Below is the Teams link for tonight’s monthly meeting:
The Water District monthly meeting will be November 21, 2024 at 5:30 PM. It will be held at the Richard Smythe Wellhouse located at 165 Sauk Trail. All are welcome to attend these meetings.
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Click on the link below for information on how to sign up for texts:
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All,
Several folks are highly interested in receiving text messages for boil water notices, line freezes, road closures, etc. I have been on the computer with several companies yesterday and today and finally found a solution that will help everyone as long as you sign up.
The Board is requesting that you please let your neighbors, family living in the subdivision, and friends know about this so that we can get more on board with this system.
The Board has gotten with the Sublette County Emergency Management System to send out texts to all homeowners that are signed up with their system for future notices. All other information like construction updates and such will be sent via newsletter, Facebook, and our website.
To get signed up, please go to sublettewyo.org. Once you are on that site, you will see a bell that says Emergency Alerts. Click on the bell. This will then take you to a page where you will fill out your information.
Please make sure you put your physical address in the address box. Also, double check that the pin on the map is on your property. If the pin is not on your property, please move the pin to your property so they can find you and notify you if they need to.
If you have already signed up for this system, then you are ahead of the game. Please still check to make sure the pin on the map is on your property even if you have already signed up.
Jim Mitchell, the Emergency Coordinator, will be attending our meeting tomorrow at 6 PM to explain the system, and how to sign up if you haven’t done so already. This costs you nothing, but your time to fill the information out.
The Water District will still send out boil water notices, line freezes, etc. via newsletter, Facebook, and our website in case you decide not to sign up for texts.
Thank you,
High Meadow Ranch Water District
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All,
We have had so many complaints since we began this construction project and the Board has felt that we need to clarify what the Board is responsible for.
Boil Water Notices:
In the past, the Board had Jorgensen go door to door with a Boil Water Notice to homes that were affected by a line strike or a repair. These notices were taped to the doors for those that were not home or would not answer the door. This form of notification costs money since the Board must pay for someone to print these flyers and the labor to go door to door plus the cost of the vehicle. This is not cost effective.
Since this is Wyoming and there is the “occasional” gust of wind that can take these notices off the door, people were then complaining that they were not receiving any paper notice. So, the Board decided to use just technology. We notify property owners via newsletter, 2 Facebook sites, and on our website.
The EPA is aware of the notification via technology and finds nothing wrong with this form of notification.
These Boil Water Notices are for your safety and protection from the possibility of bacteria in the water. You do not have to boil your water when these notices come out. Nobody is going to call the “Boil Water Notice Police” if you do not follow the notices. It is your own responsibility if you get sick from not heeding the warning.
Boil Water Notices cannot be lifted by any Board Member. Two samples are taken on different days from the same homes and sent to be tested. The results must be given to the EPA. The EPA will grant us permission to lift the notices when they receive written notice when there is no sign of bacteria. If there is bacteria in the water, Jorgensen will have to chlorinate the water and repeat the two samples taken on different days from the same homes until there is no sign of bacteria. The results would be sent to the EPA again and they will let us know to notify property owners via technology that the notices are lifted.
The EPA only works 8 am to 5 pm, Monday through Friday. If there is a holiday, the EPA will not acknowledge receipt or read the lab results until they return to the office. If the EPA receives the lab work just before 5 pm on a Friday or a holiday, we will not hear from them until Monday or when they return after 8 am.
Discount on Water Bill:
We have had a few homeowners request that High Meadow Ranch Water District give them a discount on their water bill due to an inconvenience of no water because of a line break, a line freeze, or a repair.
Water is a utility. Things happen in life whether by accident or by nature. There will be NO discounts on your water bill. Please read the Rules and Regulations and Bylaws of the High Meadow Ranch Water District.
If you are unhappy with your water service, you can always drill your own water well. This will eliminate most of your water bill. You will, unfortunately, have to pay a non-water user fee. This fee helps maintain equipment, waterlines, and hydrants.
Providing Cases of Water or Motels:
A couple years ago, as a courtesy, the Water District provided cases of water and motels for those homeowners that were without water for a couple days or more so that they had drinking water and a place to shower.
That winter was a bad year for everyone and not just this subdivision. Folks in Pinedale, Big Piney, and Kemmerer had line freezes as well. It was just a freak of nature to freeze below 8 feet.
That year cost the Water District several thousands of dollars. What homeowners do not realize is that the money must come from somewhere. When we spend money for luxuries for homeowners like this, it takes money away from what is needed for maintenance. Again, this is not very cost effective.
The Water District is responsible for repairing and thawing any lines that are from your curb stop to the mainline. It is the property owner’s responsibility if your line freezes from the curb stop to your home. We are not responsible for thawing out your line if it is on your side.
So, as a Board, we decided that we would no longer provide motels or cases of water for homeowners without water.
This is Wyoming and as a precaution, you should always have bottled water on hand in case a line freezes or water has been turned off due to a line strike. We have notified everyone via newsletter several times to always have bottled water on hand.
Teams:
Everyone is always welcome to attend our monthly meetings. We meet every third Thursday of the month at 6 PM unless otherwise specified. If the meeting time has changed due to a deadline or a conflict, we notify property owners of this change via newsletter and our website.
