnow
Julie Tinetti
Cassie Grotheer
Asaleh Dalton
Michelle Wind
Simon Stokes
Bill Veydovec
Bobby Anastasov
Jim Edwards
Andrew Kirsch
Martha Hahn
Siri Roman
Ron Falco
Mary Gardner
Dennis Stowe
Dick Parachini
Serenity Valdez
Chris Jones
Al Baker
JP Ferraro
Paul Ferraro
Tim Feehan
Pat Pfaltzgraff
Roy Heald
Phone-In Participants:
Ginny Johnson
Amy Woodis
Jim Kendrick
Blair Corning
David Meyers
Jill Piatt- Kemper
CWWUC
MWRD
Northglenn
Aurora
Denver Water
CWSD
Town of Castle Rock
Golden
Boulder
Silverthorne/ Dillion JSA
HMM
Aurora
ERWSD
ERWSD
PCWRA
ERWSD
CDPHE
L/E WWTP
L/E WWTP
CDPHE- WQCD
ECCV
CMWC & RRCC
CWSD
CWWUC
CWWUC
CWC Board
WQCD
SWSD
Colorado Springs
Metro
Monument
S. Adams
Westminister
Aurora
Agenda:
1. Colorado Water Plan, Tim Feehan, Deputy Director, CWC Board.
2. RRCC- Water Quality Management Program Survey, Chris Jones, RRCC, WQM Instructor.
3. Wastewater Worker Appreciation Week, Dennis Stowe, L/E WWTP.
4. Harmful Algal Blooms, Ron Falco, CWQCD
5. Updates:
* Water Utility Council
6. Open Discussion
Next meeting: Wednesday, July 8, 2015.
Minutes
1. Colorado Water Plan, Tim Feehan, CWC Board.
a. Tim gave an overview of the Colorado Water Plan.
i. Click to see the talking points.
b. The projected short fall by 2050 is 500,000 acre feet. Water quality is addressed in Chapter 7 of the
plan.
c.
The final plan will be submitted to the Governor by December 10, 2015.
2. RRCC Water Quality Management Program Survey, Chris Jones, RRCC.
a. Chris gave the following presentation:
i. Click to see the talking points.
b. Attached is Red Rocks Water Quality Management Technology presents Weekend Classes.
i. Click to see the talking points.
3. Wastewater Worker Appreciation Week, Dennis Stowe, L/E WWTP.
a. Dennis mentioned that the Council should help in having the Governor present a declaration next
year around Earth Day- the “Wastewater Worker Appreciation Week.”
b. Dennis also mentioned the S. Platte Flood happened 50 years ago in June.
4. Harmful Algae Blooms, Ron Falco, CWQCD.
Ron gave highlights of harmful algae blooms that are occurring more in Colorado lakes and
reservoirs.
a. EPA is to publish a guide for dealing with algae blooms related to finish drinking water and raw
water. It is a 10-day advisory.
b. The algae toxins impact the liver in humans.
c.
Recommended approaches:
i. Observe reservoirs and lakes for algae blooms.
ii. If blooms occur, then sample the raw intake waters and the finish drinking water.
iii. If toxins are present, recommend bottled water.
d. EPA to start a study to determine algae toxin limits for reservoirs - to be completed by next year.
e. Colorado State Parks is monitoring several reservoirs that have algae blooms.
f.
Ron is working with CWUC to review guidance, monitoring, labs, etc.
g. Oregon & Ohio working on algae blooms.
i. Labs - share info.
ii. Lab capacity is a problem.
5. Updates
i. CWUC - Sherry Scaggiari to become the chair of CWUC in September.
ii. CWUC appreciates the joint meeting, and should meet together more often. Next one in
September.
6. Open Discussion
a. Retirement of Dick Parachini was mentioned.
Adjourned at 3:00 PM.
Next meeting will be July 8, 2015.
Colorado’s Water Plan
Tim Feehan, Colorado Water Conservation Board
June 10, 2015
House Bill 05-1177
Created the
Interbasin Compact Committee
(IBCC process) and Basin Roundtables
Executive Order 2013-005
Directs CWCB to develop the
Colorado Water Plan
“Colorado’s water quantity and quality questions can no longer be
thought of separately. Each impacts the other and our state water
policy should address them conjunctively”.
