North Fork Engineering reports water master plan progress; emergency connection meeting set with State Engineer

North Fork Engineering project manager Jon Nelson told the Town Council on March 12 that the water portion of the Town's water and sewer master plan is about 50% complete. Nelson said he expects to finish the water review by the end of March, conduct hydrant and flow testing by the end of April and complete a hydraulic model by the end of May; he suggested a June meeting or workshop to discuss buildout assumptions and projected standards for undeveloped areas.

Nelson also briefed the council on the OSLI Needs Survey timeline, noting Encampment is currently ranked 18 of 32 in the statewide list and that the application process for project funding would reopen in October for 2028 projects.

On interlocal emergency coordination, Mayor Shannon Fagan and Lee Ann Stephenson, secretary/treasurer of the Sierra Madre Water and Sewer Joint Powers Board, said a meeting with the State Engineer's office is scheduled for April 6 to work through potential issues related to using an emergency water connection. Stephenson said the Joint Powers Board intends to be "a good neighbor and never let us be without water," and the town indicated it will continue to follow up with the engineering office.

Why it matters: the master plan and successful coordination with neighboring water entities affect system reliability, capital planning and the town's eligibility for state infrastructure programs. Hydrant and flow testing are prerequisites for modeling and capital recommendations.

Next steps: North Fork Engineering will complete remaining field work, begin testing, deliver a model by late May, and the April 6 meeting with the State Engineer will address legal and operational issues for the emergency connection.