Vineyard signs deal for water and sewer

VINEYARD — So long, septic tanks and well water. Hello, pipes.

The town of Vineyard has begun changing its infrastructure from a rural water system to city water.

"It's vital," Chris Tschirki, Orem water resources director, said. "You can't do anything without it. Any community, you can't develop it without water. And once you have the water, you'll need your sewer — basic things before you even build a road."

Officials from Vineyard and Orem this past week entered a 50-year interlocal agreement regarding water — the Metropolitan Water District of Orem agreed to provide it and Vineyard agreed to take it.

Vineyard, which is west of Orem and nestled against Utah Lake, will pay around $230 an acre-foot for 3,500 acre-feet — in 500 acre-feet increments — from Orem Metro.

The water Orem Metro gets from the Central Utah Water Conservancy District is considered "project water" or Jordanelle Reservoir water.

The town won't need all 3,500 acre-feet right now, but with two large housing developments blossoming, it likely will soon.

The general rule of thumb is to plan for 100 gallons per person a day, Tschirki said. Extrapolated over a year, cities usually plan for about 350,000 gallons for a family, an acre-foot, per year — the increment water is sold in.

As far as growth beyond 3,500 acre-feet?

"No one's projecting that," Dan Wright, Vineyard's town clerk, said. "I think we'll have to wait several years to figure out if we're going to need more."

To get the water to Vineyard, the city of Orem is recommending that Vineyard install two metered connections at 400 North Geneva Road and Center Street and Geneva to extend water from its 12-inch lines. There is already a connection at 400 South by the Lakeside Sports Complex.

Vineyard also agreed to construct and pay for any additional improvements to Orem's water system, according to the interlocal agreement

One water line is already in place at Holdaway Road, and it's now a matter of connecting the homes to the line, Wright said.

Most homeowners have elected to keep their wells, however, and can use the culinary water for irrigation or yard watering, Wright said. They just won't connect to the homes.

A sewer line is also being brought in from the Timpanogos Special Services District as an upgrade to septic systems, Wright said.

Along with paying for the water, treatment fees and transportation fees, Vineyard also agrees to a few rules.

The town agreed that if Orem is conserving water during especially dry times, Vineyard residents will conserve as well.

"Orem was concerned that if they did it and Vineyard didn't, it would kind of defeat the purpose," Wright said.

Vineyard also agreed that if Orem, for any reason, has to reduce water it provides to its residents, Vineyard will also accept a proportional reduction.

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