April 17, 2023 — Water Resources Advisory Board Regular Meeting

Transcript

Captions from City of Boulder YouTube recording.

[0:02] All right as as co-chair of the one resource to the by here board. I would like to call the April seventeenth 2023 meeting to order Our first agenda item is approval of the March meeting minutes. Were there any comments from the Board members? Is there a second? Okay, All the pay for approving minutes. Nice to Mr. Chair. Would it be okay if I read the zoom guidance when you all are ready? Yes, please do whatever. Okay. Don't mean to interrupt the flow. Let me just interject here real quickly by saying that my name is Joanna Bloom, and i'm serving as the technical host for this meeting. We'll start by sharing a few slides of the virtual meeting rules that we follow.

[1:03] These rules are in place to find a balance between transparency with community members and security that minimizes disruptions. We need a full name associated with each person's participation in open and public comments, and we cannot unmute you without it. If your full name is not currently displayed, please change it, or send me a text, and i'm happy to change it for you. There is no chat feature for this meeting. The Q. A. Function is enabled and can be used to address zoom connectivity questions only if you have to difficulty with the Q. A. Function you can text me at (303) 817-1742 members of the public may be unable to control the audio and video features. Video is limited to city officials employees and invited speakers only. I will unmute you when you're recognized to speak. If you're on the phone. You may need to press Star 6 to unmute yourself.

[2:00] You can indicate your desire to participate in open or public comment by using the raise hand function. You'll find this feature in the participant box at either the top or bottom of your screen. If you've joined us by phone, you can Press Star 9 to raise your hand. I will call your name when it's your turn to speak and announce the name of the next speaker on deck after I have unmuted you. Please say your first and last name, and a 3 min timer will be displayed, and we'll start as soon as you begin your comments. Thank you for your participation. That's it. Thank you. Our next agenda item is swearing the new board member and election of the board officers. our new board, and at this time so I I think it's virtual public comment.

[3:01] Is there any public comment from members at large in the audience? I am taking a look. Now, if you choose to make public comment, please go ahead and virtually raise your hand, and i'll call on you. I do have one hand raised. Karen, If you want to get the clock going, then I will allow Lynn i'm going to ask you to unmute. Yeah. and we can hear you. I didn't know if I was going to get on this meeting, so I didn't get until 60'clock, and it was in the middle, and it's kind of confusing here. Just got my water water bill today. After went to the World Affairs discussion. Wolf. No World Affairs Conference on world affairs. and Becky Mitchell was really good.

[4:01] You should watch what she said she was. There was a Colorado River 2 parts: First, what are the issues, and second, what you can do for action. And afterwards I went up and I said, no. One thing i'm upset about is 90% of the water coming out of my cap is going down the drain waiting for warm. And she said, Well, actually that isn't so bad, because all that water comes back, and no one's ever told me this. You know i'm sorry I'm not. You know a water expert. I'm an ultrasound technologist, but I kind of figured this My brother's water treatment guy, you know water chemist for the city. But it, what Becky said was, Your water goes gets use 11 times. You know so it'll be re-used 11 different times. But before I could like

[5:01] kind of rock that I realized. Well, that's a problem, because that's expensive. And then I said in my water bills expensive. And then, ironically, today I get a bill because I've been waiting. I'm low income, and I can get some funding for my water, Bill, and they say you have to wait until you get the bill. You can't pay it. or or they can't. You know these providers of the funds are a funds, or whatever can't pay it unless you have a big bill. So I asked Joanna. Then what do I do? And she said, Just wait. And now I get a bill. I get no notice. No, you know no warning until they've already charged me 27 that so to my understanding from maybe i'm it's maybe it's my bad, I don't know, but from what I understood from Joanna you get it Good warning before this happens but instead, they just stuck me with 27 morebacks, and now it's 400 bucks so.

[6:03] and this was the cheapest water bill. I've had a long time, because I try not to use any water. I don't even irrigate my yard. I don't irrigate, you know, and 90% of the water i'm losing. It just seems like a kind of futile situation to be a paying $80 a month. and when we've got these water critical water situations going on with the upper basin and the lower basin. And what have you? And then we're putting on. See you south so we can have more water demands, and then we've got, you know, the missing middle being accommodated for would reduce parking spaces. When neighbors have spoken up and said, the utilities are not working the sewer lines don't work in that area. We're already. Our area got flooded at 2206 pearl. So it seems like you've got some problems to deal with. Done, I guess. Thanks.

[7:02] Thank you. Man. Is there any more public comment? I do not see anyone else with their hand raise. So that is it for public comment this evening. Oh. we have one. We have one last hand raised just under the wire. If if that works for the board. all right, fantastic. I will go ahead and unmute Tim Holbrook. Hi, everyone! I'm sorry I missed the first minute or 2 here. If this has been covered, please just tell me i'm sorry. Appreciate the opportunity to bring up an issue. I brought up last time. which was communication with property owners that have Creek frontage and their responsibility to keep the channel flow, channel and flow capacity

[8:01] clear, not just debris. I noticed today I got a handy little reminder about flood awareness, great good work, utility department. And now it does say that that is the responsibility. If you have a creek on your property, it's your responsibility to maintain the channel and keep it clear of debris and ensure you're not impacting surrounding properties. Well. hey, that's better than nothing. But you're on the way. I know it takes quite a while to do things. But how about? And maybe it's coming up later, like I said, if it is fine. I got a nice email from Joe that you did receive my email, and I assume the Board has seen it as well. There are other very specific interim flood control measures that I think there's some attention of the board, and the utilities to see if some of them can be done without even changing budgets. It's more about reprioritizing resources.

