City staff and consultants present water master plan, impact-fee update and draft rate options

Consultants and Murray staff reviewed a draft water master plan, a paired impact-fee facility plan/impact-fee analysis and three possible rate-and-bond packages during the Murray City Committee of the Whole on Feb. 18.

The presenters outlined long-term system needs including pipe replacement, PRV and hydraulic work, a new well in the city’s southwest to improve pressure and a 100‑year replacement estimate. Staff said the city’s “100‑year scheduled replacement cost is $374,000,000,” and that replacing 1% of system assets annually would imply roughly $3,700,000 a year; the plan’s estimated replacement-target budget is about $3.5 million a year.

Consultants recommended keeping conservative planning baselines (they used 2020 as a planning baseline because that year represents a high‑use scenario) and said 2023 usage was lower than 2020 but had risen compared with the drought years. They described how indoor demand is projected to grow with population and redevelopment while outdoor irrigation demand is expected to be limited by infill and conservation.

On capital priorities, the presentation listed corrosion studies, meter replacement, emergency backup power…