PROJECT INFORMATION:
In 1990, the Bridger Valley Joint Powers Board requested assistance from the WWDC in determining
the feasibility of expanding the board's service area. The Joint Powers Board presently supplies water
to the towns of Mountain View and Lyman; the Blacks Fork, Lower Bench and Fort Bridger Water
Districts; and 176 individual homes and businesses. Water users not in the service area have no
potable water or have poor quality water in limited supplies. The Bridger Valley Joint Powers Board
felt at that time they had sufficient water rights and water treatment plant capacity to serve additional
users not included in the present service area.
In 1991, the WWDC completed the Level I study which evaluated the possibility of serving additional
areas. The areas identified as the most likely to connect to the present system include: the area east
of Mountain View and south of Lyman; the area surrounding Millburne, which is south of the Fort
Bridger Water District and west of Mountain View; and the area surrounding the Uinta County
Highway Shop which is north of the treatment plant. These areas were organized into the Pioneer
Water and Sewer District. The cost to connect the district to the present system was estimated to be
$3,440,000. The number of potential taps in the district was estimated to be approximately 120. The
costs to the potential users to purchase water from the board and repay the loans was estimated at $60$
65 per month per tap.
Due to the Joint Powers Board's inability to provide the necessary loan security, as the proposed
project was outside its boundaries, the Pioneer Water and Sewer District took over as the project
sponsor.
In 1992, the Level II study defined the proposed transmission pipeline alignment, provided mapping
of the proposed alignment, investigated the geologic conditions along that alignment, and evaluated
the present water treatment plant. The Level II study found that the Bridger Valley Joint Powers
Board system is operating at its maximum capacity and will need a major upgrade to provide clean
water to its current members in the very near future. The Lyman Springs, which are a major
component of the area water supply, also became a concern due to the possibility of EPA regulation.
In 1993, the sponsor requested an extension of the Level II study. This Level II study extension would
investigate the possibility of developing a groundwater source. This groundwater source could serve
the Pioneer District and be tied into the Bridger Valley Regional System as an additional water supply.
This additional study was to include a groundwater exploration program and will provide conceptual
plans and detailed cost estimates for a groundwater supply system to serve the district or to serve the
regional system, depending on the results of the groundwater exploration program.
In 1994, the Level II study determined that there is a surface water connection problem with the
Lyman Springs. The Lyman Springs Rehabilitation project has been authorized for construction. In
1995, due to the protests of the land owners in the area, the sponsors decided not to pursue the
groundwater exploration program. The joint powers board is presently evaluating alternative
improvements to the water treatment plant.
RECOMMENDED LEGISLATIVE ACTION:
The WWDC recommends that the project be placed on Level II-Hold status.