Riverside Town Council updates and upgrades

Union Telephone representatives visited with the Riverside Town Council at their monthly meeting on September 14, giving an update to a grant that would make it possible to bring fiber optic internet into Riverside and Encampment. Brian Woody, Chief Customer Relations Officer for Union Telephone told the Council that Union has applied for the Wyoming Capital Projects Fund (CPF) Grant for $1.5 million dollars. This grant is part of a program designed to provide internet service with speeds of 100/100 Mbps to households and businesses. This could possibly raise the internet speed to a possible 2 Gbps. The feed to the house would be through a 3/4 inch plastic pipe that they will push the fiber through. Depending on the grant awards being presented, it may be as soon as next year to begin the construction.

LeeAnn Stephenson, Secretary/Treasurer for Sierra Madre Water & Sewer Joint Powers Board told the Council that the new waterline project in Riverside is nearly complete. The project began after the water line break in March that required some help from Encampment’s water department. She presented a requistion to the Council for $5,337.24 for water main rehabilitation. This was approved by Council. She told the Council that they’ve had “replacements and recalibrations of the measurements at the pumps.” In June they put in all new meters and they are down to.001% water loss. There are no leaks. Where they are putting in the critical water main they are making it redundant through town so if they have a problem they won’t have to cut people off of water in order to fix it. They have run into some contamination from the old fuel tanks that used to be in place over near the lift station. This has required them to truck spoils to a lime pit in Casper which has increased their costs. They are also getting a federal grant for a generator that will be at the well site so in case of power outage while they are pumping water they will have a backup.