Sunrise Engineering presents Dutch John wastewater preliminary engineering report; impact-fee study and rate adjustments discussed

Sunrise Engineering presented the Dutch John wastewater preliminary engineering report to the Daggett County Commission on Jan. 7, describing system capacity, recommended near-term repairs and options for impact fees and rate changes.

Aaron A. Britt and Curtis Sharcroft of Sunrise Engineering explained that, under state law and standard engineering practice, the county can justify a theoretical maximum impact fee of about $8,300 per new connection based on projected costs for upsizing and other growth-driven improvements. The firm recommended adopting an impact fee in the $3,500–$4,500 range instead, citing comparables with similarly sized systems and the administrative rule that impact-fee revenues must be spent for impact-eligible projects within six years or be returned to payers.

Engineers identified a principal growth-related constraint: a bottleneck in an 8-inch main across Fifth Avenue that carries a substantial share of town flows and is currently the near-highest utilization segment in the system (reported in the presentation at roughly 37–40% of its capacity by volume relative to design). The Dutch John treatment plant has a reported maximum treatment capacity of 75,000 gallons per day and current measured flows of about 22,000–23,000 gallons per day, leaving a considerable margin on capacity overall but with local constraints that could require upsizing portions of the collection main if growth concentrates in specific neighborhoods.

The report included a recommended near-term "spot repairs" project estimated at about $232,000 to address infiltration and damaged pipe sections, options for lining versus replacement, and a phasing plan extending into the next decade for upsizing if growth demands it. Sunrise recommended that the county monitor system use and update the PER approximately every five years to confirm whether projections and impact-fee eligibility remain accurate.

Commission discussion emphasized that approving the PER as final would certify engineers have completed the work but would not itself commit the commission to adopt impact fees or rate increases. Commissioners asked for further staff and attorney input before moving to adopt any fee schedule changes; they also discussed the need for public outreach before adopting rate increases. County staff noted that the next procedural step for repair funding is to apply to the Utah Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) for project funding under the plan-advance grant, and that DEQ may inquire about the county's plan for rates and impact-fee implementation when evaluating future funding requests.

Presenters and county staff identified the next steps: finalize the PER for submission, consider the impact-fee and rate policy questions with the county attorney and treasurer, and schedule public outreach to water and sewer users before any fee or rate implementation. No formal vote to adopt impact fees or rate changes was taken at the meeting; staff and engineers said they would return with more detailed fee schedules and rate scenarios for future action.