Supplemental Agenda Items - FGUA

Think
Conservation
This Holiday
Season!
Important Notes
SCHOOL SUPPLY DRIVE UPDATE
Thank you to everyone who participated
in this year’s school supply drive—with
special thanks to the Lehigh Community
Council for their generous contributions!
The FGUA asked for donations of pens,
pencils, crayons and lined paper, but also
collected binders, scissors and pencil boxes,
which were delivered to local schools.
It’s not too late to contribute – many students
will need more pencils and crayons
at the start of the winter holiday break, so
the FGUA will continue to collect and deliver
supplies through the end of the year.
AMSCOT NOW ACCEPTING
FGUA PAYMENTS FGUA Pasco Utility
System Customers may now make payments
at any Amscot location. Be sure
to bring your billing statement with account
number and photo identification
when making a payment. Customers
using Amscot will be charged a processing
fee at the time of payment.
PLEASE NOTE: Customers who have
received a delinquent notice or who are
paying service reconnection fees must
make their payment by visiting the FGUA
Pasco Customer Service Office at 6915 Perrine
Ranch Road in New Port Richey or by
phone calling the office at (727) 372-0115
and making a credit card payment over
the phone. Amscot is unable to accept
payment for any customer who is not
wishing to pay a regular, on time bill.
ONLINE ACCOUNT ACCESS AVAILABLE
Online bill payment is currently available
to Aloha Gardens and Seven Springs
System customers. The FGUA Lindrick
and Consolidated Systems will be added
in the near future and customers in those
service areas will be notified as soon as it
is available.
The online payment system allows
you to access electronic copies of billing
statements, check current balances
and pay online one time or set up your
account for automatic electronic funds
transfer from your financial or credit
institution.
Additional information and instructions
for creating an online account are
available by visiting the FGUA website at
www.fgua.com and clicking on the “online
bill pay” box for on the left-hand side
of the page.
The holiday season is just around the corner. Regardless
of how you will be celebrating, often times this season
means you will be having guests! It may not seem like
it, but just one extra person in the home for two weeks
can raise your water usage by 1,000 gallons. That means
an extra family of four is equal to 4,000 gallons! Rather
than turn your guests away, you can take a few minutes
to remind everyone visiting the simple ways to conserve
water and money:
>> For cold drinks, keep a pitcher of water in the refrigerator
instead of running the tap. This way, every drop goes
down you and not the drain.
>> Shorten your shower by a minute or two and you’ll save
up to 150 gallons per month.
>> Don’t use running water to thaw food. Defrost food in
the refrigerator for water efficiency and food safety.
>> Turn off the water while brushing your teeth and save
25 gallons a month.
UPDATES AND TIMELY INFORMATION
County Interconnections The FGUA has begun work on county
interconnections. The interconnections will provide additional
high quality water capacity while reducing pumping from wells
with higher levels of Hydrogen Sulfide and assisting the FGUA
in meeting its Southwest Florida Water Management District
(SWFWMD) pumping limits. Piping for the interconnection
on Perrine Ranch Road is underway. The design of the future
interconnect at Heritage Lake Boulevard and Little Road is complete
and a work order has been provided to the Contractor to complete
the work. Engineering team members are working with the Florida
Department of Environmental Protection and Pasco County to
receive permits for this project.
Upgrades for Mitchell Water Treatment Plant and More The
FGUA has received comments and is awaiting final approval for both
the building and Right-of-Way Use Permits from Pasco County. The
winning bidder was Brandes Design Build in Clearwater. The FGUA
Board approved the standard construction agreement contract
at the August 19th, 2010 meeting. The FGUA has issued purchase
orders from materials vendors for some of the components that take
longer to fabricate. The FGUA operators began removing redundant
equipment from the Mitchell Ranch Road Water Treatment Plant
in September in anticipation of Brandes Design Build commencing
their work in October. // The FGUA Board approved the contracts
for the installation of a portion of the Raw Water Transmission
Mains at the September 16, 2010 meeting. Raw water mains deliver
water produced by the FGUA well sites at remote locations to the
Mitchell Ranch Road Water Treatment Plant. Gigliotti Contracting
will commence the installation of approximately 21,000 linear feet
of Raw Water Mains in November. A final Raw Watermain project
is scheduled to be bid during the month of October and should be
awarded in late December.
Lindrick Maintenance and Improvements The FGUA is currently
reviewing the completed Engineering Report on the Lindrick System
Water Treatment Plant located near Cross Bayou Boulevard and Sea
Forest Drive. It is expected that a decision will be forthcoming in the
next few months whether to replace, rehabilitate or remove the
Wastewater Treatment Plant.
Neighborhood Repairs Following Reclaimed Water Pond
Repair The FGUA completed replacement of vegetation and soil
lost after the release of water to the drainage area following the
February 25 Seven Springs Wastewater Treatment Plant reclaim
pond berm breach for homeowners south of the reclaim pond in
the Briar Patch Community.
Water Quality The FGUA notified its Seven Springs System
customers in July of exceeding the maximum contaminant level for
HAA5 from a sample drawn in May. which is caused when organics
in the water combine with the chlorine used to disinfect the water.
