[{"_1":2,"_99":-5,"_100":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6643322,"mediaKeyId","2532500-a7dda34a2972a8c278d3a8d89cd510d0","parentId",2532500,"title","Oro Valley outlines $50M+ Northwest Recharge, Recovery and Delivery System plan; seeks $6M private loan and WIFA financing","audioSeconds",857,"startMs",794000,"endMs",1651000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2532500-a7dda34a2972a8c278d3a8d89cd510d0&start=794&end=1651","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2532500-a7dda34a2972a8c278d3a8d89cd510d0/thumbnail_794000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6643322/Oro-Valley/Pima-County/Arizona/Oro-Valley-outlines-50M-Northwest-Recharge-Recovery-and-Delivery-System-plan-seeks-6M-private-loan-and-WIFA-financing","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6643322-61cc95489fb23b3b3d770e9123347dff/orig.mp4?Expires=1775011352&Signature=biZk~u23D862cgtrkb~GQAJC4o8cSlYjQHWl1k4nAgVho6yGUBWmiB~OCIsMz8l4XCAJezsERMw2QsvtAMyFTlEtTNXHyniPP3WJYBzo0xWeMCWuT0TNbRgjnkk5pCtGMAEqeM3MQChHi592Tc3MZUyB8GkUhwV3Det1MoOapBIYW~ZgNokoDU~xRcj~ufnRSFgGdy045pcnRHt6253haneyKcYENccOpNEToxG8pPAjEYaI5WLAZdIO2wT-YWz~qsw4unTGt4yjgA2OTdLVGZEmXirntXn6J9VWaoX1vEzjNsy0qsKGwJVzP-gO2harmCPO2IcN3AzbWqg4t83few__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Oro Valley","date","2025-03-10T00:00:00Z","article","Oro Valley Water Utility Director Peter Abraham updated the Water Utility Commission on the Northwest Recharge, Recovery and Delivery System project, saying the multi‑partner effort is under construction and is on track for a mid‑2026 commissioning.

Abraham told commissioners the partnered portion of the project—built under a 2017 intergovernmental agreement among Oro Valley and two partner water providers—includes two recovery wells, roughly seven miles of transmission main and a partnered 1,000,000‑gallon reservoir. He said the partnered component is largely complete in design and is in active construction while Oro Valley continues independent work to integrate that supply into the town’s system.

“The partnered piece is slated for completion in July of ’26,” Abraham said. “By the time we get done there … I’m seeing we’re going to be over a $55,000,000 project, we’re in rounding numbers, including contingency.” He also told the commission, “we’re going to be short about $6,000,000” to finish Oro Valley’s share of the partnered component and recommended a private placement loan to fill that gap.

Why it matters: the combined partnered and Oro Valley independent portions will increase local supply and distribution capacity. Abraham said the full project will enable Oro Valley to take up to 4,000 additional acre‑feet into its service area and that the mix of partner and town projects is intended to be commissioned together so Oro Valley can immediately use the new assets.

Project structure and partners

Abraham described the NWRRDS as a multi‑jurisdictional project with a 50‑year intergovernmental agreement executed in 2017. He named Metro Water and Marana as the other participating entities and said each partner’s contractual entitlement is based on capacity—Metro Water’s entitlement is 4,000 acre‑feet per year and Marana’s contractual amount is 2,400 acre‑feet per year, as described by Abraham.

The partnered scope includes recovery wells and conveyance to a shared reservoir; Oro Valley’s independent work begins at each partner booster station and includes booster stations, transmission mains and system blending work to reduce hardness and total dissolved solids before distribution.

Delivery methods and contractor

Abraham explained the project used multiple delivery methods as appropriate to risk: low‑risk items used design‑bid‑build or job‑order contracting, higher‑risk transmission mains used construction manager at risk (CMAR) delivery. He said the town selected Borderland Construction as the CMAR contractor for the partnered work and cited Borderland’s regional experience and relationships—particularly with ADOT and local agricultural users—as one factor in the selection.

