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Oak Creek water capacity questioned

Zach Fridell

— The Oak Creek Public Works Department is taking a critical look at the water treatment plant as officials find that the facility isn’t performing up to expectations.

During an Oak Creek Town Board meeting Thursday night, Public Works Director Bob Red­­­ding said the treatment facility is strained as it produces 400,000 gallons per day in the summer. When the plant was built in 2004, however, the town was told the plant should be able to produce 1 million gallons.

Engineering consultants from the Civil Design firm in Steam­boat Springs visited the plant Thurs­day morning, Redding said, and found that at least a portion of the pipe feeding into the plant is 8 inches in diameter, though it should be 12 inches.



The line feeding the plant is about 2 miles long, Redding said, and Board Member Chuck Wisecup said most of that was 10- or 12-inch pipe, but it apparently drops to 8-inch pipe either at the plant or just before.

Mayor J Elliott said the worst-case scenario is that the town would have to replace a portion of that pipe, though it’s not clear whether that would solve the problem or if the plant would have to be expanded to meet the expected output.



Engineers are working to find a copy of the original blueprints from the state because the state originally funded a portion the plant’s construction, Redding said.

Fire truck enclosure

Oak Creek Fire Protection District board member Ken Burgess told the board he is working to get a grant to create an enclosure for the 1937 Chevrolet fire truck that is parked downtown in Bucket Park.

Burgess said that through local historical societies, he is requesting a grant for $12,000, with a $10,000 match from the town. He said he already has half of that matching money and hopes to get the rest through in-kind donations.

He said the structure would be glassed in on two sides and sit on a concrete slab, with room around the fire truck for other historical elements such as antique fire hoses.

Reports

Town Board member Wendy Gustafson said there is a possibility for the town to get a grant from LiveWell Colorado to create an Oak Creek or South Routt parks and recreation department.

Town Clerk Karen Halterman said she also would like the town to consider changing town employees to a four-days-per-week schedule because so many other state and local government employees are furloughed on Fridays that it makes conducting business difficult.


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