Where: Enoch, Iron County, Utah
Problem: Rural communities require assistance setting appropriate wastewater rates and finding sustainable solutions for water system infrastructure.
Solution: Rural Community Assistance Corporation (RCAC) prepared a rate study to help the city achieve its strategic goals.
Enoch is a rural city in Iron County, Utah. The Enoch City Drinking Water System provides water to 6,500 people, many of whom have low incomes. The community’s median household income (MHI) is $53,569.
The city of Enoch contacted RCAC for assistance in reviewing water system financials and determining an appropriate rate structure to ensure sustainable revenue without unduly burdening customers. The ongoing drought has caused regulators to curtail water rights, prompting a need for conservation-oriented water rates. Moreover, the city needed the revenue necessary to pay debt service for a loan from the Utah Division of Drinking Water’s Drinking Water State Revolving Fund (DWSRF).
Over the past two years, RCAC assisted the city of Enoch with a comprehensive review of the water system’s financials, water use and customer base while developing an asset inventory to inform capital replacement planning. During this review, the system was able to better understand water consumption patterns and replace faulty water meters to help promote conservation. Based on the collected data, RCAC drafted a new rate schedule for the community, which was presented to the water board and city council for discussion.
In November 2022, the city of Enoch and water board adopted the updated rates. As a result, the city will increase its revenue from water sales by $375,000 each year, enabling it to conserve water, cover current system costs, prepare for capital equipment repairs and replacements and reduce its dependency on grants and loans for many years to come.
For more information, contact:
Ari Neumann – Director, Community & Environmental Services
(916) 447-9832; 1032
aneumann@rcac.org
Also in this issue of Network News:
Indigenous voices, immersive experiences: RCAC helps Navajo Nation tourism venture overcome pandemic challenges
Southeast Utah’s towering mesas and lush canyons hold a special place in Louis Williams’ heart. As a Diné (Navajo) native, he grew up surrounded by the Indigenous languages and natural beauty of his ancestral land, instilling in him a profound respect for its fragile ecosystem and cultural heritage. Through his tour guide company, Ancient Wayves River & Hiking Adventures, Williams hopes to provide visitors with an unforgettable and immersive experience that showcases the profound interconnection between Native culture and the natural world, uplifting the voices of Indigenous peoples that have been marginalized for far too long. Read more
