Mountain Regional Water previews 2025 budget and floating solar array payback

Mountain Regional Water presented its 2025 tentative budget and recent capital projects at the Nov. 6 Summit County Council meeting, calling particular attention to a newly installed floating solar array and several system improvements.

A utility representative explained the floating solar array on a treatment-plant pond cost roughly $1.8 million; they anticipate $700,000–$800,000 in grant and tax-credit support and projected annual electricity savings near $70,000. Staff said the federal tax-credit treatment for a tax-exempt entity is being processed and that refundable credits and grant funding shorten the payback period to something beyond 10 years but within the panels’ 20-year expected life.

On system operations, staff described 2025 production forecasts, noting the district will send about 500 acre-feet to Summit Water under existing arrangements and expects to reduce wheeling to Park City compared with recent years as Park City uses other sources. The utility also described capital priorities: replacing an undersized Lost Canyon pump, pipeline replacement in Summit Park (in partnership with the county), and continued treatment-plan expansion design in 2025 with construction expected later.

Council members asked detailed questions about connection growth, impact-fee revenues (budgeted conservatively), and rate tiers. The district said it will present additional budget detail (actuals plus forecasts) at the public hearing.