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Town hears road and water updates; staff seeks clarity after EPA flags positive coliform result
Summary
At a Oct. 14 work session, Town Administrator Aitken briefed the council on chip-seal progress, tank maintenance and a puzzling EPA notice of a positive total coliform (TC+) sample tied to an address outside town limits; retests of town sources were clear and staff await lab results.
Town Administrator Aitken told the Star Valley Ranch Town Council at its Oct. 14 work session that new chip-seal equipment has performed well and crews applied a base layer to Vista Drive, with an additional layer planned for spring. He said temporary washboarding on Vista Drive was likely caused by overspread rock that had not yet been brushed off, a common issue when using spreader boxes. Aitken said the crew used leftover tar to patch a short section of Middle Branch Road rather than discard material and plans to rent a larger tanker next season to reduce transfers.
Aitken reported a leak in the Prater Canyon water storage tank lid that previously had been patched with epoxy; Town Engineer Ryan Welling is evaluating EPA-approved materials for a more permanent patch. Aitken said the tank is aging and staff should begin engineering for replacement to position the town for grant funding.
The Green Canyon water storage tank interior lining project is scheduled to begin with draining on Sunday and three weeks of work. Contractors will use heat pumps to ensure proper curing temperatures for the new interior coating; exterior coating will be delayed until spring because the outside is too wet. During the lining project, staff will reverse a pressure relief valve so pumps feed the Prater tanks directly and Aitken asked residents to conserve water, especially lawn watering, while the work proceeds.
Aitken also told the council the town received notice from the Environmental Protection Agency indicating a positive total coliform ("TC+") sample, but the address listed on the EPA notice fell outside town limits. All retests of town wells and sources have been clear, and the town awaits hard-copy results from the Afton lab to clarify the discrepancy. Aitken said the EPA initially listed the town’s result as clear, then updated it to positive after questions about the address and that the positive sample included a chlorine residual the town’s water expert found unusual.
On security and operations, Councilman Ellis reported debate at the Water Utility Board over residential water meters and said the board passed a motion asking the town to request that Lincoln County evaluate all water sites for security and vandalism vulnerabilities. Ellis raised concerns about reports of Cisco system vulnerabilities; Administrator Aitken said the town’s upcoming Simply SCADA upgrade would not be affected. Council members agreed detailed security documentation should remain internal.
The town is also preparing to take over septic inspections, potentially starting Nov. 1; Building Official Scott Cazier recommended a $750 inspection fee covering soil, placement, compaction and weed-shield checks. The council discussed setting a fee that covers costs without overcharging residents.
Next steps: the town will pursue engineering for the Prater tank replacement to support grant applications, proceed with the Green Canyon lining work this week, and share confirmed lab results on the TC+ sample when received.
