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1981 10 21 BAWA Minutes 11021-1 MINUTES OF THE REGULAR MEETING OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS OF THE BAYTOWN AREA WATER AUTHORITY October 21 , 1981 The Board of Directors of the Baytown Area Water Authority, Harris County, Texas, met in regular session on Wednesday, October 21 , 1981 , in the Conference Room of the Baytown City Hall with the following attendance : Robert L. Gillette, President • Harry F. Hartman, Vice President Peter R. Buenz, Secretary Dr. Robert E. Hill , Board Member Absent : Dan M. Mundinger, Board Member The meeting was called to order and the following business was transacted: Presentation - I . J. Butrick Former Board member, I . J . Butrick, was presented with a plaque to express appreciation for his service on the BAWA Board. Mr. Butrick served on the Board from August , 1973 to August , 1981 . Minutes Board member Buenz moved for approval of the minutes for the meeting held September 23, 1981 ; Board member Hartman seconded the motion. The vote follows : Ayes : Board members Buenz, Gillette, Hartman and Hill Nays : None Hear Report from Lockwood, Andrews & Newnam, Inc. Rick French with the firm of Lockwood, Andrews & Newnam, Inc. reported that all the instrumentation has been commissioned. All that remains to be completed are minor punch list items . Bob Parker with Lockwood, Andrews & Newnam, Inc . reported that about the same time as the last regular Board meeting, the consulting engineers made arrangements with Angleton for City of Baytown crews to remove the valve • between the BRH section of line and the Angleton section of line . The reason for this was to remove any possibility of valve leakage under the test procedure. There have been a series of leak events . One such event occurred on Garth Road where BAWA and City of Baytown lines come together. Due to rains and wet ground conditions, it has taken almost two weeks to get that problem corrected. Another failure occurred at the Texas Eastern crossing which will require that the line be dewatered and repairs performed. Essentially, the project is at the same status quo as last month. Angleton has been afforded all opportunities to complete testing, but new leaks develop at different areas than anticipated or in areas where there is no reason to assume that a leak would occur. 11021-2 Minutes of the BAWA Board - October 21, 1981 The section of pipe from Thompson to Wade Road has been approved for pressure testing. From that point , all the way to the BRH section of line, there have been attempts to test which have never been successful . Pressure of be- tween 90 to 100 pounds has been achieved on several occasions, but that pressure was never maintained for the specified period of time . None of the line from Thompson Road to the Exxon pipeline crossing has been inspected for interior grouting and condition of line. The line from BRH section back to North Main and all the way to the Exxon crossing has been inspected and approved. Hear Report from Norman Dykes, Director of Public Works/ • City Engineer, Regarding Various Requests for Water Service A map was posted in the Conference Room which de- picted various water districts and other potential users of water. The only customers presently being served by BAWA are Lake Municipal Utility District and the City of Baytown . Presently, there is a request from the Thompson Road Utility District for water service . Two other muni- cipal utility districts are proposing to purchase water from BAWA. The small commercial developments along Interstate 10 will probably be served by the City of Baytown . What the Administration would like the Board to consider is the wholesaling of water to these large utility dis- tricts . The utility districts mentioned are the newer districts , however, there are numerous older districts which are on wells . These districts must convert to an alternate means of water due to a mandate from the Harris-Galveston Subsidence District . The districts are equipped in various fashions . For instance, Municipal Utility District 1B has a well and a small pneumatic tank, Highlands has ground storage and elevated storage, McNair/ Linus has elevated tank with no ground storage, and Coady has ground storage, but no elevated storage. The City of Baytown/BAWA Water System is an ap- proved State water system. To be an approved water system, besides minimum health requirements, there is a required amount of elevated and ground storage. The ground storage must be equal to the average daily water consumption for the past year and the elevated storage must be equal to fifty (50%) percent of that . If either of those storage requirements are not met , then the system is classified as merely a State system. The water is safe, but not an approved water system for firefighting purposes which effects the key rate on insurance. All the above-mentioned utility districts are not approved water systems(Highlands is border line) . When the City of Baytown tied to BAWA, the city was deficient