[9:02] so I appreciate it if that would be addressed. if not in this meeting, maybe another one. I know these things take time. Thanks very much. It's all. Thank you in this case. So if you want to respond to. if if you would like us to. Sure, I know Joanna has been in contact with the first speaker about the Arpa, and she may have some information in case members of the public who didn't speak tonight. I have similar questions. So, Joanna, I don't know if you wanted to to say anything about the first one. Sure. Yeah. So in addition to zoom hosting, I also manage utility, billing and utilities maintenance. And we are. We do have a maintenance item scheduled under matters later this evening, so I can speak to that. Then, in terms of the Utility billing assistance, we do have American Rescue Plan Act funds available. Arpa funding is the acronym for it, and yes, unfortunately, we can't credit the Arpa money until you do have an overdue. Bill. There has to be a

[10:11] an outstanding balance on the bill. But as soon as you apply we and we'll take care of that for you, there is an online form that i'd be happy to share the link to. And then, you know, if you, I think i'm, i'm not exactly sure what the late fees are so, lynn i'm. I'm happy to reach out to you, but but that's part of the process, and and are absolutely have arpa funds available for folks that need them so, and I do believe we're headed into a second round of making ourper funds available. So for sure, if you know a folks in need. Please put them in touch with the utility billing office, and we'll help you out. Thank you, Joel. Okay. And, Joe, if i'm not mistaken, we'll be talking about matters the we. We have several things

[11:06] under matters tonight. In fact, we we only have one agenda item, but we have a little bit more than usual under matters, and that will be one of them to talk about communication that the speaker requested for the public, as well as just our general plans for maintenance, since that was one of the themes of the flood. Master Plan was approved City Council. so we probably I don't expect this will be a super lengthy meeting, so it will too long to forward. Thank you very much on that. Well, now we're ready to hit to agenda. Item 4. I apologize for my slip up earlier, and that is swearing it of new board members and election of board officers. a new board member this isn't here, so we'll see if she attends at some point during the meeting, but we can probably proceed with it.

[12:02] Discussion of officers, if it's like. and so we need to elect a new chair, new vice chair, and a secretary. And so if if I could, if there are any nominations, let's start, I guess, with chair. No, no, not a Gordon per chair. Second of that. thank you. This will be a recurrent team. Let's. Let's talk about my share there. Any nominations for Vice chair. and I'm. Hey, John. I second all in favor. Okay, so. And then I would like to see if there any nominations for secretary.

[13:03] I second. Okay, perfect. So let the record show that we're in Mccurry's. We chair for this year. John will be Vice chair, and Steve will be secretary. Some. Let us move on, then, to agenda. Item 5, which is the water supply. We can do that, and that might be a world record for a speed and collection of officers, at least well done under the circumstances. So, as I mentioned a minute ago, the water supply update is our only agenda item that we have a memo for this same thing. And as as a you know, this is something that we do in April every every year. and people May timeframe is when we know the most about our water supply year, and how it's shaping up, based on reservoir storage, and where it's sitting and and snow pack that's developed in the mountains as well as our

[14:14] northern water supplies. So, fortunately for our department, there's always a lot going on, and at least out of me to get re managing it. A drought doesn't have to be on that list, or one of the restrictions. But so the item tonight will be led by Leila Parker. She's a senior water resources manager in our Water Resources group, and I will turn it over to Thanks, Joe. Hi, everyone. I'm Michael Parker with water resources, and glad to be here in person with you all this time of year. As Joe said, we traditionally provide an update to R on her water supply. You know more about our we're looking at our reservoir levels. After relying primarily on reservoir storage to meet municipal demand

[15:05] all winter and we're thinking about expectations for demand for the year. We make an annual assessment at this time, of whether a direct declaration and associated water use restrictions are necessary. So i'm going to talk through all that today. This photo is a silver like reservoir up in our watershed in March last month. It's been very snow and cold up there. So before we get into how the water supply is looking, i'd like to remind you of the geography of our source water system. So on the Mac you see in blue the Mittables Street in North Polar, quick watershed, and we manage and use them to meet the bulk of our municipal demand. We treat that water at the potassium water treatment plant before delivering it to Bowlers surface area, which is shown in the red hatch. and we also treat water at the northeast corner of town Reservoir water treatment plant, and that water originates on the western slope in the Colorado River headwaters.

[16:09] So very has the overview. and we develop and plan our water supply system according to our 1,989 reliability criteria, which are level of service goals. So those liability criteria to find the acceptable frequency of water, use restrictions for drops of varying severity. and we model and plan the system. If the goal of having no more than 5 years with water, use restrictions over the course of a 100 years. and the intensity of restrictions in those years can vary from reduce out our watering restrictions to meeting essential uses. All my so just allowing indoor and emergency uses, and in those cases we may lose landscaping. So since establishing that framework in 1,989, 2,000, and 2 is the only time that we have declared a drought. and we've established an updated our drought plan Since that time.

[17:05] Under our current classification, the 2,002 drought would have resulted in a fairly severe limitations on our water. Yes. so the determination of whether to declare a drought is informed by the city's straw plan. I have spoken to you all many times in the last few years about that drop plan and the psi. So the protected storage index with the Psi is basically a ratio of water supply available to folder and demand, and we evaluate on May first of each year, when our water suppliers. So I indicators such as snowpack, are most reliable. As you know, we finalize an update to that plan last year, and we refined our methodology for this Psi determination. We improved our projection of reservoir storage based on sort of newer data and a regression equation. And then we improve the way we

[18:00] we change the way we calculate we now do. A ninetieth percentile of the last 10 years in order to reflect high demand within current water use trends. So the factors influencing water supply or sorry. Well, the Psi provides a consistent data driven approach to draft determinations. We do support it with other data and observations that provide context, and we're continually monitoring number of factors that affect our water, supply the plan to the Psi and into how we interpret it. And those include snow, pack, stream, flow, regional drought conditions, and i'll run through current data for each of those indicators. Next photo on the left is our staff, monitoring sweet or snow water equivalent. It is, of course, in the summer like watershed. And we that is part of a network of snow tell on snow core stations that the natural resource conservation Service maintains around the West. So, looking at those stations within Colorado, we see overall see why it's so pack it's 136% of Median

[19:13] which is great. So pack is well higher to the western portion of the State in the South Cloud Basin where we are, is it just at 100% of Median as of yesterday. This figure shows the Colorado River Basin. I'm. Going to do more Colorado River based insides than we don't really would. That's because that's the situation on the Colorado. So this one was something we got from a northern water presentation last week. and basically what you see here, i'm sure you can't really read the numbers. But this is a ranking of the Sui at the Snow Tel station over its period of record at that day. On that day.

