MAIN WATER LINE/MADIZELL INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECT UPDATES
6/12/2022
To everyone who attended the Public Hearing on 6/10/2022 to learn about the proposed 2022/2023 HPDWID budget, rates, fees and taxes, your presence was appreciated. The HPDWID BOD very much cares about water delivery in our neighborhood and was happy to address the public's concerns. Thank you to all the volunteers who finished cleaning up, building and painting HPDWID’s Pump Houses #1 and #2 in the Prescott National Forest today (6/12/2022). And thank you to the volunteers responsible for purchasing and bringing drinks and lunch to feed all the hungry volunteers. What an awesome group!!! You are simply the best!!! Celia Carr, HPDWID Board Chair
REMINDERS!!!
BE PREPARED – KEEP EXTRA WATER ON HAND SHOULD YOUR WATER SUPPLY BECOME TEMPORARILY UNAVAILABLE. Thank you.
6/10/2022
• 100% of the water mains on Madizell and through the US Forest Service are installed and in service.
• 100% of pavement has been repaired.
• Seeding to be completed after final walk through with Forest Service.
• A preliminary walk through with Sunrise Engineering (project manager) and Mountain High Excavating (contractor) occurred the week of 5/30/33. A punch list of items needing attention prior to final walk-through with the Forest Service and client was created. Per Sunrise Engineering project manager, most items are minor housekeeping issues. It is estimated the contractor will have the punch list items completed by 6/17/22.
• A final walk-through is planned the week of 6/20/22.
• The contractor should be 100% complete and offsite by 6/30/22.
4/16/2022
A. Water Line Infrastructure Project Update
Madizell Drive:
2.1 Mile Water Main through Forest Service Property:
The contractor is currently in the process of relocating the temporary bypass line and moving it to connect Pump Station #2 to the subdivision connection at Arrowhead Drive. Beginning the week of 4/18/2022, installation of the last portion of the ductile iron pipe main line will begin. The entire project is on schedule with a completion date of July 15, 2022.
B. Pump Issue in Pump Station #2
Due to the cold weather in February, the temporary water bypass line our contractor (Mountain High Excavating) ran through the US Forest Service between Pump Stations #1 and #2 froze up one weekend. Fann Environmental spent several hours attempting to free up the ice but a lot of ice and dirt passed through one of the pumps. As a result, one 25 horsepower (hp) pump in Pump Station #2 failed and quit pumping water. Fann suspects the age of the pumps in conjunction with the ice, air, and debris caused the failure of the pump’s impeller. The 25 hp pumps in both Pump Stations #1 and #2 are approaching 30 years old (which is an extremely long-life span for water pumps) and parts for these aging pumps are obsolete and unavailable. Pump Station #3 (located at the end of Madizell) has three newer 7.5 hp pumps. As a result of the pump failure in Pump Station #2, the Board Chair and Vice-Chair met with Phoenix Pump, Inc. and Fann on 3/1/22 at the Pump Station to evaluate the situation. Four 25 hp Grundfos replacement pumps (two for Pump Station #1 located at Spence Springs Road and two for Pump Station #2 located on Forest Service property) were ordered at a cost of $7500/per pump (this does not include installation or electrical costs). The pumps are expected to arrive sometime the week of 4/18/22 and will be installed as soon as they are delivered. Should the single functioning pump in Pump Station #2 fail before a new pump can be installed, Fann has a backup Plan “B”. Plan “B”, which is a temporary fix, is to re-plumb the piping inside Pump Station #2 to accommodate another pump of similar size and output.
PLEASE NOTE - if the one and only functioning pump in Pump Station #2 fails, HPDWID may run out of water in a short period of time when the water tanks are empty.
PLEASE keep your water use to a minimum until HPDWID is up to full speed with the new pumps. We live in the mountains and the HPDWID water pipes and water tanks are very old and subject to deterioration and breakage. It is always wise to keep a backup supply of water available to use - especially, with the current HPDWID pump situation. You don’t want to be caught without any available water!
March 2022
The water main installation on Madizell is complete, testing was done, and it has passed inspection. 1200 feet of ductile iron pipe has been installed (laying an average of 100 feet/day) on the 2.1 mile route through the Forest Service property. To date, the contractor has hammered through approximately 30 feet of rock in the Forest Service. All needed valves and air release valves are being replaced during construction and the water line will remain operational during construction. The project is on schedule with a completion date of 6/30/22.
