The Town of Frederick has secured funds for the creation of a Water Reuse Study to provide a short and long-term vision for the Town of Frederick reusable water supplies. This document will serve as a guiding document for development of a reuse system. The Town’s goals for the Reuse Study are to be strategic with existing and future investments in the water systems and improve water service to our existing and future customers. The Reuse Study should also recognize evolving technology and future trends in water reuse.
This plan will support and meet the Town’s Strategic, Reliable & Sustainable Infrastructure Goal. The goal states that “Frederick is dedicated to investing in existing and future transportation, water, stormwater, and technology while planning for sustainable growth and development.”
The Reuse Study will help address the challenges of facilitating growth in a strategic manner, within the reasonable fiscal constraints of the Town’s budget and limited state and federal funding, and in a way that is responsive to anticipated changes. The Reuse Study will be coordinated with regional plans and investments, and will provide equitability and support for all segments of our community. With influence from the Town of Frederick’s Short-Term and Long-Term water supply plans, Water Efficiency Plan, Comprehensive Plan, Potable Water Infrastructure Master Plan (underway), Raw Water Master Plan (underway) and other guiding documents, the Reuse Study will outline the Town’s vision for our reuse water system, the policies to support that system, and funding options for capital projects that are prioritized with consideration of water system and supply demands.
B. Background
The Town serves potable and raw water to customers within two service areas. The potable service area is east of I-25 and the raw water service area is on both sides of I-25 within the Planning Area.
The Town is seeking a consultant to assist with the development of a Water Reuse Study. Respondents to this RFQ are requested to prepare a detailed description of proposed services and how they would approach both the process and the final product of the Reuse Study. The selected consultant will be required to provide the services necessary to manage the process,
deliverables requested herein.
The Town currently uses Colorado-Big Thompson (C-BT) water to meet our potable demands and raw water supplies to meet a portion of the non-potable demands. As the Town plans for future growth reusable outflows have been identified as a future water source. The Town owns Windy Gap, Lower Boulder Ditch Company (LBDC) shares, Storage rights, and are participants in the Northern Integrated Supply Project (NISP).
The quantities of reusable outflows will vary depending on the monthly proportion of demands to be met with Colorado-Big Thompson (C-BT) supplies and available reusable supplies. The Town’s waste water is treated at the Saint Vrain Sanitation District (SVSD) Waste Water Treatment Facility (WWTF). The volume of reusable supply discharged at the SVSD WWTF will depend on the sources used to supply potable demands as well as the monthly pattern of deliveries. If Windy Gap, NISP, junior storage, and LBDC supplies are used to meet potable demands in addition to C-BT supplies, then the future volume of reusable supply discharged at the SVSD WWTF is projected to range from approximately 850 AFY to 1,500 AFY depending on the delivery schedule. The higher end of the range assumes that reusable deliveries to meet potable demands will preferentially be made during the non-irrigation season. If Windy Gap and NISP are used to supply potable demands in addition to CBT supplies, but LBDC supplies and junior storage supplies are not (i.e., no local water treatment plant), then the volume of reusable supply discharged at the SVSD WWTF is projected to range from approximately 540 AFY to 1,180 AFY depending on the delivery schedule.
The values presented above represent the potential volume of reusable supply to be discharged at the SVSD WWTF, which is located approximately five miles north of the Town. There are two main strategies currently being considered by the Town to make subsequent use of reusable supplies after they are discharged at the SVSD WWTF. First, the Town may operate an “exchange” where water is diverted at an upstream location (e.g., the Lower Boulder Ditch headgate) in an amount equal to the “substitute” reusable supply being delivered downstream after the water is discharged at the SVSD WWTF outfall on Saint Vrain Creek. The ability to operate an exchange will depend on river administrative conditions (i.e., flow availability and call conditions, or “exchange potential”) and the available capacity to divert into the upstream structure. A Water Court application or ad hoc administrative approvals would also be required to allow for the operation of exchanges. Alternatively, the Town could pump the reusable supplies from a location near the SVSD WWTF outfall to the Town. This alternative would not require a separate Water Court application (other than the application to quantify the reusable supplies); however, infrastructure and permitting requirements would be more complex. These two options and other proposed by the consultant group are to be investigated.
Regardless of whether the reusable supplies are exchanged or pumped to the Town, there is likely a need for additional storage capacity to retime the supplies for subsequent irrigation use. Options being considered to develop additional storage capacity include the construction of a new reservoir either near the SVSD WWTF or closer to the Town, or the expansion of Milavec Reservoir.
The Town expects that the consultant team will include, knowledge of regional water systems, funding systems, as well as public outreach and facilitation skills. The selected consultant team will be expected to conduct research and analysis, review the current water system and water portfolio, water law, permitting, assist with public meetings and public input sessions, presentations to the Town Board, prepare graphics to demonstrate issues and needs.
Town Staff, along with the consultant, will help coordinate and facilitate community engagement efforts, with stakeholders including Board and commission members, Town Water Attorney, Town Water Consultant, businesses, residents, schools, regional partners such as Central Weld County Water District (CWCWD), Left Hand Water District, Northern Water, Saint Vrain Sanitation District and others. Staff will provide guidance on the development of the outreach plan, and can assist with coordination of engagement efforts if necessary.
The process and final recommendations should take into account the following factors or issues that are of importance to the Town of Frederick:
• Frederick’s community character
• Adequate infrastructure for existing and future developments
• Reducing/managing water demand
• Regional water systems
• Regional land use and growth projections, and water demand resulting from growth within the Town
• Livable communities and the nexus between land use, housing, and water
• Social equity and access for aging, disabled, and low-income populations
Deliverables:
• Electronic report with projection of reusable supplies available from the Town’s portfolio, recommendations and timeline for next steps and water court applications needed to quantify, capture, and store the water.
• Confidential memos regarding storage location options and pipeline corridors for delivery of the reuse water.
• 2 Town meetings with the Board
• 2 Public work sessions with the Board
• Weekly status meetings
Project Schedule (Anticipated)
Request for Statements of Qualifications Out to Bid ---------January 2, 2024
Mandatory Pre-Bid Meeting -------------------------------------January 10, 2024 (11:00 am)
Last Day for Questions -------------------------------------------January 23, 2024 (4:00 pm)
Statement of Qualifications Due --------------------------------January 26, 2024 (3:00 pm)
Staff Review -------------------------------------------------------January 29 – February 2, 2024
Negotiations --------------------------------------------------------February 5 – 9, 2024
Town Board Meeting/Contract Award -------------------------February 27, 2024
Notice to Proceed --------------------------------------------------February 29, 2024