at that time in ground storage, but upon tieing to BAWA, the city has been claiming the 8 , 000, 000 • gallons ground storage at the BAWA plant . At present , BAWA is barely meeting elevated storage requirements, but included in the recent City of Baytown bond issue was an item to finance the construction of a new elevated storage tower. This will put BAWA/Baytown well over the requirements for elevated storage. Since BAWA and Baytown are tied together with no air gap, the State Department of Health recognizes this as one system. If other systems are allowed to tie directly to this system without air gaps, those systems become part of the one system and storage requirements are increased accordingly. The only way to eliminate that problem is to require each customer to install a ground storage tank with an air gap . This will physically separate the systems . 11021-3 Minutes of the BAWA Board - October 21, 1981 In order to be assured of an approved water system, BAWA could consider its present customers, as well as future customers a part of one system or consider BAWA a separate entity and require all others, including Baytown to have tanks and air gaps . Also, it would be possible to have a combination of the two systems . One consideration would be to have direct connections, with BAWA funding and providing storage requirements . MUD 1B, Highlands and McNair/Linus have all indicated that they have no funds available to construct tanks . However, they would be willing to pay an extra charge for water if BAWA would construct the air gaps . BAWA could develop a base rate • with additional charges for providing storage or air gaps . The Administration requested guidance from the Board as to the direction to proceed. The question is whether the Board felt that several small ground and elevated storage facilities would be preferable to a few large storage facilities . The Board felt that in order to make a deter- mination, it would be necessary to obtain cost estimates . Board member Buenz felt that several large tanks would be preferred over a multiplicity of small tanks . Mr. Lanham responded that the only disadvantage that the Administration could visualize to that system is that BAWA would have no control over its customers ' dis- tribution systems except by contract . The State Department of Health requires that there be a provision in the contract that would give BAWA the right to inspect any system that is directly connected to the BAWA system at anytime . Board member Gillette inquired if BAWA were to pro- vide storage facilities for these various entities , would BAWA incur other liabilities? Danny Jackson, Assistant City Attorney, stated that he felt the contract contained specific provisions to protect BAWA, but the legal staff will research this question and report to the Board. Mr. Lanham mentioned that since BAWA is comprised of a large area to the north of Baytown and since BAWA has encouraged the Harris-Galveston Subsidence District to eliminate wells in the area, BAWA has some responsibility to attempt to provide water service to developing areas . The Board concurred. Mr. Dykes reported that in order to meet State re- quirements, if BAWA were to connect to Baytown, McNair/Linus , Highlands, MUD 1B, Coady, Thompson Road MUD, and Lake MUD, utilizing credit for tanks in those systems , there would be a need for just over 2 million gallons ground storage and 22 million elevated storage . Baytown has plans to construct 12 million elevated storage; therefore, 1 million gallons elevated storage would still be necessary . • Thompson Road Municipal Utility District has re- quested service. The estimated need for Thompson Road MUD is 614, 250 gallons per day. The expected population for that district is 4, 724 . The needs are based on 32 persons per connections using 130 gallons per capita per day useage . Board member Buenz stated that it appears that the most logical approach would be a multiply rate structure. Mr. Lanham responded that most of the utility districts would prefer this approach . 11021-4 I Minutes of the BAWA Board - October 21, 1981 In response to a comment by the Board, Mr. Dykes explained that it would be preferable to have all the ground storage at the water treatment plant with the elevated storage located in the area to be served. Mr. Dykes stated that for some districts, it would be simplier for those districts to run a line to the air gap already available and purchase water at base rate . Others are equipped only with a well . Some districts may want to put in an air gap, but not invest a large amount in storage . Board member Buenz stated that what the Board needed was a scenario of assumptions, setting forth what entities • will be utilizing BAWA water, at what point will an additional elevated storage tank be necessary and the cost , and the timing and cost of an additional surface water tank. After those assumption are made, rates can be developed. There being no further business to be transacted, the meeting was adjourned. /q) Peter R. Buen Secretary •