Colorado’s Water
Plan: The path to a
secure water future.
• Vibrant & sustainable cities
• Healthy watersheds &
environment
• Robust recreation & tourism
• Viable & productive
agriculture
Colorado – A Land of Extremes
FLOOD
WILDFIRE
DROUGHT
4
By 2050, Colorado’s Population
Could Nearly Double
12,000,000
Population
10,000,000
8,000,000
6,000,000
4,000,000
2,000,000
0
Low
2008
2010
Arkansas Basin
Metro Basin
South Platte Basin
2015
2020
2025
2030
Colorado Basin
North Platte Basin
Southwest Basin
2035
Medium
2050
Gunnison Basin
Rio Grande Basin
Yampa Basin
High
Why Do We Need a Water Plan?
1. Gap between supply and demand:
water supplies & population
growth
2. Concerns about pace of
agricultural dry up
3. Environmental stress and
recreational opportunities
4. Inefficient regulatory processes
5. Fiscal challenges related to water
infrastructure systems
Why Now?
1. We face an uncertain future for Colorado without a long term
reliable/sustainable source of water
2. Years of studies and dialogue
3. Unprecedented grassroots effort
4. Shortages exist today
Colorado’s Water Plan Chapters
1. Introduction
2. Legal and institutional setting
3. Overview of each basin
4. Water supply
5. Water demand by sector
6. Water supply management for the future*
7. Water resources management & protection
8. Interbasin projects & agreements
9. Alignment of State resources and policies
10.Legislative recommendations
11.Updating Colorado’s Water Plan
Chapter 7.3 Water Quality:
• Quality and Quantity Connection;
• Statutory and Regulatory Relationship;
• Water Management Relationship;
• Quality and Quantity Integration Goals
• Current and Future Water Quality Conditions
• Water Quality in BIP’s
• Water Quality in BIP’s
Section 7.3 Suggested Actions
• Improved Implementation of federal drinking water act and
Colorado’s drinking water statutes/regulations.
• Evaluate water quality impacts associated with proposed IPP’s in
BIP’s.
• Coordination and collaboration with existing grass root efforts
• Regional multi benefit projects
• Engage in creative , solution oriented actions such as site-specific
standards temporary modifications, and 401 water quality
certifications.
• State funding for regional watershed based water quality planning.
5 Things Colorado’s Water Plan Will Do
1. Foster collaborative solutions to responsibly
address the looming gap between supply and
demand. Regional multi benefit projects.
2. Identify and test cost-effective alternatives to
permanent “buy & dry” of irrigated lands
5 Things Colorado’s Water Plan Will Do (Cont.)
3. Affirm that Colorado will protect its compact
entitlements, act to avoid compact
curtailments where possible, and demonstrate
effective state policy
4. Urge more efficient federal permitting efforts
working parallel with State processes
5. Align State policies and dollars to support
Colorado’s water values and objectives
Public Engagement
• Over 24,000 comments submitted
• Over 150 basin outreach meetings
• Over 1,000 regular roundtable
meetings
• Nearly 15,000 unique pageviews on
website
• SB115 outreach by (IWRRC)
legislature – more hearings this
summer
• CWCB Board meetings through
September 2015
• All input and CWCB responses
available online
Which Constituent Groups are Submitting Public Input?
Government
2%
Agriculture
10%
Municipal
9%
General Public
37%
Policy
9%
Environment and
Recreation
25%
Business and
Industry
8%
In the past 8 months, CWCB heard more from the municipal, agriculture, policy, business and industry
constituent groups than the first 8 month period. The environment and recreation constituent group remained
about the same. These figures are based on a total of 170 webforms generated from the Colorado’s Water Plan
website between 9/20/2013 and 3/4/2015.
How can you engage in this process?
• Engage with the basin roundtables and CWCB as the water plan
process continues.
• Read through the second draft and submit comments online.
• Visit www.coloradowaterplan.com to learn more.
www.coloradowaterplan.com
Bill Green ©