Water district, Salida, Nestlé look to join forces for augmentation
Casey Mills- Mail Staff Writer
No objections were raised Thursday when Upper Arkansas Water Conservancy District directors, Salida representatives and personnel from Nestlé Waters North America agreed to work cooperatively.
Nestlé and the representatives want to join forces with the district in an effort to lease approximately 200 acre-feet of water annually to Nestlé for the next 20 years.
It would augment water Nestlé intends to bottle from a natural spring near Nathrop.
The Swiss company is purchasing the spring, and has bought additional land as a buffer protecting its source.
Interim city administrator Mike Copp said the city is seeking a cooperative agreement with Nestlé and the conservancy district.
"I would like to see us hammer out an approach that's beneficial to everyone," Copp said.
City excess water isn't available for use by Nestlé. The cooperative agreement would use the district augmentation plan to allow water use by Nestlé.
"Generally in our role we'd be using our augmentation plan and storage throughout the basin," district general manager Terry Scanga said. "Nestlé can't legally use city water without a decree."
The city augmentation plan doesn't allow water to be used outside the city. By using the UAWCD blanket augmentation plan, the water would be available for use by Nestlé.
"Basically it makes it simpler to go through (the district)," Scanga said. "Our storage will be essential for this to work and help the city realize some revenue."
Council member Jay Moore estimated the city uses approximately 50 percent of its water credits annually and has excess water to lease to Nestlé. In previous discussions, representatives of the company indicated interest in paying about $1,000 per acre foot.
District directors previously agreed to work with Nestlé if the company replaces water in the system at the point of depletion.
Chuck Rose, Salida mayor, expressed interest in some type of cooperative decision in a timely manner.
"We need to determine how quickly we can get this done," Rose said. "Nestlé is a company with a short window of opportunity."
Nestlé will be required to file proper documentation and applications with Chaffee County. Copp said he would like to see a yes or no issued to Nestlé sooner rather than later so the company can begin its application process.
Copp will ask city council members during their Sept. 2 council meeting to vote to direct city staff members to begin work on the agreement.
It was requested preliminary work be completed by Upper Arkansas Water Conservancy District staff members. The next regular meeting of district directors will be Sept. 11.
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