During the September 8, 2021, Town of Rye meeting, Greg Colter, Operator in Responsible Charge (ORC), advised that there would be a violation to report in October’s billing. High reads of total trihalomethanes (TTHM) and haloacetic acids (HAA5) were showing, due to high total organic carbon (TOC).
Element Engineering processed the data and filed the report with the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment (CDPHE). Element Engineering was also working on a filter that would take out the TOCs before the membrane filtration system.
Levels of TTHM generally increase in the summer months due to the warmer temperatures, but can also be affected by changing amounts of disinfection added.
HAA5s are chemical compounds that contain chlorine and bromine created when water is disinfected. They are byproducts that occur during the chlorination of water; a procedure used by water treatment plants. These byproducts form when the chlorine used to disinfect water reacts with organic matter.
Total Organic Carbon (TOC) is a term used to describe the measurement of organic, carbon-based, contaminants in a water system. Organic contamination can come from a variety of sources, since "organics" are compounds such as sugar, sucrose, alcohol, petroleum, PVC cement, plastic-based derivatives, etc.
Colter informed the board he would be leaving his ORC position with the Town of Rye, effective on September 30, 2021. He planned to begin employment with the Colorado Rural Water Association. He advised the board that the position must be filled within 30 days of his leaving to meet state guidelines.
Mayor Marty Rahl stated she had spoken to Chuck Goins of Colorado Rural Water and received a list of ORC’s who might be interested in the ORC position for the Town of Rye. Trustee Larry Sisk agreed to contact the ORCs on the list and ask about their interest in the position.
In a continuation of a legal battle between the Town of Rye and a business that believed they purchased more water and sewer taps than the town agrees with, offered $5000 as a good faith issue to settle the matter. The board directed Town Clerk Sherri Beach to contact the Town’s attorney and have a letter written to counter the offer with $15,000. The letter is to state the counter offer is for illegally tapping into the sewer, and that the business would have to sign a settlement agreement stating there would be no other sewer or water taps or connections that they believed they purchased from a former owner installed. All future connections would have to be purchased through the Town of Rye, and the business, not the Town of Rye, is 100% liable and responsible for any and all problems with the taps, connections, and lines they have installed.
Mayor Rahl informed the board that she received notice that the Town of Rye did not receive the grant for the repair or replacement of sidewalks that they had applied for.
Beach reported that two claims have been filed with The Colorado Intergovernmental Risk Sharing Agency (CIRSA) for flood events occurring on July 7 and July 31, 2021. An invoice had been received from Hanson Construction in the amount of $4450 for repairs and cleanup related to the flooding.
Per an email recommendation from the Town’s attorney, Beach was instructed to have Rye maintenance worker Gib Rokich inspect flumes, bridges, and Greenhorn Creek quarterly to monitor the need for creek mitigation.
Following a brief discussion, the board agreed not to open the town hall for the Halloween Town event this year.
Nancy Romine and Kathleen Cassidy addressed the board and asked for a donation for the Greenhorn Valley Backpacks. The organization provides school supplies and clothing for children in need in the Valley.
The board voted and passed a motion to donate $1000 to the organization.