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Norwood water project needs about $6 million as county and towns pledge partial support
Summary
Norwood Water Commission told San Miguel County commissioners the proposed 12-inch loop line is estimated at $9 million, with engineering and many grants in hand but an approximate $6 million funding gap; Mountain Village and Norwood have pledged local dollars and staff aim to be shovel-ready by year-end. (Includes quotes from Norwood presenters and Mayor Candy Meehan.)
Norwood Water Commission representatives briefed San Miguel County commissioners on Jan. 28 about a long-planned project to build a new 12-inch loop transmission line intended to add redundancy and improve pressure for Norwood and surrounding rural customers. The commission said engineering and much of the environmental assessment work are complete and that the team is pursuing easements on state land and private property to finalize a more direct alignment.
“This project is … critical and important to the potable water supply within the district,” said a Norwood Water Commission representative, who described the alignment that would take the new line straight to a storage tank south of Montreux and then around toward Redvale. The presenters said the line would feed the town and reduce stagnation in the tank by allowing flow both in and out.
On costs and funding, the project team gave a single-line estimate: “the best information we have right now on total cost for the entire project is $9,000,000,” and said that EA and much of the design and engineering are grant-funded. Town and regional commitments reduce the construction burden but leave a sizable gap: “My rough calculations are we’re short $6,000,000,” one commissioner said after the briefing.
Candy Meehan, speaking for the town, told the board the town has an award of just-transition funding and is planning to commit $500,000 to the water project and encouraged pursuing another round of congressionally directed spending that could add roughly $1.75 million. County staff and the commission have also earmarked funding; together with the CDS amount those sources total roughly $2.25 million toward construction, per the presenters.
County and Road & Bridge staff asked technical questions about the alignment and potential impacts if state-land easements are not secured. Presenters said the most direct route crosses state-land board parcels and may require negotiations or a fallback to running the line along county roads, which increases costs and construction impacts. Road & Bridge staff offered to coordinate on permitting and scheduling once easements and phasing are finalized.
Presenters recommended a phased approach, with Phase 1 focused on the segment from the blue tank to the Vet Road and tie-ins that primarily improve pressure and water-quality turnover. The team said they expect engineering to be finished by the end of the year and hope to be shovel-ready at that point, contingent on resolving outstanding easements and closing financing.
Next steps: commissioners asked staff to help with state-land contacts and encouraged the Norwood Water Commission to provide a clear Phase 1 budget so the county and towns can consider incremental contributions. The county expressed willingness to continue outreach at upcoming intergovernmental meetings and to consider limited right-of-way support where feasible.
Contact: Norwood Water Commission and San Miguel County administration.
Ending: Commissioners offered general support and asked the Norwood team to return with phasing costs and a financing plan; no formal county appropriation or vote on construction financing occurred at the meeting.