The regulatory level (60 parts per billion) was exceeded for HAA5
for the second time (62 parts per billion for the yearly average).
>> Winterize outdoor spigots when temperatures dip
below freezing to prevent pipes from leaking or bursting.
>> Drop your tissue in the trash instead of flushing it
down the toilet.
>> Washing dark clothes in cold water saves both on
water and energy while it helps your clothes to keep their
colors.
>> Turn off the water while you shave and save up to 300
gallons a month.
>> If you accidentally drop ice cubes when filling your
glass from the freezer, don’t throw them in the sink. Drop
them in a house plant instead.
>> Soak pots and pans instead of letting the water run
while you scrape them clean. (You’ll have more time to
enjoy your guests and less water wasted!)
We wish you and your family a safe and happy holiday
season! Adapted from www.wateruseitwisely.com
A potential health risk from HAA5 occurs only after prolonged
exposure to high levels and is based on regulatory standards
established at the federal level. The FGUA is continuing efforts to
minimize the impact of HAA5 until the water treatment plant
and the interconnections with Pasco County are completed by
August 2011 and saw a decrease to 60 parts per billion in the
most recent testing. The water is monitored every day to ensure
it is safe.
Fee changes and Capital Improvement Funds In October, the
FGUA closed on a $124 million refinancing bond which will retire
the existing short term bank loan that was used to acquire and
make improvements to the former Aloha system. In September, the
bonds were marketed and sold with an offer from the FGUA’s Senior
Underwriter, Wells Fargo Securities. The Co-underwriter is RBC. The
bond sale occurred during very favorable credit market conditions
using primarily Build America Bonds (BABs). The FGUA received a
high-quality A2 credit rating from Moody’s Investor Service for this
transaction and as a governmental entity like cities and counties,
is able to take advantage of these lower cost federally subsidized
bonds. The effective interest rate on these 30-year bonds is 4.18% —
considered an excellent financing outcome. As a result of this
combination of factors, the FGUA Seven Springs and Aloha Gardens
customers will realize a $12.7 million present value savings on the
system debt compared to what it would have been if long term
debt were incurred in February of 2009 when the system was
acquired. // The FGUA held a public hearing on Tuesday, September
14 at 6 p.m. at the Trinity College Library which was continued at
the Thursday, September 16 FGUA Board of Directors Meeting at
the DeSoto County Commissioners’ Chambers in Arcadia, Florida.
The FGUA Board approved rate adjustments for Fiscal Years 2012-
2015. These adjustments will not affect the 6.75% rate increase
for Seven Springs customers and the 5% rate increase for Aloha
Gardens North customers, which was approved by the FGUA
Board in November 2008, and will take effect for bills rendered
on or after October 1, 2010. A 9.75% increase will take effect for
bills rendered on or after October 1, 2011. // FGUA Lindrick Utility
Service customers will see a 5% rate increase which was approved
by the FGUA Board in January. The rate adjustments will take
effect on bills rendered on or after October 1, 2010. The rates cover
capital improvement, operations and maintenance costs. // Lastly,
FGUA Consolidated System customers will see a 3% increase which
was approved by the FGUA Board in November 2009. The rate
adjustment will take effect on bills rendered on or after October 1,
2010. The increase covers maintaining the system. // The FGUA has
applied for funding through the FDEP State Revolving Fund (SRF)
and United States Department of Agriculture. The grants or loans
awarded may reduce the cost for capital improvement projects
to the FGUA Seven Springs and Aloha Gardens Utility Systems. //
Customers with any service, billing or water quality concerns may
contact the FGUA Pasco Utility System Customer Service Office at
(727) 372-0115.
FGUA AT YOUR SERVICE
Pasco County Office
727-372-0115
6915 Perrine Ranch Road
New Port Richey, Fl 34655
FguaCS_PascoCo@govserv.com
FLORIDA GOVERNMENTAL UTILITY AUTHORITY Board Members Lea Ann Thomas, Chairperson (863-534-6031); Robert Knight, Vice Chair (352-527-7647); Michele L. Baker, Vice Chair (727-847-
8115); Jim Lavender (239-479-8505); Shane Parker (863-675-5220); Bart Arrington (863-491-7500) Alternates Polk: VACANT, Lee: Douglas L. Meurer, PE (239-479-8779); Hendry: VACANT; Pasco: Bruce
E. Kennedy, P.E. (727-847-8115); Citrus: VACANT; Desoto: VACANT System Management Robert E. Sheets, System Manager (850-681-3717); Tarek Fahmy, Capital Program Manager (877-552-3482);
Jerry Connolly, Operations Manager (877-552-3482) Contact Faith Doyle, Clerk to the Board, FGUA Operations Office, Suite 2000, 280 Wekiva Springs Rd, Longwood FL 32779, 877-552-FGUA (3482) Toll
Free, 407-629-6900. System Office & Customer Service Centers Golden Gate: 239-455-1583, Lehigh Acres: 239-368-1615, Pasco Systems: 727-372-0115 WWW.FGUA.COM FGUA News Editor:
mmiller@govmserv.com