Water infrastructure is sorely lacking in La Plata County or is poorly maintained, water system manager Robert Ludwig said earlier this month at a county comprehensive plan session.
Ludwig is a former public works director in Bayfield and now manages the Edgemont Ranch and El Rancho Florida systems.
Also at the meeting, which addressed infrastructure needs in the county, Greg Brand of the San Juan Basin Health Department spoke about rural sewer systems, and Rich Bechtolt of Bechtolt Engineering discussed road infrastructure.
“The water infrastructure doesn’t exist in the county,” Ludwig said. “You have disjointed infrastructure. We’re faced with aging infrastructure that people can’t afford to replace.”
He said El Rancho Florida residents pay $260 a month for their water, including charges, taxes and fees. They are paying for a new system.
Assorted regulations governing water systems have proliferated, he said, and handed examples to Planning Commission Chairman Jim Tencza. State regulations once filled 30 pages. Now, they take up 300 pages.
Ludwig hopes to see continued expansion of the La Plata/ Archuleta Water District rural water system, and he hopes for more systems, such as on the Dryside.
Planning commissioner Lucy Baizel, who lives on the Dryside, said, “I wonder if we wouldn’t be better saying this is where we want infrastructure, closer to the towns. And say there are some places, if you want to live there, take your chances.”
Ludwig responded, “I think the natural selection is taking place now.”
Brand said he deals largely with rural on-site sewage systems.
“We’re involved with proposed subdivisions, second dwellings, additional living units, marijuana grow facilities, other Class 1 and 2 (land-use) permits,” he said.
Construction in a rural area requires an on-site wastewater system permit before the county will issue a building permit, and the system must be in place and inspected before a certificate of occupancy will be issued, he said.
Tencza asked about small-package sewage treatment systems for moderate-size subdivisions that can’t afford a full treatment plant.
Brand said the health department can only permit systems for less than 2,000 gallons per day. Above that, a state permit is required. Most homes are discharging around 450 gallons per day, he said, so it wouldn’t take very many homes to go above the small-system limit.
Bechtolt highlighted the high cost of road maintenance and improvements. Intersection improvements can run $4 million to $5 million, and a road can cost $3 million per mile – and more in rough terrain.
“How are we ever going to make a dent in it with those numbers?” he said.
Maximize the road system you already have, he said. Identify specific problem spots and crash locations and fix those to get the best bang for the buck.
Bechtolt commended the job the Road and Bridge Department does maintaining roads.
Comp plan meetings are held from 6 to 8 p.m. the first Thursday each month in the new county administration building, 1101 East Second Ave. in Durango.
So far, the updated plan has an introduction and sections about growth trends, agriculture and infrastructure. None of the sections have been formally approved by planning commissioners.
On the Net
La Plata County Comprehensive Plan update: http://co.laplata.co.us/departments_and_elected_officials/planning/comprehensive_plan