[20:05] so essentially one indicates that that's the highest level of we recorded. On that date. You can see a lot of ones and twos and threes in this figure, which is fantastic. coming back down to our watershed. This is the Snowel site at University Camp in the North boulder Creek watershed. The black line shows the 2023 snow pack green shows the 30 year Median. The little green asterisk is the Median peaks we so you can see we're still a couple of weeks away from when we typically reach peak suite. But we've been at or above Median for most of the year up in North Folder Creek. We're in 98% of Median right now. The photo on the right is there. Johnson, our source water facilities manager i'm putting data at the Tell station a couple of years ago.

[21:05] moving over to Middle Boulder Creek. The Lake El Doris hotel site is one that we look at. That's about Barker Reservoir. This station's been a little bit for low media in the last couple of weeks. At 94% of meeting today. we've had some early run off and little bit of a jump up in suite i'm. From last week's so a little bit lower than Median, but still relatively comfortable. So in addition to snowpack, we're also tracking stream flow forecasts. As you know, all holders. Water supply comes from diverting water from creeks, either on direct flow rights or into storage. And so in the summer we're really relying on those director versions from stream flow, and we want to preserve our water and storage. In addition, we're looking at downstream users and the Boulder Creek base, and who are diverting directly from the creek, and they more readily call for water if stream floor was limited. So we're looking at

[22:02] i'm getting a sense of what those flows will be like this year, and we use a couple of different products. So one on the left is from northern water. and they are forecasting well above average for a lot of the creeks north of us, but a 102% of average for Boulder Creek. one of the right from the Nrcs, a little bit below the Median for that same April to July period. but generally the forecast for Boulder Creek and the stuff basin is near average. And then again, looking at the Colorado River Basin forecasters are projecting much higher than average inflows, as you can see in the blue. It's a of a 130. I believe that's percent of average. So those higher influence of like how on like me will certainly help but not solve the current issues on the Colorado. You also look at regional drought indicators for context. This is the Us. Route Monitor Weekly map from last Thursday

[23:09] the thirteenth, and you can compare it to that date at this time last year. So certainly market improvement on the western slope, about the same in the South by base and year to year. and looking at the Colorado just, you know, huge improvement over generally the entire Western us over the last year. it this week being on the left, and last year on the right. Good stuff. Thank you. So back So all of this ties into our reservoir storage levels, and that reservoir storage is really key to operating our system through drive periods. whether in a year or between years. So this graph shows in orange our current. What are your storage levels? The gray dash is the tenure average, and the gray band is the historic storage range of rescore levels.

[24:10] as I think you all know, we are in the middle of a multi year day maintenance project on Albion Reservoir, which means that about 5% of our reservoir storage capacity is unavailable to us to fill. and so, as of April, one we're at a total storage. Oh, we are at 59% total capacity compared to a historical average of 65%, but still well above that minimum ban and the great shading and given the stream flow and snow pack data I discussed before. So summarizing where we're at with the snapshot of silver, like from last week it's still cold and snowy. We've had a strong snow back the stream flow forecast around average, we expect a reservoir to.

[25:03] and Northern is setting a 70% quota for cbt water, which is the long-term average so our preliminary calculation of the Psi puts us well above that first drought stage job, alert stage. We will officially run the psi calculation at the end of the month. but we don't want to expect any significant change that would bring us down into a direct determination. Obviously, we will still be encouraging. Wise water use. We're updating our water efficiency plan, as you all know. which may impact our water conservation program. And we do have a survey out right now for input on matters related to the water efficiency plan. And that survey closes next week. So or yeah, I think we've gotten 500 responses as of today which is really fantastic. So that's what I have, and welcome to take any questions. Thank you. Any questions from the board.

[26:03] Such a positive water supply it is is, I think we've talked about before. But there are any plans ever use additional data collection sources like Aso. I can't remember if that's something that interested in, or we don't need it. We are participating in a regional aso group that's doing voice over the front range. And so far, they actually I think we're planning to do a flight like last week or this week, and couldn't because of whether they haven't flown yet. They're just looking for a weather window of them. But yeah, we are. You know, they're doing sort of a large swap at the front range. And so we're really looking forward to getting that data, and.

[27:00] you know, looking at collaboration with the amount research station on all the data they collect, and how we can kind of integrate that into our planning. So it's collecting snowpack data from planes. or, you know, a wide swath of land so like an entire watershed that has one snow fellow, and like once in a course. great potential. Steve. Any questions. I have just one. You mentioned that brother order the quota they've established here is 70% of average, it's like compared to other years, it is 70%. So the the the

[28:00] the quota is like the percentage of your shares that you get. So we get 70 of our Northern I, but that 70% quota is average is that that's their typical allocation. and they look at what are it's a supplemental supply. So they look at What are they Projecting yields of the east slope water supplies for all their members. They also take a look at projections for filling your resort system from the West low water, so it is a bit of a combination of supply and demand on the east loop and supply. I know what slope of what they can sell, but they have said that they anticipate. Well.

[29:03] they do some modeling and projections of their own system around this time of year, and they're there, maybe 50%. Their projection for filling and spilling brandy. That's about 50% that they will no one Still, this year, so they're anticipating a very good run off into their system this year. which gives them, you know, bit of a buffer in terms of allocating water for users calculation that they do, what what percentage of our allocation we actually receive It's not just based on the availability of their system. It's partly based upon them. but they judge our alternative sources to be it. It's intended to be a supplemental supply, and it's a little bit counter to intuitive at a glance. But when you really think about it, it makes sense. In a dry year they might give a 80, 90 or a 100%.

[30:05] Oh, yeah, so that users get to use all of their water. and in a in a wet here they could potentially do I'm sure they in a dry Europe people may not have as much of their own other sources. You guys provide them with a bunch of information about what we think are our own sources are to enable them to make that calculation. Yeah, we do provide them. We give them monthly reservoir levels, for example. and they they have a team of engineers and hydrologists that also look at all the same type of information that way, and always presenting as well as their own system. Info. We typically have this update about this time of year. Oh. do the staff reassess the water supply situation later in the year, particularly towards the end of the summer.

