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Summary of Fire Department Issues for EWEB Advisory Group <br /> <br /> From Reggie Augsburger as of ~l~~<Z <br /> • Issues Summary <br /> 1. Fire hydrant maintenance and repairs have become a financial hardship for the Fire/EMS <br /> Dept, whose $20,000 annual budget for this function is quickly expended at $3,000 per repair. <br /> The department can no longer sustain this program at an acceptable level. The benefit to EWEB <br /> in helping the City secure funding for hydrant repair/maintenance at an appropriate level is that the <br /> City would contract with them for maintenance of the hydrant system, which would give EWEB <br /> control over this component of the water system. The benefit to the City is that it would address <br /> the backlog of work orders for hydrant maintenance and also allow the City to take advantage of <br /> scheduled EWEB hydrant work to do needed maintenance or additions, and create a much needed <br /> capital replacement program. <br /> The City and EWEB have met on this issue several times over the past two years. At a meeting <br /> late last year; EWEB representatives stated they could assume responsibility for this program <br /> area, and that it made operational sense to do so. The City had been in negotiations with EWEB <br /> to this end, and was offering two pieces of City-owned property as an enticement. Unfortunately <br /> for this endeavor, those properties have already been conveyed to EWEB. Est. cost to address <br /> backlog = $35,000; no estimates available for an appropriate level of annual funding for on-going <br /> costs, but an annual budget of $130,000 could be proposed for this purpose. <br /> 2. Laurel Valley area doesn't currently meet minimum fireflow requirements. There have been <br /> several situations where build permits were granted with sprinkler systems. EWEB has agreed to <br /> put in redundant lines to help address this, but it probably won't happen until next year. Options <br /> for increasing fireflow are: a) implement a water rate increase (this is unlikely) or b) have the City <br /> issue g.o. bonds to finance the needed upgrades. <br /> ? Key Documents <br /> ? EWEB Contacts <br /> Page -13- <br /> <br />