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City water finally reaching out to Palo Verde

Homeowners shoulder much of financial burden

Construction of a water main to serve the Palo Verde subdivision wrapped up Friday, bringing the area closer to the water service it has sought since 2004.

Nearing the end of a decade-long effort is “unbelievable” for J.D. Feuquay, the president of the Palo Verde Homeowners Association.

“It took a long time to get the agreement for the city to think it would be the right thing to do,” he said.

Palo Verde property owners, who live east of Three Springs, started advocating for water service because they thought encroaching development and a decline in irrigation locally would hurt their well production. This is what has happened over the years, Feuquay said.

While Three Springs hurt Palo Verde wells, it also brought in the solution: city water lines.

City officials set the issue aside during the recession. But the homeowners association brought the issue to the city in 2010 and 2011. An agreement was finally reached in 2012.

Since then, Palo Verde residents have shouldered much of the financial burden.

In 2013, the residents formed a public improvement district and approved a property-tax increase to cover $430,000 for a water main, subsequent water lines and water meters.

In addition, the homeowners association paid $94,894 to cover the city fees to bring water to 17 homes, according to city documents.

Eight property owners are not interested in water service at this time for various reasons. Five owners have good wells, two lots already have water service lines but have chosen not to connect at this time and one lot is empty. But paying the plant-investment fees now will leave the option open for property owners to connect to city water in the future.

Today, nine homeowners hope to enter required agreements with the city, but it will not be a controversial issue. In fact, those residents have already built their individual lines to connect to the water meters.

With the main and the home lines finished, all that remains are the lateral lines and the water meters. But with winter weather upon Durango, it is hard to know if the lines can be installed by the district before the ground is frozen.

“Everybody is faced with a pretty short deadline to get it done,” Feuquay said.

mshinn@durangoherald.com



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