[31:02] not in a formal manner. The Psi is really based, like the calculation incorporates this assumption around. and so the value that it brings the meeting that it has sort of goes away when the reservoirs have already filled. So we're not. We're not using that determination at at other junctures in the year. in terms of operations, though, or are a lot of resources Staff and our water treatment staff as well as the Water State Water Commissioner, are in communication daily. and we're looking at. If it's, if it's a really dry summer, we may switch sources for various reasons, or there. if things are pretty normal and and we've got choices. There may be water quality factors that in fact or

[32:00] source selection. So we we don't do a big formal community report out like this other than this time of year. I think we would, if we found ourselves concerned that we might need to do restrictions, but otherwise it's it's. It's monitored continuously internally. and we did set in the drop time we set this drought watch that we could go into at any point during the year. So we found ourselves feeling that we needed to do broader communication about water use, you know. I guess we could go into that condition and use that as a tool if we had, an if we had a dry year, or one that you were concerned, where we might approach some of these code metrics outside of outside of the operational issues with the 2 plants, or blending considerations, or whatever I revenue, and so forth. Wouldn't would our tendency be to try to use as much of the northern water as we could to preserve our own

[33:09] source waters, or what? What's the incentive when things start to get a little bit higher in terms of supply. I can speak to that, and also for the record came out and water resources. Manager. Yeah. So like overall, I think we're looking at generally trying to preserve water and storage. That is our drought reserve, and we get an annual allocation of water from Northern every year. So later on in the summer. It's all of our systems are up and running. and we've got our choice of of supplies. We may look to use a little bit more. What Cbt Water that's treated at the 60 Third Street Water Treatment plan.

[34:00] I mean our prior priority Wise we will treat. use what direct flow rights we have available first to maximize that use, and that, of course, coming directly from the streams, not from storage. We're also looking at strategies for trying to get more water into storage, which we can do through exchanging water. Cbt. Water out of folder reserv to our mountain storage. So we got a few strategies, and we're we're we're trying to look forward, anticipating what the your will be and what our demands will be. I would add to it. You mentioned that during the run off season. We preferentially we use our Boulder Creek sources, and we. I think most of the Board members know we have 8 hydroelectric plants integrated into our system. So there's a revenue. and the reservoir can't be more full than and for some people all they're filling and spilling. We'll try to take as much as we can through our hydro. and 2 years ago

[35:09] we had the marshal fire at the very end of the year. I think we went from August all the way through December 30 first, without any measurable precipitation and vulner, and in a year like that will definitely switch to the Northern supplies that the team will recognize that that's happening, and and if that's much. we preserve our storage. This has indeed been a call, but it's no. I have a a good view of Bear Peak, which we can see nicely from here also, and I noted that there's been snow on Bear Peaks since before Thanksgiving. so we're just shy of 5 months. Can you snow up there? And I've lived in Boulder for a lot of years. I've never seen it. I continue this. Yeah, it's been cold. It Hasn't melted out.

[36:06] Any other questions from the Board, please. Willila and Kim. Thank you for the presentation and and the discussion. Our next agenda item is matters from the Board any any better? Okay, I have just one which is, I brought in just one of the handouts as a reminder to me to bring it up that in the latest water Bill there's been several of these. This is a war efficiency plan update, but there were 2 others I I don't want to call exactly right now. I just wanna say what to me. What an effective communication tool this is! It would encourage. I continued, inserts like this, and water bills. I think very helpful as a reminder.

[37:00] because it's one thing to tell people. Oh, it's on the website, you know, because the web page. But there's quite another thing to open up the envelope and to see it because it's it's a much more active participation ever to even just recycle it. It's really to look at it. And so I I think those are a very good tool. and I think thank you for that feedback, and hearing on the number of survey responses. knowing the population of Boulder that may not seem like a large number, but it it can be hard to get people interested in utilities matters, and and they can be in the tense 20 sometimes. so that that's that's actually doing pretty well, and it, and I think our society is changing, and we we communicate, and we work closely with our Communications Department ailers and letters. One form of doing it, I think Joanna may speak to this and the maintenance update, but

[38:05] using more progressive ways to to try and connect with people to and all the tools come. I I'll just have to, just for members of the public the survey that you know I've mentioned, because this is the question about how you want to receive information and me, and it's like this is one of the options. So for other folks like me with Gordon that this is an effective tool, I think, strongly encourage you to that survey and voice your P. You know how you like to your It should be utilities to pick talk for sure. Oh, obviously wise. I'm not sure we can have that any of the matters from the port. Okay, at this time I'd like to move to agenda and 7 matters from staff.

[39:03] Yeah, and thank you for that. And as I mentioned earlier, we have a few more than we normally would, and a few with slides. So just to let you know what's coming. Got a wastewater Covid update from our water quality team. Joanna will speak to flood maintenance as we discussed earlier. There was an email that came to the board chair and vice-chairs previously about a pilot for a multi board working group. So i'll mention that, and then I have forwarded to the board the memo that we did last week for City Council for the You can't and clean up work, and i'll just have a e, even though there's a a bit there. I don't think it'll be super so on the first one. The wastewater Covid update since the beginning of the Covid pandemic. We have been monitoring our waste water for the presence of the COVID-19 virus.

[40:03] and there's a lot to that. I said it in a very simplistic way. But and then, as the public attention to it has started to wind down, and people have been doing less regular self testing, and in doing that less frequently waste water has become relied on on more heavily for the public health officials to see what the trends are. So Melissa Nymn is our laboratory program supervisor, and she has 2 slides with a a brief update on the program and and trends, and I I get these every Monday I get an email from Melissa every Monday as as does the city manager. So I I see the trends, and I thought there was some good news there, and and worth sharing with the board. So if Melissa is ready. Thanks, Joe. and thank you for the opportunity to give this update, Karen. It looks like it, says Host disabled

[41:04] screen sharing. Let me see, Melissa, if I can just help you out real quick. Thanks. you welcome. I can share if that would help. As well try it now. You should be have co-host status, and that should allow for your sharing. Can everyone see that Thanks. great. So thank you for the help there. As Joe mentioned, we began monitoring for Sars Cov. 2 in our waste water in March of 2,020, our collaborative with the State begin in. In August of that year. Despite being a new science, we just what our data quickly showed promises the leading indicator of Covid case data. This graph shows a city of border reported clinical case data in blue and waste water data in brown. As you can see, waste water data correlated fairly well to case data up until around April, 2,022, when Covid testing and reporting began to be combined significantly

[42:09] at that point, public health. So an increased value in waste water data, since case data relies upon testing and reporting. So our current mou with the State and Csu runs Through July of this year, however, Federal funding has been secured through 2,025, with discussion of finding more permanent funding sources in September of 2020 the Cdc. Established the national wastewater surveillance system to coordinate and build the nation's capacity to track COVID-19 and waste water Nws has named 2 centers of excellence, one in Houston and the other one here in Colorado, including Denver University and the C. Eph. The mission of our Denver Center of excellence is to support and work, to expand the wastewater surveillance system throughout the mountain and pacific regions by providing training and education. We're also looking globally to learn from each other, and find ways to consider and improve the distribution and equity of monitoring.