2/12/2022
Contractor Selection and Timeline
The Project Manager is Dave Dirren of Sunrise Engineering. On August 10, 2021, HPDWID awarded the construction contract to Mountain High Excavating in the sum of 1,777,303.00. Construction began November 1, 2021 and will continue approximately 210 days.
Update
The water main installation on Madizell is complete, testing was done, and it has passed inspection. 1200 feet of ductile iron pipe has been installed (laying an average of 100 feet/day) on the 2.1 mile route through the Forest Service property. To date, the contractor has hammered through approximately 30 feet of rock in the Forest Service. All needed valves and air release valves are being replaced during construction and the water line will remain operational during construction. The project is on schedule with a completion date of 6/30/22.
WIFA Loan
The WIFA loan agreement for HPDWID in the amount of $2,568,738 with $716,000 in forgivable principal closed on 4/23/2021. The term of the loan is 20 years at 1.739%. Fixed monthly payments are scheduled at $11.209.91/month for the first 5 years. HPDWID will be responsible for paying an additional $237,000 of its own reserve dollars to complete the project. Once the project is completed, the Board hopes to lower the ad valorem tax.
10/13/2021
Timeline
1. 8/10/2021 - Contract Awarded to Mountain High Excavating for the sum of $1,777,303.00
2. 11/1/2021 - Notice to Proceed
3. 11/1/2021 - Construction Start
4. Contract Duration - 210 Days
5. 5/30/2022 - Substantial Completion
6. 6/10/2022 - Final Completion
Project Participants
1. HPDWID
2. Sunrise Engineering
3. Mountain High Excavating
4. Prescott National Forest
5. Yavapai County
6. Fann Environmental.
Miscellaneous
1. Project work will begin on the Madizell section, followed by the main water transmission line through the Prescott National Forest.
2. Construction meetings are planned bi-weekly.
2. Limits of construction and staging areas will be flagged and approved by the Forest Service.
3. Initially, work days/hours will be M-Th (10 hour days).
4. The Yavapai County inspector will be on site daily.
5. Homeowners will receive Construction Notification flyers from Mountain High Excavating as applicable.
6/8/2021
Construction Project Assistance from U.S. Representative Paul Gosar
On February 6, 2021, Board Chair Carr sent a letter to U.S. Representative Paul Gosar requesting his help to assist the Prescott National Forest (PNF) to finalize approval allowing HPDWID to replace the failing water main serving the Highland Pines subdivision and the Arizona Cactus Pine Girl Scout Camp.
Planning the HPDWID main water line replacement began in November of 2017 and despite 29 months and monthly meetings between HPDWID and PNF between May and December of 2020, a Decision Memo Approval from the PNF had not been received. Representative Gosar sent an inquiry letter to the Southwestern Region of the USDA Forest Service on 2/9/2021. As a result, the PNF District Ranger Dale Deiter signed the Decision Memo on 2/9/2021 approving the replacement of the HPDWID main water transmission line through the PNF.
Main Transmission & Madizell Road Waterline Replacement Project
Description
The replacement and upgrade of a 2.1-mile main transmission line from Spence Springs Road into the Highland Pines subdivision; as well as replacement of sections of a water line along Madizell Road. It will include replacing the 6-inch watermain through the Forest Service easement with 6-inch Ductile Iron Pipe and replacing the 6-inch waterline within Madizell Road with 6-inch C900 PVC Pipe along with all needed valves and air release valves throughout the system. A temporary bypass waterline will be installed during construction of the main line through the Forest Service to insure uninterrupted service to the community during construction.
Cost
Engineer's Opinion of Probable Cost dated 2/25/2021: $2,795,016.
The WIFA loan agreement for HPDWID in the amount of $2,568,738 with $716,000 in forgivable principal officially closed on 4/23/2021. The term of the loan is 20 years at 1.739%. Fixed monthly payments will be $11,209.91/month for the first 5 years.
Timeline
It is anticipated that construction will begin in the summer of 2021 and commence in the spring of 2022.
2/22/2021
Today, Board Chair Celia Carr received a letter from Paul Gosar. What HPDWID was unable to accomplish in 2 ½ years (approval from the Prescott National Forest to replace its 2.1 mile main water transmission line), U.S. Representative Paul Gosar was able to secure for HPDWID in less than 24 hours (the necessary Decision Memo granting approval). The HPDWID Board of Directors is greatly appreciative that our elected representative responded to our request in such a quick, efficient and effective manner. HPDWID also received funding approval from WIFA in the amount of $2,568,738.00 on 2/18/2021.