You can attend these meeting in person or via Teams. This is an app that you would have to download first. The invite can be found on our website under the “Events & News” tab. Our website address is: hmrwater.com.
In the meetings, you can find out what is going on currently in the subdivision concerning your water. You can find out about the financials, situations going on, or anything else that needs to be discussed concerning this utility.
Many people complain because they don’t really know what is going on in the Water District and this is the best place to find out every month what is transpiring.
Water Tap Fees and Water Bills:
Property Owners that pay a water tap fee or pay their water bill do not get put into our minutes. It is the Board’s business and responsibility to insure if someone paid their water tap fee, if they were approved for a water tap fee, or if they have or have not paid their water bill.
This will be the final year for an annual water bill. Everyone should have received their 2024 water bill and it is due September 15th. Next year at this time, you will begin receiving your water bill monthly for your water usage when Phase 3 has been completed.
If you are behind on your water bill, please contact our bookkeeper, Julie Maxam, at 307-367-2858 and make arrangements to get your bill current. If you are not caught up when the new billing system begins, you will be notified with a 30-day notice of your water being shut off. Your water will remain off until your bill is current.
You can get to our website and pay via debit or credit card. Or you can mail in a check or cashier’s check to our mailing address. But, if you are paying cash, the Board requires that you take this into Julie’s office in person to Elevation Tax Services and get a receipt for your payment.
Old Waterlines vs New Waterlines: We have mentioned this many times as to why some of these waterline strikes happen while construction is going on. The current old waterlines do not have a tracer, so line locaters are unable to detect them. They are also not on a map that is correct as to their location. The map may show the waterline running along the left side of the road, but it is actually on the right side of the road. The maps are very inaccurate. The old waterlines are just PVC and are only 4 inches in diameter and very fragile.
The new waterlines are heavy duty 6-inch lines with tracers on them so line locaters can find them when you do an 8-1-1 ticket before digging. They are also placed on a very accurate GIS map.
Any line strikes that are currently happening are due to the old waterlines that are still being used for those homes in Phase 3 or if someone didn’t do a one-call ticket before digging.
HOA vs Water District:
Many years ago, this subdivision had the water and the HOA as one unity. It had to be separated into two different entities. Both entities do use the same bookkeeper, Julie Maxam. This makes it handy for you to take care of both of your bills at one location.
The HOA is called High Meadow Ranch Property Owners. The bill you receive from them helps to maintain the subdivision and the roads. They have a different mailing address, email, and website.
We are High Meadow Ranch Water District, and we are your water utility. Our mailing address is:
PO Box 1946
Pinedale, WY 82941
Our email address is: hmrwater@gmail.com com. We are a volunteer Board, so we are not always on the email. We will get back with you as soon as we are able.
Our website is: hmrwater.com. We update this website as soon as we are able as well.
I hope this answers some of your questions or concerns.
Thank you,
High Meadow Ranch Water District
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The Water District and Jorgensen are strongly encouraging homeowners to start watering your grass, flowers and gardens in the middle of the night when the water usage is really low. Thanks
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Attention HMR Water District Property Owner
WHAT:
New water meters have been installed for the HMR Water System Improvements Project for Phase 1 and Phase 2 which was recently completed within the HMR Water District. Future projects (Phases 3) will include the installation of meters on all taps within the District. These water meters will provide for the fair and equitable billing of water usage among users (in the future). These water meters are also a requirement of the funding agencies that have provided a significant amount of grant money to the HMR Water District for upgraded infrastructure.
WHERE:
The water meters within the District have been installed within water meter pits. The meter pits are located on or near property lines where water services are connected to new water mains. These pits are outfitted with insulation and enable the meters to be located below grade. However, even with the use of insulated pits, meters with stagnated water are subject to freezing. Frost and cold can and eventually does permeate down to the meter. For this reason, the HMR Water District would like to explain the existing regulations and proposed mitigation techniques to keep meters from freezing during the winter months.
WHY:
Many property owners leave to other locations during the Sublette County winter season. We ask that if you do leave for an extended period in the winter, please contact the HMR Water District’s Operators to schedule a free water turn off in order to drain the meter and service prior to winter. Property owners are encouraged to help the District maintain the system with new meter and help keep it from freezing. HMR current regulations state that “The Owner will be responsible for installing and maintaining the line, to the District ’s specifications and using the District’s approved contractors, from the saddle to the point
of actual use, to include the curb stop. All property Owners shall keep their pipes, connections, and other apparatus in good repair, and protected from frost and water damage at their own expense.”
Additional tips that help mitigate meter or service line freeze ups include leaving cumulated snow over meter pits/services for added insulation when possible; and running water when you are able or covering the meter with additional insulation if not in use during the winter.
SUMMARY:
We understand that these meters are new, were installed as part of the project and are now inherited by the property owner. We want to do everything we can to help as we go through these first winters with the meters. The District has ordered additional insulation for meter pits and will be installing them. The District Water Operator will shut off and drain your meter if you are leaving for the winter season and will turn it back on at your request. Please help to make sure that we minimize the potential for frozen service
lines and meters as we enter the winter season.
Sincerely,
HMR Water District Board
HMR Water District Contacts:
District Email: hmrwater@gmail.com
Water operator: Jorgensen (307) 367-6548