Fort Walton Beach Council minutes — 10-12-1999 Joint — reading text

she feels responsible for some of this. Whenever she was on the City Council this issue was being discussed. Now that she is a member of the Board of County commissioners, the water issue is still being talked about. She said she has put pressure on county staff as she does not want to get 20 years down the line and still talking about water. be Mrs. Riggs said she sees county moving the forward and the cities not moving and suggested the cities put something on the table. The county has put together a proposal and brought it to the cities. The first formal proposal was sent on March 15, 1999. She does not have any documentation saying there was a counter- proposal. The second draft was submitted on July 15. Seven months have passed and she wanted to know why the cities have not made a counter- proposal. Mr. Lulue said the expense of a dual pipeline was talked about. It will cost about 25% more to put two pipelines together. He asked how large or what capacity can the county afford to build if we don' t have joint ownership without participation. Mr. Littrell replied the present design calls for a 24- inch pipe. The 24- inch pipeline will provide the supplemental needs of Okaloosa county for 20 years with 650, 000 gallons per day for Mary Esther and 1. 9 million gallons per day for Fort Walton Beach and to do this under gravity flow. To completely replace Fort Walton Beach' s production is not in the plan right now. To do this we would either have to step up the pipeline size to 30 inches or install pumps to the 20- inch pipeline. Mr. Littrell said the county has proposed to finance 100% of that 650, 000 gallons per day Mary Esther and 1. 9 million gallons per for day for Fort Walton Beach and is proposing to sell them water on a wholesale basis. As far as Okaloosa county staff is concerned, if the cities wanted to put a pipeline on the easement, we are certainly willing and have no objections. There is probably enough room in the existing easement for another pipeline. We have discussed this informally with Eglin representatives. The county has no fundamental objections to the concept as the pipeline has to be built anyway. Okaloosa County has made a commitment to reduce the consumptive use from the Florida aquifer and has agreed not to ask for any increases during the next 20 years but to reduce the water consumption. Mr. Lulue know how long the county can go without the wanted to cities participating in the cost recovery. Mr. Littrell replied the county has a responsibility and can justify even up to a 30- inch pipeline. October 12, 1999 - 6- Minute Book 43, pag~ 81 Board of County Commissioners Meeting  Ms. O' Dell wanted to know the difference in construction cost of 24- and 3D- inch pipeline. Mr. Littrell did not have these figures. Ms. said if all we O' Dell are looking at is 30- versus 24- inch pipe, it has to be justified then to those people who are paying the water bills. Mrs. Riggs added this is not being paid through ad valorem taxes. I It is an enterprise fund and will be paid by the water and sewer system customers. Mr. Littrell said the current proposal is for a 24- inch pipe under a 20- yearplan and includes selling water at wholesale prices to the cities if they need it. Ms. Margie Collins, Fort Walton Beach, wanted to know the lifetime of thepipeline. Mr. Littrell said there are major waterlines which are over 100 years old. These are made of cast iron. The Class 900 PVC pipe is expected to last decades. Mr. Jim Tucker, Fort Walton Beach, said the problem seems to be the confusion over the words " supplier" or " sole supplier." He expressed the opinion the county should be the supplier of the water that comes through Eglin. He wanted to know if the cities can continue to pump water. He would like for the cities to be able to buy the other six inches of the pipe. Mr. Carnathan said the cities are boxed in because of water costs of the existing structure and water costs of the new structure. The city is trying to juggle opportunities to secure future water supplies. The city has sufficient water supplies unless the Water Management District requires them to shut down the wells. Mr. Tucker wanted to know why the Water Management District would tell them to shut down. There has to be somebody in charge that has some stewardship. He has no problem with the county being the supplier of the water; however, he objects to the wording " sole supplier." Ms. Janet Baggett, Fort Walton Beach, said they are trying to supply water to the citizens at a reasonable rate and they may not need additional water. She doesn' t think the subject has been discussed at length with the entire council. Mr. Mary Esther, said Mr. Sansom' s comments were very George Crews, clear. advised there is a need to be a cooperative group and He I identify problems and find solutions. He understands the reasons why the county sent the agreement to the cities and then asks for our opinions. He expressed concern that the county has a consultant that doesn' t know the cost of a 3D- inch pipe. A group needs to consider the cost of the pipe, the cost of water, identify problems and work them out. He sees the county handling the October 12, 1999 - 7- Minute Book 43, Page282 Board of County Commissioners Meeting project requesting input from the cities. and He can see the county having to do something because the county needs water. However, if we had a cooperative group, we could work together. Ms. O' Dell said we have a group which is the RUA. They have the authority to be a sole source provider; however, the RUA has chosen not to be a water supplier. They gave the responsibility to the county, and the accept this responsibility because we county has to have 26, 000 customers. Management District has refused The Water to allow any increases in consumptive use permits in the south part of the county. The county has asked, through the RUA, for input from all of the cities in the county. The county has asked the cities, " What are your needs?" There was no response. All three counties are included. This has been going on for years. Mr. county did ask about the cities' needs and asked Lulue said the about immediate our future needs. Ms. 0' Dell said there is infrastructure in the south county. A 24- inch pipeline will supply the needs and the question is whether or not the cities are interested. Mr. Dunn said they are county citizens also. Ms. O' Dell said the " we" she is speaking of is the Okaloosa County Water and Sewer system customers which includes the unincorporated areas. Mr. Lulue said the proposed plan meets the needs of the county. He said the plan could have been drawn to include the future needs of everyone. He stressed that the county alone has an additional water requirement and the county is addressing it. He suggested there be a requirement for the placement of a separate pipeline for the users whenever they need it. Mrs. Riggs said Mr. Lulue is asking the county to build only what it needs. Mr. Lulue said the county is going to continue to use a lot from the Florida aquifer. If Mary Esther needed a new well tomorrow they would have to pay for it. They are still paying for infrastructure. Mr. Nicholson said in the beginning the county came up with a system to meet its needs. RUA then inquired about Fort Walton Beach Mary Esther. and The county got into this in order to take care of Mary Esther and Fort Walton Beach. Mr. Nicholson stressed the necessity of communicating and serving the needs of everybody. He said he has a feeling the county will be told the wells are being closed. Mr. Lulue said if the county had information now saying the wells will be closed, the cities would be able to take part in the pipeline. Everybody would share in the pipeline. October 12, 1999 - 8- Minute Book 43, page283 Board of County commissioners Meeting  Ms. Baggett said they have a difficult time making decisions in a guessing atmosphere. until the model in available, they can' t make decisions. Ms. O' Dell left at this time - 10: 35 a. m.) Mr.Nicholson said he is of the opinion the conclusion will be that I FortWalton Beach will be required to close down its wells. Baggett said she thinks it will take a while. Mr. He Ms. Covey said Okaloosa Island wells have been closed for years. believes we should be prepared to do something, and he is of the opinion it will be a short- term situation. Mr. Sansom said the county needs a 24- inch pipeline. It appears there are three possible solutions. ( 1) If the cities contribute to the project and are part owners, it is his opinion the part- owners have equal voting authority. ( 2) If we don' t know the future and the cities don' t want to take a chance and pay for the larger pipeline that time, should the county allow an additional pipe at at a later date? He answered " yes." ( 3) The third option is whether or not the county is going to be the sole provider? He said the county has never sat here and said we want to be the " sole provider" although that is an option. Mr. Sansom said he has individually heard from some of those