Mayor
Vincent Francia told The Desert Advocate last week the
town is taking responsibility for management/operation
of the water provider for the foreseeable future. If the
company ever becomes sustainable on its own, that may
change.
“At
this point the town is certainly not going to abandon
Sabrosa,” Francia said.
Global
spokesman Paul Walker confirmed last week Global is no
longer involved with the management of Sabrosa Water.
The state Corporation Commission requested Global take
over operation of Sabrosa when Arizona American Water
asked to be released from the obligation.
Under
a negotiated agreement in connection with the town’s condemnation/purchase
of Cave Creek Water Co. from Global, the town agreed to
manage Sabrosa.
The
town is awaiting commission approval to transfer Desert
Hills Water Co. assets to the town before it can merge
DHW and CCWC into a municipal utility.
Cave
Creek currently is managing Sabrosa with the assistance
of Arizona American Water, the town’s operator for both
Cave Creek Water Co. and Desert Hills Water Co. The town
can renounce its Sabrosa management responsibilities by
giving 30 days notice to the commission, which would then
look for another operator.
But
Francia says the town won’t exercise its right to get
out of the management obligation.
“I
don’t think they (commission) would look favorably on
that,” the mayor commented.
“AAW
is providing technical assistance to the Town of Cave
Creek for the Sabrosa water
system,”
confirmed Arizona American spokesman Todd Walker. He noted
that AAW has a formal agreement with Cave Creek to manage
the Desert Hills and Cave Creek water companies on behalf
of the town.
“The
town has no plans at this time to purchase the Sabrosa
Water Co.,” Francia said.
The
mayor acknowledged he did not know the status of Sabrosa’s
application before the commission for a rate hike, but
stated he is aware there are problems with the Sabrosa
system, including high levels of arsenic.
On
the immediate horizon, the town hopes to construct a minimum
1 million gallon storage tank near the Cave Creek water
complex at Basin and Cave Creek roads, Francia related.
The purpose of the tank is to have enough water to sustain
the Cave Creek Water Co. system for 72 hours in the event
of an emergency.
And
in the not too distant future, the town plans to make
some repairs to the CCWC infrastructure, Francia explained.
Last
week, town council signed a 10‑year agreement with
Arizona American Water to purchase as much as 2 million
gallons a day, which the mayor said could be used to supply
both Desert Hills and Cave Creek customers.
“We
are taking all the responsible steps to ensure DHW and
CCWC customers have water,” Francia said.
Cave
Creek also has plans to build a permanent underground
connection between Anthem and Desert Hills. The temporary
above‑ground line used last summer for Arizona American
to supply Desert Hills during an emergency situation does
not meet Maricopa County standards, said John Kolman,
manager of the county’s drinking water program.
