Behind the Scene

Water Works

Thu, 27 Apr 2023 01:22:08 GMT

More work to be done....

As the weather warms the water system continues to look toward infrastructure improvements and repairs. The Booster Skid Pumps, which were to have been installed in February, are still in production, following the damage to original new unit. The system's original well, Well #1, quit pumping water the second week of April. Coyote Drilling, LLC has been asked to repair the well. We are blessed to have grant funding that will be used to offset the cost of replacing the well motor and two electrical panels. We are also blessed to have Well #2. Steve Showers, Steve Stoops, and Jack Griffith were able to keep Well #2 running and sending water to the Tank. The repair team is scheduled to begin work on Thursday, April 27, 2023. We are praying this repair goes quickly and without complications of ANY kind!

It is also time to start spending time outside, fire-wise-ing our properties and planting gardens. Please be mindful of the work being done to repair these unexpected infrastructure injuries and use outside water sparingly when possible. And, as always, thank you for being the best customers ever!

Springing Ahead....

Sat, 25 Mar 2023 21:01:39 GMT

The Lake is getting full!

The skies are clearing, and the lake is getting full! We have been thankful for the amount of moisture received between last summer and now. The abundant beauty of this area never ceases to amaze. As snow melts and the ground begins to thaw, we will continue to monitor the meters and the roads for leaks and excess water. Fortunately, the "obsolete" booster skid, has continued to run....knock on wood! We went from a potential installation of December to February, and now April. We are approaching the one-year mark of when one of the pumps failed. We are blessed to have made it through this winter without losing a second pump! Watch the website for updates on the next, anticipated installation date.

Hopefully, this will be another great summer for gardens. Because of the rain, I believe we watered our garden a total of 3 times last year. The excess rain certainly helps with water conservation when it comes to gardening. Since the lake is so incredibly full, I imagine it will be a great year for camping, fishing, and boating! See you out and about!

Baby its Cold Outside.....

Sun, 19 Feb 2023 21:49:53 GMT

Monitoring meter boxes for temperature integrity.

Temperatures for January and February have been consistently running below average, often in the very low teens and lower. We continue to monitor the meter boxes for temperature integrity by performing monthly "drive by" meter checks. Most meter boxes are running between the mid-30's to mid-40's. Some boxes, however, are running in the low 30's. We have been blessed to have some snow cover that assists with insulating the boxes. However, not all boxes are covered with snow. So, please drip or continue to drip your water on days/nights when the temperatures are extremely low.

The new Booster Pump Skid finally arrived in Albuquerque. The plan is to connect the "backup" pump during the installation of the new Skid on Monday, February 20, 2023. Phone calls were made on Friday, February 17, 2023, to all full-time residents. We would ask that residents hold on running dishwashers and washing machines during the installation. Installation is anticipated to take approximately 8 hours. Souder-Miller and Associates are responsible for overseeing and verifying the installation.

Stay warm, and, as always, thank you in advance for your support and cooperation!

Behind the Scene Part VI

Qlwawater7@gilanet.com (Agatha King) — Fri, 16 Dec 2022 20:49:29 GMT

Winter on the Mountain

Winter on the Mountain, in my humble opinion, is the most peaceful time of year. Now I know where the saying, "a long winter's nap" came from. When the snow falls, there is a cleansing of the air, the roads, the mountain sides. And when the sun shines over the fresh powder, it is truly a perfect, yet blinding, white glow.

All of that said, winter on the mountain may, at times, prove to be especially challenging for running a water system. Great care must be taken to ensure unused meters are turned off. And, the hope is, remaining residents are properly managing their faucets and pipes in the freezing and sub-freezing temperatures.

The new meter system is equipped with an alert system that will allow us to detect freezing or near frozen meter boxes. We performed a test drive the first week of December so we could review meter box temperatures. So far so good. However, with the most recent deep freeze temperatures, we encourage all full-time residents to remain diligent in keeping pipes inside the home warm and open, as much as possible. Additionally, any residents with "frost-free" water pumps in the yard, should consider covering them for the winter. These yard pumps are one of the most frequent causes of water leaks in the spring and summer.

The next meter read is scheduled for the first week of January. As a reminder, water usage is billed for the previous 3-month period, while operating fees are billed for the coming quarter. That means your upcoming water charges are billed for October, November, and December 2022 use. And the charge for operating fees will include charges for January, February, and March of 2023. In addition, we will, once again, have the ability to send out bills via email. For all members that previously received bills via email, you will once again receive your bill this way. Please call or email the office if you would like to add your name to the email billing list. 575-773-4976.

QLWA wishes each and every one of you, along with your family and dearest friends, a healthy, blessed, and joyful Christmas, New Year, and Winter Season!

Behind the Scene Part V

Qlwawater7@gilanet.com (Agatha King) — Mon, 21 Nov 2022 23:33:07 GMT

Winter is coming....

