by Carol Dunn
CUCHARA- The Cucharas Sanitation and Water District is asking part-time Pine Haven residents to contact the District office when they are returning for the season. The new water system has the potential to deliver water at very high pressure, and some homes need to have a pressure reducer installed before the water is turned on. A District employee can check the pressure at the valve and install the reducer if needed. At the May 8 meeting, Chairman Leon Skaggs said all homeowners in Pine Haven will need to make arrangements with contractors to get hooked up this summer if they haven’t already. Letters will go out with the next billing listing contact information for three area contractors who are licensed and bonded to do the work.
On behalf of the General Manager, Skaggs reported that crews have been looking for locations of infiltration and inflow of groundwater into the sewer manholes. A couple dozen have been found, with seven that need immediate and extensive work. Work on most of these problem spots cannot begin until the water table has dropped. Skaggs said the inflow results in about 30,000 extra gallons of water running through the sewage treatment plant.
Director Dan Brewer told the Board that fire destroyed a structure at Cuchara Pass Ranch. It is being investigated, but may have been started by a leaking propane line that became entombed in snow. Brewer said the amount of snow on the ground probably prevented a forest fire.
The District’s Consumer Confidence Report is posted on its web site or is available for review at the District office. Speaking of the web site (www. cuchara.org), Director Jim Howard told the Board, “I’ve already had positive comments on the web cam.”
