PBAC seeks next step in identifying water supply alternative

Pending Moscow City Council approval Monday, the city will seek a consultant on behalf of the Palouse Basin Aquifer Committee to guide the committee toward selecting one or a set of the four proposed water supply alternatives for the Palouse.

Water levels in the Grande Ronde Aquifer, the primary supplier of groundwater for Palouse-area residents, have been declining since measurements began in the early 1900s, according to Monday’s Moscow City Council Administrative Committee meeting packet.

Despite a more than 35 percent population increase since 1992, conservation efforts have resulted in a 13 percent decline in pumping during that 28-year period, the packet indicated.

“We’ve had a very successful (conservation) program, but the reality is that we can’t conserve our way out of our water issues,” Tyler Palmer, Moscow deputy city supervisor of public works and services, told the Administrative Committee at City Hall’s council chambers.

PBAC, which is made up of representatives from the city of Pullman, city of Moscow, Washington State University, University of Idaho, Whitman County and Latah County (the city of Palouse also contributes funding but is not a formal member), released four proposed water supply alternatives in 2017.

The estimated capital cost of the four alternatives ranges from $60 million to $86 million. PBAC’s goal is to identify one of the four or a couple alternatives by early next year to help position PBAC’s water supply project in the Idaho Department of Water Resources’ future water project funding cycle, Monday’s packet said.

The Administrative Committee recommended approving the city to send out requests for proposals for project management services. The item will be placed on Monday’s consent agenda of the Moscow City Council meeting.

Palmer said, traditionally, PBAC would run the administration aspect of the consulting services through the University of Idaho, but given the university’s expected deficit increase to $22 million, Moscow stepped forward to act as administrative support for PBAC regarding the consulting contract.

The city would send the request for proposals out, receive the proposals, PBAC would review the proposals, and when an agreement is reached with one of the proposed consultants, the citywould enter into a contract with the consultant, Palmer said.

He said the city will use minimal funds to administer the contract on behalf of PBAC.

“We have a lot of people rooting for us to pull this off,” Palmer said of implementing a water supply alternative. “Generally, it’s attorneys sitting around the table when you start talking about water and it can be a very contentious issue. If we’re able to pull this off, which I’m optimistic we can, people will be writing papers about it for a while. So we can really set an example of cooperative work.”

In other business, the Administrative Committee recommended approval for the Moscow Police Department to enter into mutual aid agreements with the Clarkston Police Department, Whitman County Sheriff’s Office and Asotin County Sheriff’s Office.

The MPD has agreements with the Pullman Police Department, Washington State University Police Department, Lewiston Police Department and Latah County Sheriff’s Office, MPD Chief James Fry said. He said the agreements allow the MPD to work with area agencies on different crime cases and assist one another in emergency situations. The item will be placed on the city council’s consent agenda.

Prior to the Administrative Committee meeting, the Moscow Public Works/Finance Committee met Monday and recommended approving the purchase of Allplay Systems playground equipment and rubber tile safety surfacing for $58,000, and an additional $3,000 for materials and supplies for Moscow Parks staff to install the equipment and safety surfacing at Jim Lyle Rotary Park on the corner of F Street and Vandal Drive.

Assistant Parks and Recreation Director David Schott said the playground equipment, which will include swings, a spiral slide and other components, is intended for 5- to 12-year-old children and will replace the existing wooden structure at the park.

The money will come from the city’s Hamilton Fund, which was created by Bob Hamilton to benefit Moscow’s youth. The entire project is budgeted for $141,000, Schott said.

Of the nine proposals, Schott said the Moscow Parks and Recreation Commission and Rotary Club of Moscow endorsed the Allplay Systems equipment option and the option also received the most votes in the public comment period. The item will be placed on the city council’s consent agenda.

Garrett Cabeza can be reached at (208) 883-4631, or by email to gcabeza@dnews.com.