Though this winter's storms have already ensured plentiful water supplies, city officials say they're undertaking projects that will provide water for residents well into the next century.
Spanish Fork recently completed preliminary construction in the Crab Creek area of Spanish Fork Canyon. The city purchased approximately 8,600 acres in that area from the Bow Valley Development Corp. in 1991 with $1.6 million in reserve funds.That construction, which cost the city $350,000, entails developing one of Crab Creek's clear-water springs. It required excavation work and constructing drain fills. However, according to City Engineer Richard Heap, that work will probably be the last on that spring for the foreseeable future.
"We'll do work as needs arise and as funds become available," Heap said. "So far, we have sufficient water storage supplies to keep serving all the accounts we have."
To complete the Crab Creek project, the city still needs to run pipes from the spring to storage tanks located at Sterling Hollow. So far, city officials don't plan to start that project for at least two more years.
"As future growth takes place, it may require (the city) to finish that project, but we have plenty of water supplies right now," Heap said. "Even with some of the problems other cities have had in the past few years, we've still been in good shape."
Cold Springs in Spanish Fork Canyon currently provides the city with about 5 cubic feet per second of clean water. However, early investigations show that springs in Shurtz Canyon and Crab Creek could yield nearly double that amount.
As for the actual Bow Valley land, the city has not had any immediate plans for development - although they could open it up to potential landowners, while retaining all the water rights to the springs.
"That was our No. 1 reason for acquiring the property - to develop the existing water resources on the acreage," said City Administrator Dave Oyler.
The cost of the Crab Creek project came from city reserves, as part of the city's pay-as-you-go policy, and will not require any water usage fee increases.
Recently, the City Council also approved routing of new water lines to nearly 40 homes in the Leland area. Cost of that project, which will loop those lines with existing city pipelines, will be $415,000.
Also, the city must annex that property and create a special improvement district before starting the project, which should be completed by June. Residents who will benefit from the project will either pay the cost up front or on a 10-year contract basis. Talks on the improvement district have stalled, and Heap said that decision may not take place until March.
At the same time, the council approved an ordinance to deny any water hookups outside of city limits. Spanish Fork currently serves four such accounts.