(Editor’s note: a man wearing two hats — Les Peterson offered this submission as Board Chairman of the Carefree Water Company and also a letter to the editor as Mayor of Carefree — page 6)
The Required New Water Storage Reservoir will be:
- Underground,
- Covered with native topsoil
- Re-vegetated with natural vegetation
- Far from any existing residence
Let’s clear up the orchestrated mis-information circulating about the final appearance of the water storage reservoir under discussion. The objective of the Carefree Water Company is to make the appearance of the relatively small fresh water reservoir site blend in with the surrounding vegetation.
The reservoir will be underground, except for one corner which will be 2’ – 3’ above natural grade. The control panel will also be above ground, as required by OSHA. All above ground openings will be oriented towards Tom Darlington and buffered by native trees.
All of the reservoir, including the above ground corner, will be covered over with 2’ feet minimum of native topsoil taken from the excavation to recess the reservoir.
Native vegetation, supplemented with other native shrubs and trees, will be placed above and around the reservoir, and around any above ground openings. This vegetation will be serviced by drip irrigation until the vegetation is firmly established. The Carefree Water Company will manage and maintain the landscaping in perpetuity.
The reservoir will be 160 feet from the closest residence, which is substantially farther away than the closest residence at any of the other 31 sites evaluated. Access will only be from Tom Darlington Road. Access will not be required through a residential neighborhood.
The location of this buried fresh water reservoir has been determined by a licensed professional engineering firm who modeled the water system and identified this site to be the least disruptive to the community and nearby neighbors, the best location to ensure proper water pressures throughout the system and to be the most economical. The alternative sites do not meet this criteria which means that they would be more costly to develop and operate, likely be above ground because of existing rock formations and in someone else’s back yard. The proposed solution is the best solution for the Carefree community.
Graphics prepared by the professional engineering firm which designed the reservoir, Coe and Van Loo, showing both the final appearance and the distance from the closest residence, follow.
Les Peterson
Board Chairman, Carefree Water Company
