City says water supply at 100% after rains; staff outlines long‑term supply work and likely rate changes
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Summary
City staff reported reservoir and lake levels at roughly 100% and described negotiations with nearby towns and a potential Hula Lake reallocation to secure long‑term supply; staff warned wastewater costs may be higher than prior estimates and said a cost‑of‑service study will inform phased rate increases.
City Manager provided a multi‑point update on water supply, reservoir levels and near‑term budget implications. He said recent rains have brought water storage to roughly 100% capacity and praised staff for changes in water management practices. "Even as we came out of a drought, before these rains, our water supply was at 100%. So that was great news," the manager said.
Looking ahead, staff identified two key, cost‑effective measures under negotiation: buying reserved water from the town of Copan and seeking reallocation (raising the water level) at Hula Lake to increase storage. The manager said both steps require legislative or intergovernmental actions and are not entirely within local control.
Staff also warned the council that prior wastewater improvement assumptions may be understated: "We had built in about $45,000,000 for wastewater improvements. And it's probably gonna be double that," the manager said, adding the city will conduct a cost‑of‑service study and likely phase rate increases over several years to spread the burden.
The council scheduled a budget workshop for April 21 at 1 p.m. to review capital and operating budgets. City staff said hardcopy and electronic budget packets will be provided in advance.
Why it matters: the water‑supply negotiations and the wastewater cost revision could affect future utility rates, capital budgets, and long‑term planning for service capacity.
Ending: Staff said it would continue negotiations with Copan and track legislative options for Hula Lake and return to council with further cost and schedule information; the budget workshop will present detailed proposals to the council.
