Mountain Regional Water is proposing that a new headquarters be built in Park City for the special service district and that the construction be financed by $18 million in bonds.
The revenue required to pay off the bonds would come from an increase of approximately 8% in water rates for the next five years.
The Summit County Council has scheduled a public hearing at 6 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 18, to get input on the issuance of the bonds and any potential economic impact that the project might have on the private sector. The hearing will take place at the Ledges Event Center, 202 E. Park Road, in Coalville: summitcounty.org/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_10182023-4065
District General Manager Andy Garland said Mountain Regional Water’s equipment is scattered around Summit County.
“We haven’t had a permanent facility where we could have all of our employees and all of our equipment,” he said. “We’re trying to just consolidate our operations where we can house all of our equipment within one place in the district.”
Under the proposal, the Mountain Regional Water Campus would be built on a 5-acre parcel at 5739 Paintbrush Road and the site would have three structures totaling 26,832 square feet. The site is next to the High Valley Transit maintenance and operations site.
The Mountain Regional Water District was formed in 2000 to assist in repairing and upgrading the water systems in western Summit County. It has 5,000 connections and 30 employees.
“The MRW District Operations keeps the water clean and flowing in the entire Special Service District and manages the water treatment plant at the top of Promontory,” the district’s conditional use permit application says. “Staff responsibilities include installing new services, meters, lines, and repairing water leaks in the older systems; testing the water for compliance with state and federal water quality standards; and providing emergency response services around the clock.”
The proposal calls for an administration building with a locker room area, a break room, training area and conference room; a shop building with four repair bays; and an open structure for material storage.
A garden designed to educate the public on water conservation also is envisioned. Visitors could learn how to landscape with native plants that need little or no water. Educational signage, seating and a rainwater collection demonstration area also would be part of the site.