[43:04] improving public dashboards is another current focus. and probably most exciting the news plans to expand our packaging list in August of this year, to include things like influenza, Rsb. norovirus, M. Pox, antibiotic, resistant genes, bungalow infections and other possible emerging emerging pathogens when Covid struck the science and data were very new, and we weren't entirely, entirely prepared. But we've come a very long way in 3 years, and learned a great deal. State and university labs are currently developing and testing new methods, so that we can begin baseline baseline monitoring of other pathogens in our waste water and continue continued funding for these programs, and research will allow us to be more prepared for the next big event. and that's my update. But thank you for that, Melissa. And if you noticed when she showed the graph on the first slide, there were 2 major spikes in the pandemic where cases were sky high, and it's fortunately been trending. Now for

[44:12] for an extended period which it's for me. It's welcome information to see. This is this kind of testing being done pretty widely across utilities in the country, I mean, or is it any kind of requirement that you do this? Or how is it. How is it coordinated in that? I I can give a quick response, and Chris or Melissa can add to it. But I know there are a number of municipalities across the State of Colorado that are participating in it. I i'm not aware of it being mandatory, but, like in our case. the public health officials and the city manager came to us and asked, Would we be willing to try this? And I think we were noticing the

[45:01] the trend on our own. So of course we are willing to do that for public health benefits. Chris. Yeah. I I was certainly following the trends initially. But, Melissa, please give a give an update on how broad and wide this these kind of programs have have been implemented. So right now, I think we are monitoring about 70 of Colorado's population, the waste water of about 70% of Colorado. It's pretty extensive in the country. I don't know nationally what the percentage is, but I would see this becoming something that that is re not monitoring required in the future. So we're definitely looking at ways to to continue this, I think I think the funding is providing funding for it allows it to be a lot easier. Was it a significant incremental cost? Or is this pretty minor additional analysis. Yeah.

[46:02] Well, initially, our I I recall our commercial lab option that was out there. They kind of subsidized it initially, and then it quickly jumped to like $300 per sample, which is, which is quite pricey for any kind of analysis. We do so because of the program that was a shared. That was CD. Ph. And then ultimately, federally funded. We've been able to stay involved as long as we have. So the city did put put our own our own money out there initially and then, and then it got supported by this broader program. So the next one I mentioned is is for maintenance, and last month there was a request from a speaker reiterated tonight during the last month. It was during the public hearing tonight, during open comment, related to flood maintenance, and and whatever we send an informational letter and

[47:04] terms of communication to residents about community member responsibilities, you know, in the 16 drainage ways in the city. We don't have Eastern access to every every part of each drainage, and so there are places where it's important for the Unity members to maintain the channel. So in 2,022. Joanna Blue is our deputy director. and Utilities was also our project manager and led our Flood Master plan with the board waiting on, and council ultimately approved. and so she has a summary of our immediate maintenance plans, including planned outreach to to speak to the to the request, and and we committed last month to that, providing this update to the board tonight. So, Joanna, if you want to take it away. we'll do. I'm assuming I'm sharing the right side.

[48:02] Yeah. Good. So yeah, thanks for the opportunity to provide a response. I did want to just start with the Cfs that you all have heard it a fair amount about. There were 2 recommendations in the Cfs, however, that directly related to maintenance relevant to this conversation. One is that we increase the levels of staffing, and that we also do a better job. That, defining the roles and responsibilities for each public and private, and that really kind of set the policy direction. So since that time in 2023 in this blue column. it speaks to that first recommendation about increasing staffing. So we are going through the current budget process, and we are requesting an additional 5 full time employee positions and the related equipment to be able to enhance our maintenance activities that really, as mentioned in the Cfs will allow us to go from focusing on current hotspots and contractual obligations to including a more routine maintenance on a predictable cycle.

[49:08] So that's moving ahead. And then also in the vein of defining roles and responsibilities which I think was the spirit of the request. We are making headway on that as well, and you know Joe touched on this a little bit. I'm i'm glad to hear I always love hearing feedback about how messages make it to people we do have people that really like paper. We are noticing through a couple of our efforts that letters are are kind of waning, and their effectiveness in some populations. And so we're looking at other things like doing door hangers and using social media and other approaches as well to get the message out. So once we really hone in on that message, we'll we'll disseminate through several different avenues, and it's really just to provide that clarity about the roles and responsibilities for each. And i'll say in the past, I think we've done a pretty decent job, letting folks know that there is a private property component to it, and we just haven't really given people that how to guide, which I think is the next step in in the Cfs confirmed that. So we're making headway there as well.

[50:12] We do have ongoing maintenance happening while we're doing all of these other efforts as well. And this year we'll really focus on sediment, removal, outfalls, and some vegetation removal. So that's what the maintenance will look like. There's also a parallel effort where we've partnered with the mile high flood district. And we're doing a stream assessment which really conducts a need assessment and that that doesn't describe in detail how dynamic this project is, it has Google Earth videos of different drainage ways, and really does a nice job with mapping out the condition of stream, so that we can really focus in on those streams that need the highest maintenance needs first. Or we're prioritizing the maintenance now.

