Asset Management team flags costly hydro assessment, sanitary-survey fixes and wildfire planning
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Summary
Staff told the board that a bid for hydro condition assessments came in roughly twice the budgeted amount and will be rebid; an arc-flash study and structural work to address an undersized crane at Abiquiu were described; a sanitary survey found 36 tank deficiencies (18 completed) and staff requested budget revisions to hire a diver to meet compliance deadlines.
James Martinez presented the Asset Management Team's 2026 overview at the Jan. 14 Board of Public Utilities meeting, outlining priorities and near-term risks across electric production and distribution, gas, water and wastewater systems.
Martinez said a recent solicitation for hydro condition assessments at Abiquiu and El Vado returned a single proposal that "the dollar amount that came in, was twice the amount that we had budgeted," prompting staff to plan a rebid targeted to U.S.-based firms and local vendors to lower costs. He said an arc-flash electrical safety study will start soon to identify PPE and safe working boundaries, and staff are evaluating crane capacity at Abiquiu after an inspection indicated the draft-tube gate weight may exceed the crane's capacity; a structural engineer will be engaged to check deck capacity and, if feasible, cranes will be upsized.
On the water side, Martinez summarized ongoing programs: a hydrant replacement plan aiming for 20'40 hydrants per year to maintain emergency readiness; PRV maintenance and rehabilitation (the work referenced in the Army Stick recommendation); and replacement or rehabilitation of vitrified-clay sewer lines and various transmission-line upgrades. The presentation noted about 1,000 feet of waterline remain in a current CIP project and described strategies for slip-lining asbestos-containing conduits rather than disturbing asbestos.
A sanitary survey of the county's water tanks returned 36 items listed as not in compliance; staff reported 18 of those items completed and said the remaining 18 will require a diver to remediate deficiencies and meet the state reporting deadline. Martinez said a budget revision to procure the diver and related services is forthcoming because the remaining corrective actions have a regulatory deadline. Board members asked clarifying questions about wildfire planning, tracer-wire locate challenges on older polyethylene pipe installations, reliability metrics, and whether the proposed two-year maintenance budget is a temporary bump or a longer shift in funding strategy.
During Q&A, staff described efforts to adopt benchmarking metrics from the American Water Works Association and to pursue Water Trust Board grants where applicable (noting a typical 90% grant/10% loan funding split on eligible projects). Staff characterized the sanitary-survey remediation work as time-sensitive, linking the budget request to regulatory compliance.
