New elementary school coming to Herriman
5600 West, just south of the splash pad
The Jordan School District Board of Education approved a new elementary school in Herriman City at approximately 14000 South and 5600 West/Rosecrest Road. The board recommended this location for several reasons. From a transportation perspective, this school will service students that are relatively close to the school. It is anticipated that most of the students will be within walking distance of the elementary school. Direct road access to the school site from nearby housing developments will facilitate safe walking routes. This school will help to off-load some of the pressure experienced in other schools, reducing the need for portables. It is anticipated that this school will be open year round and should open in July of 2014.
Your water bill: a closer look
If you live in an area that will have secondary water this summer, then you have some decisions to make. You probably have some questions as well. If you haven’t read my earlier posts, check them out.
Some questions you might be asking right now are:
Do I want to spend the time and money it will take to connect to the secondary system this year? Is all this work worth it? How much money will I really save?
Most homes will use about 40,000 gallons of water in the summer months. The following illustrates a comparison of two homes in the secondary coverage area – one home using secondary water and another using culinary water. Shown below is an example of both homes using 40,000 gallons for indoor and outdoor use. The first illustration demonstrates a breakdown of a water bill for one using 40,000 gallons of culinary water alone. The second example shows how a user will save if the resident uses 10,000 gallons for indoor use and the remaining 30,000 gallons of outdoor use as secondary water. You can see that in the summer months, using secondary water will save you about $5 a month. As our culinary costs continue to rise, I presume that the disparity between culinary and secondary water costs will only increase.
| Current Culinary Rate | |||||
| Based on an average use of 40,000 gallons per month | |||||
| Cost/kgal | K gal used | Cost | |||
|
$1.68 |
0-10k gal |
$16.80 |
|||
|
$1.73 |
10-25K gal |
$25.95 |
|||
|
$1.78 |
25-40k gal |
$26.70 |
|||
| Usage |
$69.45 |
||||
| Base fee |
$24.00 |
||||
| Total |
$93.45 |
||||
| Adopted Secondary Rate | |||||
| Based on 10,000 gallons of indoor & 30,000 gallons of outdoor | |||||
| Cost/kgal | k gal used | Cost | |||
|
$1.35 |
0-10k gal |
$13.50 |
|||
|
$1.65 |
10-25k gal |
$24.75 |
|||
|
$1.90 |
25-30k al |
$9.50 |
|||
| Usage |
$47.75 |
||||
| Cul. Indoor $16.80 | |||||
| Base fee |
$24.00 |
||||
| Total |
$88.55 |
||||
The city of Herriman released a document encouraging those in the coverage area to hook up to the system. You can read it here: WATER Fact Sheet Final-1.
As always, if you have questions, feel free to contact me by commenting here or via email at Mikedayherriman@live.com
Thanks!
Secondary Water Rate Schedule
On Thursday, April 12, Herriman City Council passed a water rate schedule for secondary water.
Most of Herriman falls within this water rate structure as most of the city does not have access to secondary water
Those within the secondary water coverage area will pay more for culinary water once they begin using culinary water for outdoor use. This is to incentivize using secondary water for outdoor irrigation.
Culinary water rates increase once users hit the 10,000 threshold
Those in the coverage area who use secondary water for outdoor irrigation will see a decrease in their water bill as the cost of providing secondary water is less than culinary water. The more users that hook into the system, the more the entire city saves on our culinary rates. This is due to the fact that we will not peak as high in the summer months in our demand for culinary water purchased from the JVWCD.
All users in the secondary coverage area will see a base fee on their bill beginning in October 2o12. The total base fee for those in the secondary coverage area will be $27.50 – $10.50 for secondary water and $17.00 for culinary.
Questions about secondary water
Why has Herriman constructed a secondary water system?
Shortly after incorporation in the year 2000, Herriman City had a study completed by Sunrise Engineering. The results of this study concluded that a secondary water system would extend the life of our culinary system. From an economic perspective, a secondary water system helps transfer lower costs to the residents. 55% of the culinary water used in Herriman is purchased from an outside entity. By limiting the amount of water purchased from the Jordan Valley Water Conservancy District (JVWCD), Herriman is able to transfer lower rates to all users of the culinary system.
Secondary Water Timeline - courtesy Delinda Bodero
How do I connect to the secondary water system?
Watch this video for instructions on how to connect to the secondary system.
Is the water department making money off the residents of Herriman?
The proposed rates of secondary water will cover the cost of the service provided. Those who use less water will be charged less. The water department is not generating profits, rather it is covering the cost of the service provided. The revenues generated from the water rates are used to provide for service. The city does not transfer money from the water department to pay for road maintenance, for example.
Why will secondary water be metered?
Studies have shown that metering is one effective way to reduce water consumption and increase user accountability. A five year study performed by the Utah Division of Water Resources determined that unmetered secondary water users generally use 47% more than necessary to sustain a healthy, green lawn (Richards, Gregory: Metering Secondary Water Systems in Residential Irrigation Systems, Utah State University, 5/1/09, p.12).
