IMPORTANT WATER MEETING
The BHV Water Committee will be giving a special presentation on the BHV water system at the next Board of Trustees meeting on Monday, June 10, 2019, 6:00 PM at Walter Esch Hall. Please read the following Water Committee report and plan to attend the meeting on June 10.
A PRIMER ON THE BARTON HILLS VILLAGE WATER SUPPLY
BHV Water Committee (Sharon Popp, Chair) June 2019
Water is our most valuable resource and we cannot take it for granted. While the water system has provided for the community’s needs for nearly 100 years, current demands on the system call for a fresh look at how we use water and how the system is funded.
SOURCE, USE AND CONSERVATION
BHV water supply comes from two confined aquifers1 that extend north almost to North Territorial Road. These aquifers have consistently provided water for BHV for many decades. However, aquifers rely on adequate snow and rainfall, seeping very slowly through the ground, to replenish their supply. It is reasonable to assume that climate change could impact our normal wet and dry seasons and negatively affect the aquifers.
Significantly, for the past three summers BHV staff members have observed several occurrences when the community wells drew air instead of water. This means that our use is exceeding our supply. Lawn watering is likely responsible, since water use triples from May to October from 50,000 gallons to 150,000 gallons per day when lawn watering is at its peak.
Water conservation is a sensible and essential approach to preserving our water supply. Turning off the automatic timer on your sprinkler and running it manually ensures that you water only when truly necessary. Daily watering leads to shallow roots, while as-needed watering lets roots grow deep for stronger, healthier grass. With manual control, sprinklers will not be running while it’s raining, and water will not be wasted on oversoaked lawns. It is imperative that the amount of water used for lawns be substantially reduced; otherwise our wells may not be producing water at all.
MAINTENANCE
There are two active community well sites that form the basis of water supply for the Village. The water tower holds reserve supplies of water and provides pressure for the system. Water is pumped via underground pipes. While many of these pipes are old, they still function well. Those with evidence of decay were replaced with larger, stronger pipes in the past few years. Monitoring of the water system, including the wells, pumps, and water hydrants, is ongoing through regular equipment upgrading, hydrant flushing, water testing, etc.
QUALITY
Monthly water samples are sent to the State of Michigan for monitoring, and our annual Water Consumer Confidence Reports document that our water meets or exceeds federal/state water quality standards. Our testing shows that there are no PFAS or 1,4 dioxane in our water supply, in part because our aquifer source is underground, while other communities such as Ann Arbor City, draw their supply from surface water.
BHV water has a high iron content, causing the orange color of unfiltered water. While the iron content does not affect water safety, residents find that having a water treatment system is a necessity. Village-wide filtration has been shown to be unfeasible due to lack of space to locate a treatment plant and the very high cost to build and operate such a facility.
COST
The BHV Board of Trustees appointed a Water Committee to advise the Board on water issues, and in particular, conservation and pricing. The Water Committee has been examining water costs for the past two years. Their findings: growing costs associated with system maintenance and repair, including replacement of old equipment, as well as concerns about water conservation, require a new approach to how our water use is funded.
The cost of delivering water is based on two major items:
(1) The installation (underground pipes, water tower, pumps, control system, etc.) is estimated to cost roughly $130,000 per year (based on a 70-year life).
(2) The maintenance (adding chemicals to our water, flushing the mains, keeping pumps in good order, etc.) costs approximately $80,000 per year.
These costs have risen significantly in recent years. For example, the 2017 replacement of the Barton Shore Drive water main, expected to cost under $400,000 based on a similar project in 2015, was completed at a nearly double price of $760,000. These large water system expenses have depleted financial reserves, which now need to be built back up.
To address these costs, water rates were increased in 2017 from $0.33 to $0.99 per CCF (CCF = 100 cubic feet or 748 gallons) with a minimum charge of $120 per year. Unfortunately, this modest increase only results in about $26,000/year. In order to raise the funds needed to cover both yearly maintenance ($80,000) and installment/replacement of equipment ($130,000), the Water Committee recommends that water rates be set at $3.99 per CCF. This rate would produce approximately $88,000/year based on current usage, which will provide for current needs and build funding for future needs.
While this seems like a drastic jump, please consider:
— based on current use almost 60% of BHV residents will either continue to pay the yearly minimum of $120, or see an increase of up to $480 per year ($40 per month).
–approximately 20 residents will see a very substantial increase in their water bill unless they reduce their high water use.
–even with this increase, our costs are considerably lower than neighboring communities. For example, Ann Arbor Township recently raised their rates to $7.18 per CCF.
NEXT STEP
At the June 10, 2019 Board of Trustees meeting, the Water Committee will be making a presentation of their findings to support their recommendation to raise the water rates. Residents are urged to attend the meeting to hear the presentation and ask questions/provide feedback. The meeting will begin at 6:00 PM at Walter Esch Hall, 199 Barton Shore Drive. Questions or comments can also be directed to the Water Committee at bhvclerk@bartonhillsvillage.org or 734-222-5209
1A short video explains aquifers: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g7R0yLX0V9E
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PLANNING COMMISSION The Planning Commission meeting scheduled for June 4, 2019 was cancelled due to lack of agenda items.
IN SYMPATHY Condolences to the family of Ross Hieber, a long-time resident who passed away recently.
FOUND ITEM A CD case was found on Barton Shore Drive between the Village Green and the Lower Gate. If it’s yours, contact Jan at the Clerk’s Office to describe/claim it.
STAFF VACATIONS The Clerk’s Office will be closed from June 17-26 for vacation. If you have an urgent need during that time, please call the office number (734-222-5209) for alternate contact numbers.
Thanks for reading to the end!