Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Water Infrastructure topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Carbondale seeks $750,000 DOLA grant to fortify Roaring Fork treatment plant; staff weigh generator vs. battery backup
Summary
Town staff told the environmental board they will apply for a $750,000 Colorado Department of Local Affairs (DOLA) grant to advance Roaring Fork treatment plant upgrades, add a new well and increase resiliency; staff also said they are exploring a $250,000 generator and a possible solar+battery alternative to cover backup power needs.
Town staff told the Environmental Board that the Roaring Fork treatment plant and wellhouse are coming back online after recent upgrades and that the town will seek $750,000 from the Colorado Department of Local Affairs (DOLA) to fund the next phase of resiliency work.
Scott, presenting the staff report, said the recent rehabilitation work replaced older membrane filtration with cartridge filters and raised plant capability to about 1.3 million gallons per day. The DOLA grant application (interview scheduled May 6) asks for roughly $750,000 to fund additional controls, a third set of filters and other components that would help the plant reach an eventual target of roughly 2 million gallons per day – a level staff described as a full backstop for the town's water needs.
Scott said the grant package includes an assumption of about $250,000 for a backup generator, but staff are also pursuing a connection to an industrial‑scale solar and battery vendor through Rocky Mountain Institute contacts to examine whether a solar+battery solution might be cost competitive for the roughly 150 kW of continuous capacity the plant would require.
Why it matters: The upgrades are intended to increase water‑system resiliency as wells and treatment equipment age, and to reduce the risk that a single plant outage would force significant supply disruptions.
Staff noted other near‑term operational items, including a planned 8th Street closure for utility taps and an ongoing evaluation of energy‑reduction projects at the wastewater plant (one estimate for a larger heat‑exchange/ERV project was roughly $1.1–1.5 million). The board asked staff to continue pursuing the grant and to return with more detailed cost and schedule information.
Next steps: Staff will present final grant application materials and, if invited, attend the DOLA interview in Canyon City. The board will monitor grant outcomes and recommended follow‑up investments as the project advances.