The Weber Basin Conservancy District is making the move to meter all secondary connections with the goal of decreasing use 25% across the entire system. By having users pay for what they use, metering helps to ensure fairness to all users of both culinary and secondary water.
Why are the proposed secondary rates more expensive than Riverton’s rates?
The reason the proposed secondary water rates in Herriman are higher than Riverton is due to the fact that our costs are significantly higher. Residents who have access to secondary water will experience lower rates than if they use culinary water to water their lawns, but the rate will be somewhat higher than Riverton residents pay, for several reasons.
1. Riverton’s secondary water system was installed approximately 15-20 years ago. Infrastructure costs were lower at that time.
2. Riverton received grant monies from state and federal agencies that did not have to be repaid. $4.457 million came from the Central Utah Conservancy District, with an additional $2.215 million from the Environmental Protection Agency. This amount is very close to the cost Herriman incurred by constructing Blackridge Reservoir and its associated support systems, all of which were paid by bonds that must be repaid via our water rates.
3. Riverton has significantly lower pumping costs – they have canals running through their city that Herriman does not. The secondary water flows into Riverton City boundaries via canal and therefore the pumping costs are lower. 30% of the proposed $0.92 per 1,000 gallon fee is used just to get the water into Herriman’s system.
4. Riverton does not have the elevation issues that Herriman faces. Herriman has to pump secondary to a high elevation (Blackridge reservoir) and then pump this to the system. This distance causes the entire system to cost more as pipe and pumping costs are compounded over the greater length of the pipe.
No system is created equal. Herriman has a much newer secondary system, funded by monies that must be repaid. Herriman has a higher elevation profile with higher pumping costs. By comparing both systems, it is reasonable to see why costs will differ depending on the variables that affect the system.
Secondary Water – Coming This Spring
Knowing the importance of water resource management, Herriman City adopted a secondary water plan in April 2004. We will reach a major milestone this April as the first lawns in Herriman will be watered with secondary water.
The Price of Water Preservation
The majority of our culinary water is purchased from Jordan Valley Water Conservancy District (JVWCD) at a premium price that has increased and will continue to increase over time. Secondary water systems are designed to provide alternate water for outdoor irrigation to save high quality and expensive water sources for drinking and indoor use.
While these systems are important to reduce dependence on expensive water sources, there are significant costs associated with their development including construction cost, the availability of alternate water sources and the added cost of operation and maintenance.
An increase in water costs to Herriman City and the construction costs of our secondary system will result in a water rate increase for all residents to take effect in July 2012. The rate increase will most likely be very similar to the chart shown below. The exact rate increase will be voted on by the city council next week on March 22. I anticipate that the council will vote for the increase as the costs of providing secondary water as well as the increase in costs of culinary water purchased from JVWCD must be met. If the increase is different from what is shown below, I will post the change.
Why will there be an increase in water rates?
We have kept resident rates constant for the past couple years, but the 8% water rate increase from JVWC requires an increase in our water rates.
The costs associated with constructing our secondary system need to be paid by those that are in the coverage area. While I do not believe we should demand users in the coverage area use secondary water, the rate structure is such that it will create an incentive to use secondary water for their outdoor needs. Those who live in the secondary coverage area but still wish to water their lawns with culinary water will be free to do so, but at a higher rate than in the past.
What this means to your wallet
As you can see in the chart below, homes not in the secondary water service area will see a 5% increase in their water rates in July 2012. Those in the secondary access area will see an increase of 4.06% if they opt to use secondary water for their outdoor irrigation needs. If they choose to use culinary water to irrigate their landscaping, they will see a significant increase in what they pay during summer months -as much as 21.5% more.
Proposed changes to the water rates base on average water usage in Herriman
How do I connect to the secondary water system?
Watch this video for instructions on connecting to the secondary water system.
We Can All Do Our Part to Conserve
As a community, we can all be more committed to better management and protection of our water resources.
Tips from Utah’s Division of Water Resources
at www.conservewater.utah.gov/tips:
Plant drought-tolerant and regionally adapted plants.
Sweep your driveways and sidewalks with a broom instead of using water.
Check outdoor faucets, pipes, hoses, and pools for leaks.
Change your lawn mower to a 3-inch clipping height.
Sign up for secondary water when it is available in your area.
2012 Herriman City Event Calendar
Everyone loves to come out to the events in Herriman during the warmer months. I am excited that we are working on establishing a tradition of long distance racing in Herriman. I am hopeful that we will have our first marathon, which is tentatively set on the schedule for May 19th.
My family really enjoys the entertainment that we bring in for Herriman Days. This year The Party Crashers (see: http://bit.ly/yEHVUr ) will be coming to Herriman June 9th. You can enjoy their music at Butterfield Park free of charge. I look forward to seeing everyone come out for Herriman Days as well as our other events this year! I appreciate all the work our dedicated city staff puts in to make certain that our events are successful. Without our staff this would not be possible!