By now, everyone should have received the first "new water bill" from QLWA. There will continue to be adjustments to the system and the bills as we work out the early "lumps and bumps". After the first bills went out, we were able to upgrade the new billing system to include email billing. So, for those of you who were used to getting your bill via email, that should be available with the next billing cycle in January.

As noted in the "About" section, we have placed Thinsulate Canvas bags, stuffed with styrofoam peanuts, in all boxes with meters. We want to ensure our investment in the new meters is protected as much as possible. All boxes should now have the white plastic bags stuffed with SR38 insulation while the metered boxes have both.

It appears we are rapidly moving toward a potentially record cold winter. Just this morning, our low was 8 degrees....brrrrr....

The winters here, with the snow and cold, however, are quite enchanting!

Behind the Scene Part IV

Qlwawater7@gilanet.com (Agatha King) — Mon, 26 Sep 2022 23:25:12 GMT

Getting ready for the first "read"...

The picture above is a picture of the new Firehouse Meter! If meters could be called beautiful, then this would be it! This is a very large meter that is designed to support the volume needed to ensure we have enough water flow in the event of a community fire. We, as a community, are blessed to have been able to install such a gorgeous meter!

Speaking of meters, we will be conducting one final "test drive" of the new meters this last week of September. The first official read of the new system meters will occur the first week of October. We are also planning to place new insulated bags in all the meter boxes the first week of November. Following the placement of the new meter bags, we will spot check meter boxes for temperature to ensure lines are staying adequately insulated. Be sure to let us know if you have any thoughts or concerns as we move into our fall and winter seasons.

Behind the Scene Part III

Qlwawater7@gilanet.com (Agatha King) — Sat, 27 Aug 2022 22:46:25 GMT

QLWA Meter Project

Behind the scenes, over 150 new meters were installed in approximately 2.3 days. The work continued for the remainder of the install week while quality checks and inspections took place. The week culminated with the installation of the new Firehouse Meter. If a meter could be called beautiful, this is it!

We were so blessed to have such a dedicated and competent team install the meters so quickly. Teresa Garcia, from L-T Services, Farmington, and her team of installers, Glenn, Patrick, and Colyn, were wizards at their work.

We also had significant support from Fred Black, NMRWA and, our own, Jim Henderson.

Leading up to the installation, there was a tremendous amount of work taking place to input customer information and data into the new billing software system. Anne Bommarito was a huge help in getting this process completed.

In short, the Meter Project has been a success beyond expectations!

Thank you, all, for your patience and support as we continue to transition into this new system of reading meters and billing!

Agatha King

Behind the Scene - Part II

Qlwawater7@gilanet.com (Agatha King) — Wed, 27 Jul 2022 00:57:21 GMT

Meters at Quemado Lake

The picture above is one of the 150 plus meter boxes here at Quemado Lake. Some boxes are in excess of 4 feet deep. Some boxes are less than 20 inches deep. Those reading meters, typically the System Operator, are consistently faced with many challenges associated with reading the meters. That is one of the reasons your water is billed quarterly instead of monthly. Some winters there is so much snow on the ground, in January, that the water usage portion of bill is deferred. When the boxes are opened, to read the meters, there are often unfriendly creatures lurking inside. Black Widow spiders, snakes, mice, beetles, fire ants can all be part of the welcoming committee. Having the new "drive-by" meter system will make reading meters safer, quicker, and more efficient. The new meters will also help us to become better stewards of our precious water resource. As noted, the anticipated start date of the new meter installation is planned for August 15, 2022. We will let you know if anything changes.

Keeping your "Water on Tap".....QLWA.

Behind the Scene

Qlwawater7@gilanet.com (Agatha King) — Mon, 11 Jul 2022 22:45:55 GMT

What is happening "Behind the Scene"

Turning on the water tap is an everyday, common occurrence. What becomes uncommon is when you turn on your water and nothing comes out; or it comes out super slow. Did you know, that to make that water flow seamlessly through your faucet, a lot is happening "behind the scene".

There are two wells, off of highway 103, close to Quemado Lake. When water is needed, the Wells draw and pump water to the water tanks at 14 Escondido Road. The water distributed from the water tanks through the Booster Pump station located next to the water tanks. These pumps operate continuously, distributing water upon demand.

Make the most of the season by following these simple guidelines

info@vivabove.com (VIV Builder) — Fri, 08 Jul 2022 19:28:49 GMT

The new season is a great reason to make and keep resolutions. Whether it’s eating right or cleaning out the garage, here are some tips for making and keeping resolutions.

Make a list

Lists are great ways to stay on track. Write down some big things you want to accomplish and some smaller things, too.

Check the list regularly

Don’t forget to check in and see how you’re doing. Just because you don’t achieve the big goals right away doesn’t mean you’re not making progress.

Reward yourself

When you succeed in achieving a goal, be it a big one or a small one, make sure to pat yourself on the back.

Think positively

Positive thinking is a major factor in success. So instead of mulling over things that didn’t go quite right, remind yourself of things that did.