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 completed with construction of springs
modifications, funded by WWDC and the installation of bag filters funded by the Town of Lyman.
In 1995, due to the protests of the landowners in the area, the sponsors decided not to pursue the
groundwater exploration program. The joint powers board is presently upgrading their diversion and
treatment facilities.
RECOMMENDED LEGISLATIVE ACTION:
The WWDC recommends that the project be placed on Level II-Hold status.