Supervisors press staff on flood-control projects, Horizon 6 water booster and Mohave Valley septage repairs

Mohave County supervisors pressed Public Works and finance staff Wednesday about a string of water and flood-control projects across the county, including congressional funds for Bank Street drainage, a proposed repair to Mohave Valley's septage ponds and pending upgrades to the Horizon 6 booster station.

Public Works director Richard Letowski and other staff told the board several projects are driven by long-standing drainage problems and public-safety needs. Letowski said a Bank Street drainage project qualifies for congressionally designated funding and the county received roughly $1.25 million for the work; staff said the flood control district would cover any additional local match required to finish the project.

The board discussed a county request for roughly $450,000 earmarked to respond to potential storm remediation across the Golden Valley/Lake Havasu/Bullhead areas. More detailed design work, staff said, would justify individual expenditures, and the flood control district fund is the normal revenue source for these regional projects.

Mohave Valley septage ponds: staff told the board the county has had septage-disposal ponds at the Mohave Valley landfill out of service since April 2020; repair and reconstruction work for those ponds was presented to supervisors at an estimated cost staff described in the meeting as about $2.45 million. Public Works said private haulers have been using a private facility in the area and hauling to Sarbat Landfill as alternatives, which increases hauling distances and costs. Staff also noted the U.S. EPA and state statutes require a public entity to provide septage disposal and that local disposal needs to be reasonably convenient to property owners in the county.

Horizon 6 booster station: board members queried the Horizon 6 water fund (an improvement district supported by a monthly maintenance/reserve fee remitted through Lake Havasu City). Public Works reported a period-10 (April) fund balance of $142,254 and annual revenues of roughly $80,000. Staff noted a prior WIFA grant budget placeholder had been carried into FY26 despite the county not receiving the earlier award; they said the FY26 budget would be adjusted if the grant does not materialize. Supervisors raised public-safety concerns: parts of Horizon 6 now meet pipe capacity requirements but the booster station lacked sufficient redundancy and modern pumps to provide required fire flows; staff said additional pump work remains necessary.

Funding and legal constraints: staff emphasized that projects within improvement districts (such as Horizon 6) cannot be funded from the county general fund unless the board dissolves the district or changes financing; the normal local funding sources are district rates, assessments or grants. Several supervisors urged staff to pursue federal and state grant opportunities and to consider whether private operators could be required to assume certain construction obligations under landfill operating contracts.

Next steps: staff will revise the FY26 budget to reflect current grant outcomes where applicable, prepare procurement packages if grants arrive, and return to the board with more refined cost estimates and financing options for the septage-pond reconstruction and Horizon 6 booster work.

Quoted - "Bank Street drainage problems have existed for decades'... we applied for and received 1.25 million dollars [congressionally designated funds]," Public Works staff. - "The septage ponds went inoperable in April of 2020... we've spent $90,000 generating the design and it's almost ready to go out for bid," Public Works staff.

Ending: The board requested updated cost and grant-status reports and asked staff to return with procurement options; supervisors stressed the importance of pursuing grants and clarified the county's limited ability to use general-fund money inside special improvement districts.