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District considers ballot for water question
By Nicole Chillino
In much of northern El Paso County, water districts face an impending need for a renewable water supply.
Donala Water and Sanitation District is contemplating asking its voting public in May to allow it to buy bonds to help it pay for a means of piping a renewable water supply to its system, according to a statement from the district. While the district recently purchased water rights belonging to the Mount Massive Ranch near Leadville, it has to tap into the water through an entity with access to Arkansas River water, since water from the ranch flows into one of the river’s tributaries, according to information from Donala’s general manager Dana Duthie.
Donala is trying to connect to the river through Colorado Springs Utilities, which owns several points of diversion along the Arkansas that could be tapped into, according to the information.
The district will be evaluating whether it needs to increase its debt to pipe the water to patrons, and if it decides to ask the taxpayers to issue more debt, whether the issuance will require a tax increase, Duthie said.
Before the May election, Ciruli Associates will be surveying residents in Donala, asking questions about perceived water issues, particularly in the area; questions about obtaining a source of renewable water and opinions about strategies to conserve water, said Floyd Ciruli, the company’s founder.
“We want [to survey] registered voters who vote in regular mail-back elections,” he said. The May election will feature mail-in ballots only, which are typically used by between one-quarter and one-third of an electorate, Ciruli said.
“The goal is to try and get a pretty good snapshot of what we’re going to do [for the election],” he said.
Donala Water and Sanitation District is contemplating asking its voting public in May to allow it to buy bonds to help it pay for a means of piping a renewable water supply to its system, according to a statement from the district. While the district recently purchased water rights belonging to the Mount Massive Ranch near Leadville, it has to tap into the water through an entity with access to Arkansas River water, since water from the ranch flows into one of the river’s tributaries, according to information from Donala’s general manager Dana Duthie.
Donala is trying to connect to the river through Colorado Springs Utilities, which owns several points of diversion along the Arkansas that could be tapped into, according to the information.
The district will be evaluating whether it needs to increase its debt to pipe the water to patrons, and if it decides to ask the taxpayers to issue more debt, whether the issuance will require a tax increase, Duthie said.
Before the May election, Ciruli Associates will be surveying residents in Donala, asking questions about perceived water issues, particularly in the area; questions about obtaining a source of renewable water and opinions about strategies to conserve water, said Floyd Ciruli, the company’s founder.
“We want [to survey] registered voters who vote in regular mail-back elections,” he said. The May election will feature mail-in ballots only, which are typically used by between one-quarter and one-third of an electorate, Ciruli said.
“The goal is to try and get a pretty good snapshot of what we’re going to do [for the election],” he said.
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