[51:01] So when that's ready, probably at the end of the year. That'll really inform some of this which projects get done first, and we can provide more information about that as as needed. And then, lastly, we do have ongoing volunteer opportunities through our count. Me and Boulder Volunteer Cooperative. There's about 12 activities scheduled by residents throughout the city. In April alone. You can always sign up for to host a stream clean up, and we'll provide gloves and bags and trash pickup, and that kind of thing. If there's enough support. We can do little hand tools and that type of thing to to have volunteer efforts as well, which is something that you know folks can kind of immediately take on. So stay tuned. We can provide updates on all of this, but that's kind of where we are with a snapshot for maintenance. I did just want to speak quickly to, I think, in an email to the Board there were 2 other points, one about cameras and the other one about maximizing and cellular ancillary channels to flood drainage ways, and we do. I can provide them a longer responses needed. But

[52:07] the the short answer is that in terms of cameras. We really focus on the alert 5 network, which is also hosted by the mile high flood district, and that combines both visual camera footage as well as predictive weather information to really give us that proactive reaction to potential flooding events. So we we really focus on that alert 5 network. And then in terms of the good news on the the second one, about looking at all the side channels that may contribute to flooding that that is part of our regular process, and that is well baked into kind of our mitigation planning. So that is occurring, and i'm sure someone from our flood group would be happy to give more information as needed. That that's my update, unless there's questions. What's the sorry if I miss this earlier somewhere join. But what's the What's the authority? And for the geography of the mile High 5 district, or how does it operate?

[53:08] Yeah. So they're a regional. They used to be the urban drainage and flood control district, and they started in the 1970 S. To kind of coordinate flood activities for the this region, and I could get you the details about who's involved, but they're really just kind of a regional partner that supports a lot of the front range communities and doing flintrage front reach planning, and they also are a source of funding for us both in terms of maintenance and some of our flood mitigation projects. I don't know Joe or others. If you want to add to that. Yeah, there's a tax mill, Levy, that bolder community members pay, and other jurisdictions around the Metro area, and the flood district receives that and and provides funding for flood projects around around the area and brand. I know Brandon Coleman and a number of

[54:04] people from our flood. Stormwater engineering group attended a modified symposium last week, and I was supposed to attend. Somebody came up and wasn't able to. but they mentioned how one of the staff presenters talked about folder and flood risk in the 2,013 flood, and and some of our upcoming projects, and it's a priority for the for the district. So thank you for that, Joanna and I've got one more update before the public spaces, one which that one I do have a few slides for, so we'll need to make Chris devil a co-host, because I can't walk and chew on at the same time. So he is good. He's a co-host, so he should be good to go. But raise your hand if you have any trouble. A and just on that maintenance item, as as you recall, there were 6 main themes of the flood. Master Plan and Maintenance was one of them, clear from the community

[55:05] concerns about maintenance. And so. in our utilities. Maintenance team that covers water and waste water and storm and flood. We we really do in the water system and in the waste water have a kind of a recurring cycle where we go through the whole system and inspect and and clean it on a certain recurring frequency, and to date the flood. The utility is not as mature as those others, and the resourcing hasn't caught up, and it's been more, as Joanna said, just kind of hitting the hotspots. and so have been working with our team and and budget and evaluating the resources we have to do that work, and the proposal will bring forward this year will allow us to go through and do the system on a on a regular frequency, which is where we want to be.

[56:02] So the next one. I I did send an email rather late, and apologies for that. I I rarely communicate with the Board by email, but I caught up and and busted a whole bunch with the information For this meeting there was a request from the city manager, and a number of boards were invited to consider nominating a a designee for a Multi Board working group for the Boulder Junction Phase 2. And so I think I sent the email around 4. So if you haven't seen it. You can catch up, but i'll try to hit the high points now. and the Boulder Junction phase 2 involves an area between Pearl Parkway on the south, in on the north. thirtieth, on the west and in Foothills Parkway on the east. If you're familiar with the depot restaurant, it's it's that whole area there used to be some car viewerships there.

[57:01] There has been quite a bit of city development and housing initiatives in that area. and as in terms of utilities, interest, and considerations. We have the Goose Creek drainage, which is one of the 16 major drainage ways that comes right through the middle of it. And there's a multi-use path. so there will be some recurring meetings, and I think this is intended to be a pilot to try something different than our traditional processes. and rather rather than a project team like the Flood Master Plan team going around independently to different boards. The thought here is, what what if for a project like this? We designated a a nominee from each of the interested boards, and and had a process for them to work together to try and avoid conflicting and and just different feedback throughout the process that then we have to navigate our way through. So that's the concept. And again I sent some information on it.

[58:13] I think they they are looking for a a rob designate. We may not be with rap the the most prominent board to weigh in on that, but there certainly would still be some some interest around development and and utilities management. I did ask for clarification from our planning director the duration of the assignment, and it sounds like there's a a desire to go to council this fall. but the assignment could go on 9 to 12 months. Beyond that I I don't know the frequency or duration of the meetings, but I do know our communication staff and and city staff are mindful about all into your time, and I would be really surprised if it was more than once a month kind of thing for

[59:04] for an hour or so, which would be normal. So it's kind of a short handed port here tonight. Okay. Joe, One thing that comes to mind is is a question is, you have a sense on when the city manager would like to have response back by. I think, by the end of April here. But given that we have a shorthanded April Board meeting, and this was really our first opportunity to discuss it. Sometimes there can be consideration, for if you, if we grab a table it to the main meeting, which will be really complicated. which you're about to find up on under upcoming matters. We could ask for more time or or potentially coordinate. But I think the desire is by the end of it.

[60:00] I ask, because i'd like to you the 2 members who are present tonight, the opportunity to please. And if if they're interested, yeah. yeah, that that makes sense. And if you wanted to have a preliminary discussion, and and here, and if If one of the 3 of you are interested. she will do that as well, or you could just table it all any interest. hey? Can you? I'm a little confusing how Leis and Brad would be a mute kind of over primary perspective. I guess I don't know what the phase you use, but is it, because I know that very well. I didn't say it, and all this and paraphrasing poorly, but because I know the the Goose Creek through, there is already the mitigation works been done. So it's like there's a discussion of development versus mitigation. So what would be the rep perspective on that? Do you envision that I think the the Department and Board, with the primary interest in it, would be our planning department planning and Development Services Department and the

[61:06] and the planning board for items like that. Anytime there is development in the city. There can be infrastructure considerations. If if there's plans to build more housing or more buildings is the infrastructure there to support it. I I'm. Pretty sure the infrastructure in this area is fairly mature and and get likely support what is planned, and then things like water supply in general for the planning of the city and the population. And what type of growth might be happening, whether it's infill or single family development. It' be there as well. So I think that would be the that would be the thing for Rob, and I I could imagine a board member could be designated and go to the initial meeting, and you could probably size up, whether

