Voters approve Eagle River Water & Sanitation District’s $93 million GO bond – VailDaily.com

Report on Bond Approval for Wastewater Facility Upgrades in Alignment with Sustainable Development Goals

1.0 Overview

On Tuesday, the electorate of the Eagle River Water & Sanitation District approved a $93 million general obligation bond. The bond will finance critical, state-mandated upgrades to the Regional Wastewater Treatment Facility in Edwards. This initiative directly supports the achievement of several United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly those related to clean water, sustainable communities, and ecosystem preservation.

2.0 Election Results and Mandate

The ballot measure received substantial public support, securing the necessary funding for the project. The results, based on a tally of 6,478 votes, are as follows:

• In Favor: 70.2%
• Against: 29.8%

The upgrades are necessitated by the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment’s Regulation 85, passed in 2012. This regulation mandates that wastewater treatment facilities processing over two million gallons per day must reduce the levels of nitrogen and phosphorus in their treated effluent before discharge into local rivers.

3.0 Alignment with Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

The facility upgrade project is a key local action contributing to global sustainability targets. Its primary contributions are to:

1. SDG 6: Clean Water and Sanitation: The project directly addresses Target 6.3, which aims to improve water quality by reducing pollution and minimizing the release of hazardous materials. By limiting nutrient discharge, the district is enhancing the health of the Eagle River and ensuring cleaner water resources for downstream communities and ecosystems.
2. SDG 14: Life Below Water: Reducing nitrogen and phosphorus pollution is critical for preventing eutrophication in aquatic environments, which depletes oxygen and harms aquatic life. This action aligns with the principles of Target 14.1, focused on reducing land-based pollution to protect aquatic ecosystems.
3. SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities: The investment in essential wastewater infrastructure ensures the long-term environmental sustainability of the communities served, from East Vail to Edwards. This supports Target 11.6, which calls for reducing the adverse per capita environmental impact of cities through improved waste management.

4.0 Financial Strategy and Project Timeline

The Eagle River Water & Sanitation District selected a general obligation bond as the financing mechanism to ensure equitable cost distribution. This approach spreads the financial burden across a broader base compared to a revenue bond, which would have resulted in significant rate increases for district customers.

• Total Bond Amount: $93 million
• Financing Deadline: Must be secured by 2026
• Project Completion Deadline: 2029

The successful passage of the bond ensures the district can proceed with the three-year renovation project in compliance with state environmental regulations and in furtherance of its commitment to sustainable water management.

Analysis of Sustainable Development Goals in the Article

1. Which SDGs are addressed or connected to the issues highlighted in the article?

1. SDG 6: Clean Water and Sanitation

   • The article’s central theme is the financing of upgrades to a wastewater treatment facility. This directly relates to ensuring the availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation. The project’s purpose is to improve the quality of treated water returned to the Eagle River.

2. SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities

   • The wastewater treatment facility serves multiple communities, from East Vail to Edwards. Upgrading this essential infrastructure is a key part of managing municipal waste and reducing the environmental impact of these communities, making them more sustainable.

3. SDG 14: Life Below Water

   • The article explicitly states that the upgrades are required to “limit the amount of nitrogen and phosphorus” returned to the river. This is a direct action to reduce nutrient pollution from a land-based source, which is a primary threat to aquatic ecosystems, including downstream marine environments.

4. SDG 15: Life on Land

   • By improving the quality of effluent discharged into the Eagle River, the project aims to protect and restore an inland freshwater ecosystem. Reducing pollutants like nitrogen and phosphorus is crucial for the health of the river and the biodiversity it supports.

2. What specific targets under those SDGs can be identified based on the article’s content?

1. Target 6.3

   • “By 2030, improve water quality by reducing pollution, eliminating dumping and minimizing release of hazardous chemicals and materials, halving the proportion of untreated wastewater and substantially increasing recycling and safe reuse globally.” The article directly addresses this target by describing a project to upgrade a wastewater facility to reduce pollution (nitrogen and phosphorus) and improve the quality of water returned to the river.

2. Target 11.6

   • “By 2030, reduce the adverse per capita environmental impact of cities, including by paying special attention to air quality and municipal and other waste management.” The state-mandated upgrades to the wastewater treatment plant are a form of improved municipal waste management, directly reducing the environmental impact of the communities it serves.

3. Target 14.1

   • “By 2025, prevent and significantly reduce marine pollution of all kinds, in particular from land-based activities, including marine debris and nutrient pollution.” The project’s specific goal of limiting nitrogen and phosphorus is a direct effort to reduce nutrient pollution from a land-based activity (wastewater treatment), which aligns perfectly with this target.

4. Target 15.1

   • “By 2020, ensure the conservation, restoration and sustainable use of terrestrial and inland freshwater ecosystems and their services…” The upgrades are a concrete action to conserve and restore the Eagle River, an inland freshwater ecosystem, by improving its water quality.

3. Are there any indicators mentioned or implied in the article that can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets?

1. Indicator 6.3.1: Proportion of domestic and industrial wastewater flows safely treated

   • This indicator is implied. The entire project, mandated by the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment’s Regulation 85, is about increasing the level of treatment to ensure wastewater is “safely treated” to a higher standard before being discharged. The upgrades are a direct measure to improve this proportion.

2. Indicator 6.3.2: Proportion of bodies of water with good ambient water quality

   • This is implied as the ultimate goal of the project. The regulation requiring the limitation of nitrogen and phosphorus is designed to improve the ambient water quality of the Eagle River. Measuring the levels of these nutrients in the river before and after the project would be a way to track progress toward this indicator.

3. Indicator 14.1.1(a): Index of coastal eutrophication

   • This is implied through the focus on nutrient reduction. The article states the upgrades will “limit the amount of nitrogen and phosphorus they return to the river.” These nutrients are the primary cause of eutrophication in both freshwater and coastal ecosystems. Therefore, the project’s success can be measured by its contribution to reducing the potential for eutrophication.

4. SDGs, Targets, and Indicators Table

Source: vaildaily.com