By BECKY KISER
Hays Post
As part of the improvements to 230th Ave. and 55th Street north of Interstate 70 Exit 57, construction of the Hays Travel Plaza and the Ellis County Northwest Corridor conflicts with a main line of the Trego County Rural Water District #2 (RWD#2).
The conflict would require the main to be relocated at a significant cost.
Instead, an agreement has been reached between the city of Hays and RWD#2 for Hays to acquire RWD territory, four existing rural water customers and water supply infrastructure.
"As part of the travel plaza development, city water mains have been extended to this area and can easily serve these customers," according to Jeff Crispin, director of water resources.
The four water customers are:
• BBJ LLC (otherwise known as Doonan Peterbilt)
• Randy L. Davis and Mary E. Davis (private residence)
• Celebration Community Church (2 meters)
• Hays City Sportsman Club
"To meet the needs and continue orderly development in that area, it is necessary for the city to acquire the service area from the rural water district, and to facilitate the utility relocates necessary for the Northwest Corridor project it was necessary to abandon this section of rural water line that served the customers, and connect them to city water," Crispin said.
That action happened October 14 as Trego County RWD #2 truncated its line north of the entrance to the sportsmen’s club.
"They wanted to get out of the way and we have our infrastructure in place (for water and sewer lines). For future development it's important that we don't have lines that are crossing."
The cost to switch services from the rural water district to the city of Hays will be paid by the travel plaza developer, Crispin told city commissioners during their work session Thursday night.
Adding the four new water customers will have a negligible affect on the city's water resources operations budget, according to Crispin.
"At their current usage, the monthly water bills for these properties will be similar. In fact, they may be slightly less than they're used to paying with the rural water district.
"The water will be used for domestic purposes only. They would follow our water conservation plans for the city. They will pay inside city limits rates for their water rate."
Commissioner Ron Mellick and Mayor Sandy Jacobs asked about the integrity of the RWD pipeline and how the city would respond to a possible breach.
"They haven't had any problems with their infrastructure," Crispin said. "Due to future development I think it's temporary, the use of what they have there. In the future, we'll probably work to abandon that infrastructure.
"If there was a break, there would be no difference in what there is in a city street.
"It's obviously not the same type of line. We're not talking about an eight-inch city main but we do have the parts necessary (for repair)."
There are state statutes that deal with rural water district territory and cities taking over that territory. John Bird, city attorney, has drafted a resolution as well as legal agreements.
City commissioners will consider approving a resolution for the agreements at their meeting Oct. 29.