RMDWC MEMBER NEWSLETTER
Late June, 2018
We welcome Paul Schmucker to the RMDWC Board. Paul was elected by the membership at the January, 2018 membership meeting and was subsequently elected Vice President by the Board. As State Water Commissioner for the Leroux Creek drainage, Paul brings immense expertise and continual awareness to the job. Especially in this year of increased water concern, Paul’s presence is a particular asset to the Board. Welcome Paul!
Don’t be concerned over water discoloration!
In this upcoming first week of July, RMDWC staff will be performing our annual flushing of the water mains. The purpose is to remove deposits of naturally occurring tannins from inside our pipes. We will get most of it out through our hydrants but it’s possible you may notice that your water looks a like weak tea for a little while. This discoloration is harmless and you can drink it without concern – or you may choose to flush your own water line until the color improves. But please don’t waste water unnecessarily!
Our water supply, leak detection, and reporting.
These hot, dry, windy days are sure parching Rogers Mesa – and there’s no end in sight. Water is too precious a resource to squander at any time and Jim, our system manager, is redoubling his efforts to locate and repair any water leaks in our system. This challenging assignment is even more difficult during the irrigation season when the land is generally green and there is a certain amount of fugitive water out there. You can help: PLEASE report any surface water that seems suspicious (no obvious source) or patches of green vegetation where it’s not expected. We want to know: Please email rogersmesadomesticwater@gmail.com or call 970-424-2250. Be sure to tell us how we can contact you.
Water conservation.
The Town of Hotchkiss recently instituted water restrictions on its customers by limiting outside watering to odd and even days. This is a pretty modest first step in the hierarchy of water conservation measures and is useful as an ongoing reminder that our supplies are limited and encourages us to voluntarily adopt our own conservation practices. RMDWC staff and Board are closely tracking the supply and demand equation. We can all help stave off more onerous potential regulation by voluntarily adopting habits that save water. You can find helpful suggestions at: https://www.care2.com/greenliving/20-ways-to-conserve-water-at-home.html
Backflow prevention.
Speaking of regulation, RMDWC is now mandated to install backflow preventers at any likely source of system contamination.
For example: Say you are filling your stock tank (a potential source of dirty water) from a hose connected to our system. If the system pressure drops (due, perhaps, to a catastrophic leak), the water may run from your hydrant back to the our main, drawing contaminated water into the system. A backflow preventer (also called a check valve) can prevent this.
We are presently working with commercial customers to assess their systems and help them comply with the new rules. But just because we may not have gotten to you yet doesn’t mean there is no risk. You can help protect the safety of our system by installing a BFP on any hose that’s left in a stock tank, your yard irrigation system, or any of a few other potential risk points. This is a case of “an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.” RMDWC is happy to provide you a hose-adapted BFP. Just contact us at: rogersmesadomesticwater@gmail.com or call 970-424-2250. Be sure to tell us how we can contact you.
