WTFS2024 - Water Treatment Feasibility Study 2024

The Town of Frederick has secured funds for a Water Treatment Feasibility Study (WTFS) to provide a plan for the creation of a local drinking water treatment facility in Frederick. This document will serve as a guiding document the creation of this drinking water treatment plant. The Town’s goals for the WTFS are to be strategic with existing and future investments in the water systems and improve water service to our existing and future customers. The WTFS should also recognize evolving technology and future trends in drinking water treatment design.
Prior to 1988, the Town operated a water treatment plant located adjacent to Milavec Reservoir. The Town stopped treating water out of Milavec Reservoir due to water quality issues that resulted in eutrophication of the reservoir and taste and odor problems. The Town has not treated water out of Milavec Lake since the 1980s and the issues described above persist today. To accommodate future growth, the Town has included the development of a local water treatment facility in its Long-Term Water Supply Plan. To support Frederick’s Long-Term Water Supply Plan, feasibility of treating Boulder Creek supplies to meet existing and anticipated drinking water quality standards needs to be investigated. Local treatment may be necessary as early as 2034, depending on the availability of other water supplies.
The Town’s plan for reducing the future potable supply shortage is to treat the Town’s changed Lower Boulder Ditch Company (LBDC) shares and junior Milavec storage rights to meet a portion of the potable demands. Lower Boulder Ditch shares are being changed in the pending Water Court application and junior storage rights decreed in Case No. 17CW3216, amounting to an anticipated volume of 1,500 AFY. Adding the treated changed LBDC and Milavec supplies to the potable supply portfolio of C-BT, Windy Gap, and NISP would potentially be adequate to meet the projected potable demands at buildout. The Town’s local treatment facility is anticipated to be built on Town owned property adjacent to Milavec Lake where the East Pump Station is located, identified on the map below. In addition to a local treatment facility, Milavec Lake may need to be expanded to accommodate for storage of the changed water at Milavec Lake. A part of this study should include a timing for the expansion of Milavec.
This investigation will evaluate potential treatment technologies, costs, and time requirements to permit and construct the facility, as well as monitoring and evaluating current and past quality data for the Lower Boulder Ditch and water stored in the reservoir.
The WTFS will help the Town address the challenges of increasing water demand 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 WTFS 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), and other guiding documents, the WTFS will outline the Town’s vision for a local water treatment plant, the timeline for permitting and construction of such a facility, and cost of constructing the facility.
This study 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. Frederick takes steps to implement all adopted plans.”
The Town is seeking a consultant to assist with the development of a Water Treatment Feasibility 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 WTFS. The selected consultant will be required to provide the services necessary to manage the process, including the public input process (with Town Staff and Board involvement), and produce the deliverables requested herein.
The Town expects that the consultant team will include expertise in drinking water treatment engineering, water quality, knowledge of regional water systems and funding systems, as well as public outreach and facilitation skills. The selected consultant team will be expected to conduct field surveying, research and analysis, bench tests, propose a drinking water treatment train, assist with public meetings and public input sessions, presentations to the Town Board, and prepare graphics to demonstrate issues and needs. Maintenance plan and program recommendations are expected to be incorporated.
Town Staff, along with the consultant, will help coordinate and facilitate community engagement efforts, with stakeholders including Board and commission members, Town Water Attorney, businesses, residents, schools, regional partners such as Northern Water, Lower Boulder Ditch Company, 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
• Connectivity within the Town
• 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
• Impacts to emergency response

• Report that includes estimated area required for drinking water treatment facility, capacity of treatment plant, timeline for proposed improvements (including Milavec expansion, permitting, and construction of plant), estimated cost, estimated number of personnel required for facility, permitting process, water quality analysis plan, proposed water treatment train
• 2 Town meetings with the Board
• 2 strategic work session meetings with the Board
• Weekly status meetings