Water, wastewater departments ask for meter replacements, lab testing funds and shared truck

The water and wastewater departments outlined capital and operating needs at the April 14 workshop, asking the commission to fund targeted maintenance and shared equipment.

Water department staff (Jamie) said the department reduced outstanding work and will prioritize valve and hydrant maintenance, leak repairs and in‑house line replacements of up to 1,000 feet where engineering limits allow. Staff requested funding for new meters (about $250 each for three‑quarter‑inch meters, per the presentation), noted training costs for operator licenses ($300–$600 per course), and highlighted an annual Doppler notification subscription of about $20,000.

Wastewater staff reported rehabilitation of pumps and mixers this year and a need to install stormwater berms to comply with permit requirements. They requested roughly $80,000 for laboratory testing, saying they send samples to Albuquerque for many analyses and also perform in‑house tests. Staff said the plant’s discharge permit is due for renewal in April 2027 and that some permit‑related projects will require rental lifts and other equipment.

Both departments asked for a shared back‑truck/vacuum unit that would be split between water and wastewater; staff and finance said enterprise revenues and departmental reserves would be used to cover such purchases. Commissioners noted the water fund's existing debt and asked staff to balance loan obligations with equipment needs: finance staff said the water system carries roughly $400,000 in debt now, rising to an estimated $700,000 as USDA loans shift, and that those figures must factor into rate and purchase decisions.

Next step: staff to provide exact meter counts, firm vendor estimates for the back‑truck and a clearer schedule for the discharge‑permit compliance work.