The Partycrashers are coming to Herriman
Construction along 134th South
The Questar Gas Feeder Line is well underway and has now entered Herriman boundaries, as is painfully obvious for the residents of Herriman.
The length of the project is roughly an 8.5 mile stretch of 134th South spanning both Riverton and Herriman. Traffic control is in place in all work zones, with lane restrictions in place with at least one lane open in both directions. The speed limit in construction zones is 30 mph. Safety messages include driving cautiously, taking alternate routes when possible and obeying flaggers.
Questar will only work on one intersection at a time. They are nearing completion of their work at the 5000 W. intersection and will be moving on to NIGHT work only at the 5600 W. intersection within the next few weeks. The project through Herriman will extend to roughly 8000 West. Residents should expect probable lane restrictions and continually adjusting traffic patterns. The estimated project completion time is early April 2012
For questions, concerns or additional information, residents can call (801) 324-5548
Herriman’s Economic Strategic Plan
Last night the city council met for several hours with key staff and members of the economic development committee at Herriman City Hall to overview our goals and direction for economic development in Herriman. For several months Nicole Martin, our economic development coordinator, has worked to gather data in order to determine the best direction we can take with respect to business recruitment and retention.
The economic development committee executed an online survey to determine what residents like most and least about living in Herriman.
Residents MOST liked:
1. Open Space
2. Safe neighborhoods
3. Family friendly environment
Residents LEAST liked:
1. Lack of sit down restaurants
2. Lack of shopping
3. Access to transportation
Residents were surveyed as to what they would most like to see brought to Herriman City. 40% responded that they would like restaurants in our city. 23% would like retail shopping and 13% requested more grocery stores. The committee took this information and put together some goals for Herriman City.
Goals
1. Expand Herriman’s economic base with new retail and commercial businesses by assisting existing businesses to expand and by recruiting new businesses.
2. Encourage the development of a business park/employment center that will provide quality, good-paying jobs in our community.
3. Pursue infrastructure improvements that will increase mobility and access to and from Herriman, provide “shovel-ready” sites, and offer state-of-the-art technology.
4. Maintain and expand the high quality of life and rural atmosphere in Herriman.
To attain the goals we have set forth, Herriman will need to continue to foster an environment friendly to both residential and commercial development. With the construction of the Mountain View Corridor underway, Herriman will be in a great position to recruit businesses that offer retail shopping to our residents.
Many of the types of businesses that Herriman is working to attract have minimum requirements that must be met in order to assure that the business will be viable. For many of the big box stores, a trade area population of 100,000 with regional access and freeway visibility is preferred. We see this all along Bangerter Highway where our neighbors to the east and north have their shopping centers.
When residents of one community travel to another city and spend their money for services, approximately 1% of the money spent at the point of sale eventually makes it into the general fund of that city. This spending outside of one’s community is referred to as leakage. Every city experiences some of this, but the goal of many communities is to limit leakage as much as possible.
This is one reason why cities work to recruit economic development within their boundaries. The more a city is able to keep their population spending their dollars within their boundaries, the more revenue is generated for services that municipalities provide. In our meeting last night we discussed the importance of sharing with residents the importance of supporting our local businesses. By doing so, we not only show our appreciation to those who have invested in our community, but we also help to keep the taxes we spend put to work within our boundaries.
As we move forward I will continue to write about projects within Herriman City and how they will contribute to our goals. With the upcoming Herriman Towne Center and its proposed 68 acres of commercial development, we are in the midst of some exciting changes in Herriman!
Southwest Regional Park Plan
On Thursday, January 12th, Lynn Larsen from Salt Lake County came to our city council meeting to discuss the Southwest Regional Park Plan. Many months ago the county asked for input from the neighboring communities to ascertain the type of park that could be constructed in the southwest corner of the Salt Lake Valley. Citizens of Herriman, Riverton and Bluffdale were surveyed and responded that they would like a regional park with more informal open space. Plans were approved that show a large park with informal open space combined with 5 multi purpose fields.
The county plans on constructing this 80 acre park at 140th South and 27th West in Bluffdale. At this time the county owns the land but does not have sufficient funds to complete the park. It is estimated that it will cost $15-18 million to complete this project. ZAP funds will not be available for several years, with the option to bond for this park coming in 2017. Unless things change, I do not anticipate this park being completed before 2017. The fact that the county owns the land for the park demonstrates a commitment to constructing a regional park in our section of the valley and lends me to believe that it will be completed when funding becomes available.
SW-Community Park-Comm Parks for Open House (2)
Intermountain Rose Canyon Clinic
Recently representatives from the Rose Canyon Clinic came to our work meeting to address the city council and answer questions. The new Intermountain Rose Canyon Clinic will open this fall at 5541 West 134th South in the empty lot across 134th South behind the existing Golden West credit union. The clinic will have services in family medicine, physical therapy, lab and x-ray. This 11,500 square foot facility will be a welcome addition to our community.
