PROJECT INFORMATION:
The project adheres to a water system master plan for the city of Douglas and the adjacent areas
served by the city. There are currently 2,275 taps within the corporate limits of the city of
Douglas and approximately 75 outside the city limits. A population of 5,800 is currently being
served. The areas outside the city include users along the Little Box Elder Spring transmission
line, users along the Sheep Mountain Well transmission line, and users within the Ridgewater
Estates Improvement and Service District.
The city currently has three sources of potable water: 1) the Little Box Elder Spring, 2) the water
treatment plant located along the North Platte River, and 3) the Sheep Mountain well. The master
plan evaluated the existing transmission and distribution system and examined the ability of the
sources in the system to meet the current demands and future demands in the anticipated areas of
growth in Douglas. Hydraulic modeling was used to isolate the cause for low water pressure
problems in two areas of the city, the Riverbend subdivision and Frontier Village. Potential
system modifications were considered to meet current and projected growth areas which are
experiencing inadequate system pressures. Preliminary designs were prepared for potential
solutions and cost estimates were made for remedying transmission and distribution problems.
The city of Douglas has experienced steady growth since the late 1980's. Additional potable
water sources have been added to meet the increasing demands in the system. However, the
entire transmission, distribution and storage system had not been evaluated or updated. The water
treatment plant and the Sheep Mountain well have been added to the system over the years. As
they were added to the system, the impacts of each source on the entire system was never
thoroughly evaluated.
Evaluation of options to resolve the issues identified in the Master Plan Document (Level I
Study) was conducted by Civil Engineering Professionals Incorporated of Casper, Wyoming. As
a result of the evaluation the rehabilitation of the Little Box Elder Spring is underway. To address
the Safe Drinking Water Act " ground water under the influence of surface water issues, a well
drilling program has been initiated to intercept the flows before it rises to the surface. Beneficial
use of this project is expected in early 2003.
A contract for rehabilitation of the town's tanks was awarded in early 2001 and was completed in
2002. A third project to reconstruct the Wyoming Law Enforcement Academy booster station
was also completed in the summer of 2002.
RECOMMENDED LEGISLATIVE ACTION:
It is recommended that the project appropriation be increased by $75,000, from $1,995,000 to
$2,070,000, which is a grant for 60% of the actual project costs, to cover potential contingencies
in the completion of the project. It is also recommended the reversion date be extended to 2004.
