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!