Chris Pelletier

Nederland

This April, the Town of Nederland is asking voters to accept debt and approve the Town’s pursuit of a loan for the amount of $2 million to support operations at Nederland’s Waste Water Treatment Facility. It has become increasingly urgent to develop a process to stabilize operational costs. The town currently trucks excess waste away and stores the remaining amount in an onsite storage pond. The cost to truck and store waste continues to rise and the town recognizes that future costs will be unsustainable and result in unpredictable rate increases. Colorado Department of Health and Environment (CDPHE) has mandated that the onsite pond be re-lined under suspicions that it leaks. This would come at an estimated cost of nearly $500,000 and still result in the practice of trucking and storing waste. Additionally, odor violations from storing waste on-site can bring about fines of up to $15,000 per day. This is recognized as an unacceptable burden to the Town’s rate payers.

The proposed loan will support a project designed to break waste down further and reduce hauling by 90%. This project will also eliminate the pond and the need to reline it. The estimated cost of the project is $2 million. The town is pursuing a grant for the amount of $950,000 to off-set the cost of the loan and reduce the Town’s debt. The purpose of this project is to stabilize future budgets and reduce the burden on the Town’s users. Staff and Engineers have spent several years studying and developing a plan for the most sustainable method to efficiently treat waste and reduce overall cost. Please support this effort in April as Staff works to reduce your costs. Staff will hold a public forum to discuss this important project on January 31, March 1, and March 29, 2018, between 7 and 9 pm at the Nederland Community Center. Staff invites residents to stop by and learn more about this effort. If you have any questions feel free to contact Public Works Manager, Chris Pelletier at 303-258-3167, chrisp@nederlandco.org.