JACKSON, Wyo. — Water quality was the hot topic at the recent Teton County Board of County Commissioners meeting with the Board voting unanimously to approve a petition for the formation of the Elk Refuge Water District and to commit up to $3 million to build a water system in Hoback.
The Board has met several times over the summer to discuss the future water supply system for the Hoback Water and Sewer District, most recently meeting with a number of stakeholders for a workshop to hear details and the current application to the Wyoming Water Development Commission (WWDC) Level III funding.
At the July meeting, Bob Frodeman, Board Chair of Hoback Water and Sewer District explained that the $3 million ask was calculated using a base monthly rate of $100 for the 50 or so residential properties within the district. Frodeman emphasized again at Tuesday’s meeting that he is pursuing other funding opportunities to avoid tapping into the funds pledged by the County.
The County money will come from the 2022 voter-approved $10 million water quality special purpose excise tax (SPET) with the caveat that collections are ongoing so there will not be a lump sum available and that the County’s pledge will be used last, if at all.
According to the staff report, if funds are secured through the WWDC Level II funding, construction could start as early as May or June 2026. That gives Frodeman and project stakeholders like Teton Conservation District and Protect Our Waters Jackson Hole (POWJH) about nine months to raise the funds.
Commission Chair Luther Propst noted that the Teton Conservation District will consider giving $250,000 to the project at an Aug. 21 meeting. Carlin Girard, Executive Director of Teton Conservation District, has been at the forefront of the efforts to build a water system in Hoback.
POWJH Interim Executive Director Dan Heilig shared that his organization is actively investigating funding for the project at the private, state and federal levels.
Frodeman said the project is estimated to cost $5.3 million, which accounts for inflation.
“This is just the beginning; we are learning a lot and we are going to continue to learn about how to engage in these processes as we develop what we need to for water quality infrastructure in the county,” Commissioner Natalia Macker said before making the motion.