[62:08] full time, participation, or certain meetings. Sometimes assignments are like that. I I don't have those details right now. Yeah. that's all right. That's what I know, and that's what I can share tonight. You know, if there's a schedule, a date for the first meeting. I was looking over the material today. and I didn't see that information. I I believe there's actually a a public meeting right on there. I got a response from the planning director, and he was at the meeting. The I would imagine the I would guess that the boards tenure would like this start in sometime in second half from May or June

[63:01] would have to, and if there's a plan to go to Council before I I agree that I would like to give you the other board member and opportunity. So I don't know what that's way forward. Yeah. there is a path that we have to weave with email communication, but Apps and others can figure out how to how to manage that. And I suppose if anyone raises their hand and is really interested. We could, if you know with that. But there's not really in the Hopper Committee for deliberation. But and I'm. I'm not seeing the current map first shopping at the bid to sign on. I I and I understand, and I I read and reread the materials, and

[64:04] it didn't come across to me like it was a mandatory. We would leave tonight until we have around that we kind of thing. so it's it's possible that it. or it could give you the pass. But i'll find out strictly when I was reading it is, it almost seems like it would be a more effective. You have staff, or some. Maybe it was more familiar with the details. For example, the local infrastructure, and so forth. Be able to. I mean, it almost seems like it's more of a a committee of staff from the different groups would be more valuable than board members, who are probably a little more remote or less informed about the details of some of the issues that may may turn out to be the important ones. There it it! It's a fair point, and I imagine there will be staff involvement for just those reasons throughout the process, and it's it's it's a it's a it's

[65:01] is honestly intention with the boards and and staff across the city for some boards the purview is is is quite clear. You know what the roles and and things are. but other boards are really interested in in participating, and are really pulling. To be part of something like this. Rab is has tended to be fairly straightforward over the years, and has been less like that. So there there may be other boards in It'll be a lively discussion to see who gets to participate because of all of them might want to. Well, Joe, could I suggest that perhaps because of the other agenda item, you're going to bring up about the the make meeting on the next main meeting, that, if possible, if we could arrange just a few minutes, maybe at the start of that meeting they deliberate on that and and make some decisions. If If that works

[66:00] with with folks who, they will be focusing on that meeting for us, and if not, then you could work on something in trouble. And you know, I' in the Internet, yeah. that that sounds good. And if if my take is correct, that that may not have the the most prevalent role of all the boards. It's also possible that we could get an extension on the deadline, and somebody could join in progress, so i'll. I'll loop back internally and follow up with the work one way or another. But I like your suggestion it will. We'll do that if if we can. I think there will be another board at the at the main meeting. But we'll talk about that agenda all right. So, moving on to the last item, and, Chris, if you can for the presentation, not right. The The Council meeting last Thursday, including an update on our safe and managed public spaces program that utilities has a pretty significant role, and

[67:14] it it's been an issue just of of national scope and scale with or in more people, housing issues. untreated mental health or addiction issues which can also be in the mix, and and people just living outside and and camping. And it is a it's a real dilemma as a social issue. But a lot of cities like Boulder have an expansive. a set of services for people to to plug into, and we also have some policy around our public spaces to make them safe and and welcoming for all. and so occasionally like to brief the board on operational matters. This one is is one of significant.

[68:04] I I spend a fair amount of time on it, and have been in the last several months. as as as we know here. But so we sent a memo to the City Council for the April meeting. and I mean 4 of us directors who are involved in it myself. The Perks housing director and the police chief provided an update to the city council during a study session. and so we had a powerpoint as well. and Chris has it up here. I won't go through all 27 slides that we're in our in our presentation. I think I've picked out 3 or 4 to to go through. But the evolution of the work prior to 2,021, the city started We had a a camping band, and I don't remember the exact timing, but also ended up with a propane band. And so the city used to do this. Clean up work with an outside vendor and an outside contractor, and each of the departments that had a stake in it would

[69:12] kind of coordinate with that vendor on their own, and there was not a lot of city coordination, and the issue just increased and and grew and grew, and community concerns in 2,021 city council approved the budget for a pilot to establish an internal crew to do the work that crew was set up to be in utilities, and I've learned over the time that I've been learning about this and tracking it, that municipalities that do this across the country. Typically, if they have an internal clean up program, it's in public works, because we kind of have the operational mindset and ability to to manage a program like that, and the people and equipment who do the work. and so we have a significant role in it. We work closely with the police officers. Each week we have 9 positions and equipment trucks and equipment allocated in utilities.

[70:12] the in the 2,023 budget. the 9 positions was essentially a doubling of what they had done in 2,021 and part of that is paid out of the storm and storm, water and flight utility. because the most attractive locations are the flood and drainage ways, and that's where a lot of the camping occurs. We can't have people living in our storm, water and and and that type of infrastructure in Harm's way, or the materials that go with the camping, blocking intakes and in conveyance work. So I half of about half the program is paid for out of utilities funds, the other the city general funds. And so, Chris, if you'll go to the next slide just for presentation last Thursday it in about a year span we've had 783 clean up activities.

[71:08] and there's some other metrics here. the the tons of debris that we haul off, and the utilities truck and bring to waste management about 130 tons. And part of the program that we have established, as I mentioned, addiction is a big part of it's not universal, but it's a big part of why people find themselves living like this, and there are per minute receptacles for safe disposal of the needles. and shortly after establishing our program we we developed the container, and as part of the weekly, cleanup activities we collect the needles, and there have been about 5,600 of them collected in a year's time, that would otherwise be on the stream banks and in in the river. So it's.

[72:02] It's really unfortunate in our society that this is. This is a situation to be dealt with. But I think there's a an important forward safety component that that our department partnering with the police provide and and the clean up work and keeping things clean. So if you go to the next one and just gave an overview, I think the point of this one is that there's a whole process that goes with it, and I won't. Go through this in detail. If you want to go to the next student. We also have a prioritization formula that the the crew and the lead of the 9 people that I mentioned. They they size up community reports and their own observations, and apply this prior organization formula to figure out where to go in the city to do the next piece clean up work, so there's there's quite a bit to it.

