The Eastern New Mexico News - Serving Clovis, Portales and the Surrounding Communities

The Eastern New Mexico Rural Water Authority met Thursday in the Ingram Room of the Clovis-Carver Public Library:

• David Boswell, purchasing agent for the city of Clovis — the fiscal agent for the authority — spoke about the future need for an RFP (request for proposal) on final engineering and design services for the entire pipeline project.

He said the authority could go with either one engineering firm to handle every project, or break the project up into various aspects such as intake structure and pipeline work.

Paul Karas of Camp Dresser & McKee in Albuquerque said the authority would be best served breaking the project up. He said the project would likely be cheaper for the authority, and more attractive to smaller entities that don’t want to take on a project of the Ute Water Project’s magnitude.

The group tabled action until the next meeting.

• Project Manager Scott Verhines and Kevin Power of RBC Capital of Albuquerque said they are working on a long-range financial plan — including appropriations sought by year from state and federal sources.

The plan, Powers said, should be ready for the October meeting.

• Project Engineer Greg Gates said a 30 percent design on the project is complete, and a cost estimate of the project is under review by the Bureau of Reclamation.

The last cost estimate of $432 million was done in 2005.

• Ute Reservoir Dam Manager Kent Terry said the reservoir was at 94 percent of authorized capacity with 191,176 acre feet of water.

• The next meeting is set for 3 p.m. Oct. 21 in Melrose.

— Kevin Wilson