RBC | Last week we reported that the county approved an annual agreement to pay the United States Geological Survey (USGS) $98,272 for water sampling on the White River and in the Piceance Basin. The total amount should have been $100,292 according to the amended agenda from the Dec. 11 commissioners’ meeting.
The county serves as a “pass-thru” entity for the surveys, which are performed by USGS for Solvay, Natural Soda and the Meeker Sanitation District. Solvay and Natural Soda are invoiced for the cost and pay the county back, so there is no cost to the county for the monitoring in the Piceance Basin. In 2018 that amount is $88,406.
The county shares the cost of monitoring on the White River with the Meeker Sanitation District. The Sanitation District will pay $1,513 and the county will pay $10,373.