[73:00] and if you go to the next one I highlighted for Council last week that we had seen the conditions in the in the field, heading the wrong direction. Pretty successful with getting the people camping to voluntarily comply and move along. From the time we started the program through 2,022, but in 2,023 we start to see starting to see that drop. and in recent weeks there have been fires around Boulder High, and it's been in the paper. We get a big clean up where the band she had in the civic area had been kind of taken over and late January. so some activity on the Pearl Street Mall. As a result of all that, and with about 2 years of learning under. We just recently updated our procedures and have been implementing them for several weeks now. And if you've been on the creek corridor in in the downtown area. Recently the conditions have been

[74:05] improved, and and we'll see if we're able to sustain that. So that's next. I haven't. Okay, so that's kind of what I wanted to share with the Board again for a matters update going into a little more detail than we usually do. But as I mentioned it's it's a it's a heightened community interest, and not a day goes by that. My emailing box is not getting some attention from understandable community concerns. I'm not working just on this one. You're asking for more. Not not right now, you know. I thought, Jo, I said something earlier about more. not not for the encampment clean up work, but for just general storm, storm, water, and flat maintenance there are other other positions.

[75:01] I I also see that number of nights have. How's that affecting the Department's ability to do it? 3 pre homeless, clean up work. all all the maintenance that goes on. It's that's a great question. And the whole program is brand new and city council, I think, understood that the so this, this the staff and utilities are, in addition to what we had before. We didn't redirect existing staff to go and do this work. City Council saw it as a priority, and they added physicians and the funding for it to the budget. Is there a safety issue for your own staff? For sure, there's a safety element that goes with the work, and they use special equipment because of the needles function of and boots and things of that nature. The

[76:02] some of the days we do clean up of abandoned trash, and and just do that on our own. In the days that were interacting with people from our own house community, the police officers are present. There again. You're You're sometimes dealing with addiction and mental health issues, so that presence is really important to keep our staff safe. And then, unfortunately, some of the drugs that are now prevalent in our society in terms of inhaling or or touching, and contamination, or something that we have to be aware of as well. Just last week there was. oh, pretty serious encounter with some new fentanyl type of drugs that it hit the street, and in 48 h time there were 6 overdoses in the city of Boulder, and I think fortunately, the police and the public safety people have Narcan, and they're able to revive

[77:02] people in most cases. But it's. It is a serious situation that that our department is is part of, and it's relatively it's. It's a fairly new thing. and having worked for boulder for either in my seventeenth or eighteenth year. I've I've written to the office on my bike every day, and I remember that when tents started to be a thing, and it's just them escalating it in recent. Do you know of hand what the budget is for this effort? I think it's the the I'm speaking in round numbers, I should have this. I knew that question was going to come up, and I meant to to get it. but I think the ongoing costs are about 300,000 per year for the first through.

[78:04] and with the doubling of it it's around 700, and then the initial cost for the equipment on top of that. That's just for utilities and then overall, just just for utilities. And i'm at least 40% sure that i'm going to need to follow up with you and correct those numbers. If you wouldn't mind doing that, because i'm really curious to as we talked about the cip and the various enterprise funds since half the well. Since that money is coming out all over the storm order and select an enterprise phone what have translates into someone's utility rate increase about half half half half utilities. Fund is just utilities, right? No, I think that's split. Okay, that's the total 1. 2 proofs.

[79:00] But it's still in the of the half about 350. K. How does that translate into how much more? Let's, say a a residential rate? There is paid. Yeah, for sure. We'll note that. So once there's more on that. That's what I have for matters, and I can switch to the upcoming agenda. and as promised, there's some complexity to me. Normally. We do a 3 month series on the cip, and we were contemplating among ourselves whether we could possibly combine that into 2, anyone right? And then I was reminded by Karen that there's a request for the board all the boards in the city to attend some racial equity training

[80:09] which they have scheduled for Rad in May, and that'll take up the entire agenda. So our plan would be to provide a written information item to you on the cip, and kind of get everyone grounded, and where we left off last year, and and where things stand in advance of the June and July discussions. and then it would be a virtual only training on the racial equity. Karen and I will follow up later this week with more details on that. I think the Board numbers have to sign up, if i'm not mistaken. And And then. as mentioned previously, we have a public meeting that we need to have for some to be eligible. It's a requirement of some grant funding on the infrastructure, Bill Grants. And so we were planning to have separate meeting prior to Rab, which will also be virtual only, and the Board members are invited to that

[81:11] on our phosphorus upgrades program. So in my tenure, working with Rad as a director, and and previously as a manager, it might be the most convoluted monthly meeting the Board would have, but I think we could do it Same date as originally. Yeah. I I believe so, but need to the confirms. And then in in June we would, as we do every year. Try to clear our agenda for the of everything else, and do a deep dive into our proposed cap. 6 year capital improvement program for water, waste water and storm, water and fluid.

[82:02] Get the boards feedback in June, and then come back in July and ask for a recommendation from the board from the cip. So that's what's coming up. And then it's been our practice. The goes beyond the 3 months that I usually do for the upcoming agenda, but generally we haven't been having an August meeting for last several years since. I I think the efficiency plan might be on on deck for September, and so board review of that as well. But we'll update that as we get closer just to clarify. You know the meeting on the schedule for May fifteenth. We have this free meeting ahead of that, and then that would be the training session, and it would all be virtual. Yup. And if I may, I think we we confirm that the the board's certainly welcome to to join the the Phosphorus project funding public meeting. But but there's no overarching expectation. You don't have a formal role.

[83:11] It's no action the more so share that share the word, you know. Spread the word and share the word, and but it'll be yeah, just about with the meeting to and and discuss that project that that's appropriate. So a lot to keep track of for me. It will help you do that. Thank you. Any Any questions or comments from the just to also just to double check that the meeting in June is is later, right? So forth. That's correct with the it's now be another month that the third Monday won't work. I believe it's 20 sixth, you know. Great.

[84:02] Well, then, with that I'd like to move to our our final agenda. Item, which is German. Do I have a motion to intern. but make a motion to 70 s. We've unanimously for you to adjourn. Thank you.