Budget, financing and timing

Abraham gave high‑level cost shares and funding sources. He estimated the entire program (partnered plus independent Oro Valley components) would exceed $50 million and, in some slides he referenced, roughly $55 million to $57 million including contingencies. He said the project financing plan for Oro Valley’s partnered share relies 60% on water resource system development impact fees and 40% on groundwater preservation fee (GPF) revenue; growth‑related impact fees cover the larger share, while existing customers cover the remainder.

To finish Oro Valley’s partnered portion he said the town will seek a roughly $6 million private placement loan; town staff planned to seek council authorization on March 19. For Oro Valley’s independent portion Abraham said the town will pursue a Water Infrastructure Finance Authority (WIFA) loan, with a projected need of about $12 million less a roughly $1.2 million forgivable principal award, producing debt on approximately $11 million. Abraham said WIFA financing carries a lower rate (about 1 percentage point below the private placement option) and a longer note term; the town planned WIFA approval steps in April and was scheduled to appear before the WIFA board in Phoenix.

Abraham emphasized the town has so far cash‑funded much of the work and used grants where available. He said the private placement is callable after three years and that staff considered 10‑year versus 15‑year terms, preferring the 10‑year note for the private placement based on cash‑flow modeling.

Risks and completion

Abraham discussed program risk and schedule: the partnered piece must be usable at the same time as Oro Valley’s independent distribution work to avoid creating an asset the town cannot use. He estimated the partnered construction was about 60–75% complete, depending on the element, and said the whole package is slated to be commissioned around July 2026.

Commissioners asked about partners’ financial commitments, federal funding risk and how billing and benefits are split among partners; Abraham said partners are borrowing or using other financing for their independent portions and that the IGA allocates costs by contractual entitlements but that project nuances mean simple pro‑rata math does not map exactly to every component.

Abraham said the town’s modeling shows the planned debt will not require a water‑rate increase because the debt service for the projects will be covered by impact fees and by existing steady GPF revenue—unless growth stalled completely and impact‑fee revenue fell to zero.

What’s next

Abraham said council would consider authorizing the private placement loan March 19 and that staff would seek WIFA loan approval in April, with a WIFA board appearance scheduled. He asked the commission to note the schedule and to expect continued updates as council considers the financing steps.

Ending

Commissioners praised the program’s long‑term planning and cash funding approach while noting the complexity of coordinating partner and Oro Valley timing. Abraham thanked prior utility leadership and his staff for prior work that positioned the town to proceed.

","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Oro Valley - Water Utility Commission - Mar 10, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","Oro Valley Water Utility Director Peter Abraham updated the commission on the Northwest Recharge, Recovery and Delivery System, saying the multi‑partner project is under construction, will exceed $50 million in total cost and that Oro Valley will seek a roughly $6 million private placement loan plus WIFA financing to complete its independent portion.","taxTitle","Oro Valley, Pima County, Arizona","taxId",55016,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6643313,"Water Utility Commission approves January and February minutes; two commissioners abstain on January vote",123,59000,182000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2532500-a7dda34a2972a8c278d3a8d89cd510d0&start=59&end=182","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2532500-a7dda34a2972a8c278d3a8d89cd510d0/thumbnail_59000.jpg","/articles/6643313/Oro-Valley/Pima-County/Arizona/Water-Utility-Commission-approves-January-and-February-minutes-two-commissioners-abstain-on-January-vote","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6643313-7a0e7233e583a1b1e61de002feb50378/orig.mp4?Expires=1775011352&Signature=oiF74CUnmBC7BveSy-1X2~YEyix41iDLLuI~CcExCMcu-jQjTY6ldzpHbV8p8gIIcaPUsdTuwWbTfzr46uLGMYJ9sAnL6pwV2a1E5G0egY8tNnDehxfrtlXAmAsvWyXds56sG2caBuyfuav0BSYDzipMV7WyZu0JYAltc6fUozhN43Iltg8dgvpa2RQhSm2l~aOKil99ejVYiom4jiPYlhjgj3EsJwfgX1if8cM6uYqKHeJvdEmQkkaIGvOBKc3AmOYjM8nwEvyazC-h2WoRPgqziXmbesfgKx2wK-Rhc2x2OgS2rIGGon9x-3n4UDbHlEyk5ZJrHPDF~yi9MydOLw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Oro Valley Water Utility Commission voted to approve the January and February meeting minutes. Chair Noranda Mesio called for a motion; a motion to approve the minutes was made and seconded and the commission carried the approvals with two abstentions on the January minutes.