12/16/2020
On December 14, 2020, HPDWID was granted the necessary Special Use Permits and Construction Operating Plans from the Prescott National Forest for construction to replace the main water transmission line from Spence Springs road to the HPDWID District. Natalie Galgano-Pinkley and your HPDWID Board of Directors (BOD) are currently completing the tasks necessary to obtain additional project funding from the Water Infrastructure Finance Authority (WIFA). Once funding is secured and the bid process is complete, the HPDWID BOD will select a contractor based on recommendations from Sunrise Engineering. The project construction timeframe is targeted to commence Quarter 2 of 2021.
6/8/2020
The HPDWID main water transmission line runs through two miles of Prescott National Forest before entering the boundary of HPDWID near Lonesome Hawk Drive and Arrowhead Drive. HPDWID is still waiting for final approval from the Forest Service before the project can go out for bid and construction can begin on the infrastructure project. The initial application to the Forest Service for project approval was made on 8/21/2018 by Dave Dirren of Sunrise Engineering. Despite numerous inquiries by Dave Dirren and Ken Karkula (interested member of the HP community with decades of Forest Service employment) and no progress for 20 months, the application request was escalated to the Prescott National Forest District Ranger and Supervisor by the HPDWID Board Chair. The earliest estimate for approval from the Forest Service is now November 2020. HPDWID is hopeful that construction on the main water transmission line will begin early in 2021. Once the project starts, Municipal Accounts and Consulting will be able to provide budget vs. actual graphs for the project. Sunrise Engineering will provide monthly updates.
2019
For the first time, HPDWID has charged a secondary property tax that appeared on your 2019 tax bill. This tax is being charged to fund the infrastructure project to replace our aging main water line. HPDWID purchases water from the City of Prescott. The city’s meter is in the forest near Spence Springs Road, and HPDWID owns the two-mile-long, 6” water main that brings water up to Highland Pines.
The water line is about 60 years old and in serious need of replacement - not only to replace the old asbestos/concrete matrix pipe, but to stop substantial water leakage. HPDWID has been regularly losing a very substantial amount of water purchased from the City but must still pay the City of Prescott for the full amount of metered water.
The decision to proceed with this project was a difficult one for the Board of Directors. An early cost estimate to replace the water main is in the ballpark of 2.1 to 2.4 million dollars. Admittedly, this is an expensive, but necessary undertaking. The Directors of HPDWID are also property owners in Highland Pines and will pay the same tax rate and fees as every other property owner. Rest assured that every Director is as concerned about expenses as you might be.
The secondary tax is based on the individual property limited value set by the Yavapai County Assessor, which is currently at a rate of approximately $2.90 per thousand. If for some reason HPDWID could not obtain funding or the infrastructure cost became prohibitive, there might be no option but to stop the project and thus, the associated tax. However, if the project proceeds, the tax will continue throughout the life of the loan, which will most likely be 20 years. The secondary tax collected by Yavapai County in 2019 has been deposited into a HPDWID account, established at the Yavapai County Treasurer’s office.
The project is in the engineering phase, and 95% of the planning is complete. HPDWID is awaiting final approval from the Forest Service, and once that approval is received, the proposed plan for the upgrade will be submitted to Yavapai County for review/approval. Once approved by the County, the plans will be sent out for bid.
The Girl Scout Camp (Arizona Cactus-Pine Council) receives its water from the HPDWID water system. The Camp uses approximately 10% of the water pumped through the HPDWID main water line. The Girls Scout Camp is willing to negotiate an equitable dollar amount for their share of the cost of replacing the HPDWID water line. HPDWID and the Girl Scouts will negotiate the amount once a bid for construction has been accepted, and actual costs are known.
Notices for the HPDWID Annual Meeting at which the proposed new tax was discussed were published twice in the Prescott Courier, were posted separately in three places with the neighborhood, and individual notices of the hearing were mailed to each property owner. The details of the infrastructure project were presented in detail at the June 2019 meeting where numerous Highland Pines owners were present, asked questions and commented.
More information will be forthcoming once bids for construction are received and reviewed.
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