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COMANCHE – The Comanche County Water
Supply Corporation, which supplies treated lake water to many rural
county residents, held its annual membership meeting on Friday
evening, April 21, at the Comanche Community Center. A small crowd was
present to hear reports on significant developments during the
preceding year.
 Board president Norman Williams called
the meeting to order, announced the close of voting in the Board of
Directors election, and introduced the Board members and other people
who played significant roles in the affairs of the non-profit water
supply corporation.
Williams referred to the cash basis
annual statement of profit and loss included in the meeting handout
document and noted that although it showed an apparent loss of almost
$60,000, that it included a non-cash provision for depreciation
expense of more than $66,000. The annual audit report, available but
not distributed, showed similar operating results.
Williams described the preceding year as
a very busy one with three years of work on Phase II of the water
supply system expansion nearing completion. He noted that documents
had been signed that day approving the completed system plans that
will be sent to the USDA’s Rural Development office for final review
before putting Phase II out for contractor bids.
Although Williams was pleased to report
that the preliminaries to Phase II were nearing completion, he also
expressed concern over the fact that the $2.5 million loan and grant
funding put in place three years earlier would be stretched thin by
rising costs. Almost 80 miles of PVC pipe, which has been rapidly
rising in price, will have to be put installed.
Williams spoke of the need and
requirements for a drought contingency plan. He asked Board member
Willem Terpstra, who was involved in preparing the corporation’s plan,
to speak on the subject. Terpstra noted that a 13 page drought
contingency plan was developed based on an even and odd numbered plan
of rotation with a 2,000 gallons per month per household limit, which
he said should be enough for basic domestic needs.
Williams also noted that the wildfires
that recently struck the surrounding area had highlighted the need to
have water supply points available for area fire fighters to resupply
their tankers. Williams said he met with area fire chiefs and fire
marshals and obtained their input on water resupply needs. Williams
then said that high pressure, high volume water delivery points in
Sipe Springs, Gustine and Sidney had been designated for firefighter
resupply use.
Norman Williams then introduced Joe
Williams (no relation), the water system operator. Joe Williams said
the existing water system was running smoothly.
Norman Williams then introduced Randy
Beyer, an engineer with the Jacob & Martin engineering firm, who spoke
about the plans for the Phase II system expansion, which would serve
areas around Sidney and Gustine, in the western and southern portions
of Comanche County. Beyer said that the original Phase II plan had
included a dynamic pump station, similar to the one located on the
western edge of DeLeon, but that the unavailability of three-phase
electrical power in the area where the station was needed to be
located required a change of plans.
Beyer said that a ground storage tank
would be located on an elevated site near the western border of
Comanche County which would pressurize the system in the western end
of the county and would save $200-300,000 in construction costs in the
process. He noted that it would also allow the system to operate
without purchasing water from the Westbound water system out of Lake
Cisco, the system’s most expensive water source.
Beyer anticipated a 6-8 week review
process by the Rural Development office prior to putting Phase II out
for bids. Following a three week bidding process, Beyer said he
believed the construction phase would last from six to nine months.
Beyer expressed confidence in his
construction budget, noting that he had used conservative cost
estimates and had been very close in his estimates to the final cost
in the most recent project he had been involved with bidding. He added
that this project was of a size that would be attractive for many
qualified bidders and that he expected reasonable prices to prevail,
despite the fact that PVC pipe prices had increased.
Board member and chairman of the
credentials committee, Sam Robinett, was called upon to report on the
results of the Board election. Robinett reported that Norman Williams
and David Ward had been re-elected to their Board positions.
During the open discussion period a
question was posed as to which end of the system expansion would be
completed first, Gustine or Sidney. No clear answer was offered. In
discussion after the meeting, Engineer Randy Beyer said that it would
likely be up to the winning contractor bidder to determine the order
of completion.
Another questioner asked about the cost
of obtaining water service from CCWSC. A new meter hookup costs $300.
Water use billings include a monthly base cost of $35 plus $7.50 per
1,000 gallons of water used.
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