Chair Mesio recorded the abstentions by name: Commissioner David Atler and Commissioner Joe Hornet abstained from the January vote because each said they were not present at the January meeting. With those two abstentions recorded, the commission approved the minutes.

Ending

The commission proceeded to its substantive agenda after the minutes approvals.","The commission voted to approve the January and February meeting minutes; two commissioners abstained on the January minutes because they were absent from that meeting.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6643317,"Commission reviews draft annual water utility report; staff to incorporate minor edits ahead of April submittal",190,198000,388000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2532500-a7dda34a2972a8c278d3a8d89cd510d0&start=198&end=388","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2532500-a7dda34a2972a8c278d3a8d89cd510d0/thumbnail_198000.jpg","/articles/6643317/Oro-Valley/Pima-County/Arizona/Commission-reviews-draft-annual-water-utility-report-staff-to-incorporate-minor-edits-ahead-of-April-submittal","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6643317-6f60803ab115f3ad7f90ab2875ab6185/orig.mp4?Expires=1775011352&Signature=nKr48HpIfXsg6JF0It1dT~Y6AWDN13ss~TGXPlS-lfMjLCwYJB8GVpc1akPeaCFZuhkpRoqOJJM9HaNwTlbxuvri4QaiYDFwKLaiWsRXnEmWvyVQ1eHOcVFTiwSCWxh32xhXeG4ooOTsi7A7GR2cWN4iXrMYD1yxLVvT6sLXCTrcXzmTNaaUhIxqJsH-33Kg8BB80vnWmQ96-9SsmzXumQrI4o6NPbRa9UFcpAN67bROUZQSCKlR9DWoF6PoSisgqSN0GlUBQmwReAK3VyhsESFVZIDD7gUGfSomH6q9oHrDY4i0RN~NO8DzzFxA4XC-R~2km~xtfE6pgtefR1te5A__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Water Utility Commission reviewed the draft annual Water Utility Report and asked staff to incorporate minor edits before the town submits the document to council.

Director Peter Abraham said commissioners had previously received draft copies and that staff had issued a PDF after initial redline rounds. Several commissioners reported receiving different file versions; Abraham said staff would send the latest Word version to Commissioner Hitt and would re‑circulate a final PDF after edits.

Commissioner Joe Hornet pointed to copy edits and a formatting issue on page 29 where a figure did not appear bolded as intended. He also suggested adding “Blue Stakes” to the report glossary and capitalizing the term so readers unfamiliar with the utility‑locating system would understand the reference. Commissioner Alan Forrest asked staff to update dated language on the Colorado River/Bureau of Reclamation negotiating status at the bottom of page 11 or add an effective date so readers know when the information was current.

Abraham said the report must be rendered to council on or before April 1 and asked commissioners to return any final comments within about a week; he said staff would incorporate the edits and reissue a final PDF. Several commissioners praised the report’s brevity and clarity compared with earlier, longer editions.

Ending

Staff will send a current Word file to Commissioner Hitt for review and circulate a final PDF to the commission before the report goes to council. Minor editorial and glossary changes were requested; no policy revisions were proposed at the commission meeting.","Commissioners reviewed a draft annual Water Utility Report, suggested minor edits (typos, formatting and glossary additions) and agreed staff will circulate a revised Word file for final comments with a target to render the report to council by April 1.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Oro Valley outlines $50M+ Northwest Recharge, Recovery and Delivery System plan; seeks $6M private loan and WIFA financing

Water Utility Commission approves January and February minutes; two commissioners abstain on January vote

Commission reviews draft annual water utility report; staff to incorporate minor edits ahead of April submittal