Justin Ramsey, Manager of the Pagosa Area Water and Sanitation District

 
Justin Ramsey, Manager of the Pagosa Area Water and Sanitation District addressed Rotary last week. Mr. Ramsey came to the District in May 2015 to fill the position of District Engineer. Previously he had been working as the Northern Regional Manager for Westland Resourses in Flagstaff, AZ.  Justin brings 20 years of water and wastewater design and engineering experience as well as a Bachelor's of Science in Environmental Engineering and a Maters of Engineering in Civil Engineering - both from Norther Arizona University.  Mr. Ramsey was promoted to the District Manager position in January.
 
During his presentation he detailed the outcome of the project undertaken jointly by PAWSD and the Pagosa Springs Sanitation General Improvement District to build a wastewater conveyance line and two major lift stations to enable the VISTA Wastewater Treatment Plant to treat the Town's sewage. Thoughtful negotiations produced a successful project which began actually pumping in May of 2017 and now approximately 300,000 gallons are being treated daily at the VISTA facility.
 
 
 
Mr. Ramsey also explained the capacity and location of three water treatment plants which serve the entire area with potable water.  He addressed water loss, which is an unfortunate fact in the Pagosa Springs mountainous area and exasperated by having a wide-ranging water service area populated by a small number of customers to pay for the replacement of aging water distribution lines. Future priorities discussed were the ongoing efforts to reduce the amount of treated water lost as well as operational efficiency for the San Juan Water Treatment Miex process and installation of ultraviolet disinfection there and at the Snowball Treatment Plant.