Investment in Water and Water Systems

The Company’s water and water systems consist of the following approximate costs and accumulated depreciation and depletion as of August 31:

Depletion and Depreciation

The Company recorded $1,300, $500, and $7,000 of depletion charges during the fiscal years ended August 31, 2017, 2016 and 2015, respectively. During the fiscal years ended August 31, 2017 and 2016, this related entirely to the Rangeview Water Supply (defined below).

The Company recorded $733,000, $419,600, and $340,300 of depreciation expense in each of the fiscal years ended August 31, 2017, 2016 and 2015, respectively. These figures include depreciation for other equipment not included in the table above.

Rangeview Water Supply and Water System

The “Rangeview Water Supply” consists of 26,985 acre feet and is a combination of tributary surface water and groundwater rights along with certain storage rights associated with the Lowry Range, a 27,000-acre property owned by the Land Board located 16 miles southeast of Denver, Colorado. Approximately $14.5 million of Investments in Water and Water Systems on the Company’s balance sheet as of August 31, 2017, represents the costs of assets acquired or facilities constructed to extend water service to customers located on and off the Lowry Range. The recorded costs of the Rangeview Water Supply include payments to the sellers of the Rangeview Water Supply, design and construction costs and certain direct costs related to improvements to the asset including legal and engineering fees.

The Company acquired the Rangeview Water Supply beginning in 1996 when:

In July 2014, the Company, the Rangeview District and the Land Board entered into the 2014 Amended and Restated Lease (the “Lease”), which superseded the original 1996 lease, and the Company and the Rangeview District entered into an Amended and Restated Service Agreement. Collectively, the foregoing agreements, as amended, are referred to as the “Rangeview Water Agreements.”

Pursuant to the Rangeview Water Agreements, the Company owns 11,650 acre feet of water consisting of 10,000 acre feet of groundwater and 1,650 acre feet of average yield surface water which can be exported off the Lowry Range to serve area users (referred to as “Export Water”). The 1,650 acre feet of surface rights are subject to completion of documentation by the Land Board related to the Company’s exercise of its right to substitute an aggregate gross volume of 165,000 acre feet of its groundwater for 1,650 acre feet per year of adjudicated surface water and to use this surface water as Export Water. Additionally, assuming completion of the substitution of groundwater for surface water, the Company has the exclusive right to provide water and wastewater service, through 2081, to all water users on the Lowry Range and the right to develop an additional 13,685 acre feet of groundwater and 1,650 acre feet of adjudicated surface water to serve customers either on or off the Lowry Range. The Rangeview Water Agreements also provide for the Company to use surface reservoir storage capacity in providing water service to customers both on and off the Lowry Range.

Services on the Lowry Range – Pursuant to the Rangeview Water Agreements, the Company designs, finances, constructs, operates and maintains the Rangeview District’s water and wastewater systems to provide service to the Rangeview District’s customers on the Lowry Range. The Company will operate both the water and the wastewater systems during the contract period, and the Rangeview District owns both systems. After 2081, ownership of the water system will revert to the Land Board, with the Rangeview District retaining ownership of the wastewater system.

Rates and charges for all water and wastewater services on the Lowry Range, including tap fees and usage or monthly fees, are governed by the terms of the Rangeview Water Agreements. Rates and charges are required to be less than the average of similar rates and charges of three surrounding municipal water and wastewater service providers, which are reassessed annually. Pursuant to the Rangeview Water Agreements the Land Board receives a royalty of 10% or 12% of gross revenues from the sale or disposition of the water depending on the nature and location of the purchaser of the water, except that the royalty on tap fees shall be 2% (other than taps sold for Sky Ranch which are exempt). The Company also is required to pay the Land Board a minimum annual water production fee, which will offset future royalty obligations. The Company and the Land Board are working cooperatively to clarify the calculation of the minimum annual production fee. Pursuant to the Company’s determination, the Company has made payments of $45,600 for each of the past two years. The Company does not anticipate any modification to the minimum fee to be material. The Rangeview District retains 2% of the remaining gross revenues and the Company receives 98% of the remaining gross revenues after the Land Board royalty. The Land Board does not receive a royalty on wastewater fees. The Company receives 100% of the Rangeview District’s wastewater tap fees and 90% of the Rangeview District’s wastewater usage fees (the Rangeview District retains the other 10%).

Export Water – The Company owns the Export Water and intends to use it to provide wholesale water and wastewater services to customers off the Lowry Range, including customers of the Rangeview District and other governmental entities and industrial and commercial customers. The Company will own all wholesale facilities required to extend water and wastewater services using its Export Water. The Company anticipates contracting with third parties for the construction of these facilities. If the Company sells Export Water, the Company is required to pay royalties to the Land Board ranging from 10% to 12% of gross revenues, except that the royalty on tap fees shall be 2% (other than taps sold for Sky Ranch which are exempt).

Water Supply - Other – The WISE Partnership Agreement (as defined below) provides for the purchase of certain infrastructure (i.e., pipelines, water storage facilities, water treatment facilities, and other appurtenant facilities) to deliver water to and among the 10 members of the SMWA, Denver Water and Aurora Water. Certain infrastructure has been constructed and other infrastructure will be constructed over the next several years. During fiscal 2017, the Company invested approximately $350,000 in infrastructure. 

The Arapahoe County Fairgrounds Water and Water System

The Company owns 321 acre feet of groundwater purchased pursuant to its agreement with Arapahoe County. The Company plans to use this water in conjunction with its Rangeview Water Supply in providing water to areas outside the Lowry Range. The $2.9 million of capitalized costs includes the costs to construct various Wholesale and Special Facilities, including a new deep water well, a 500,000-gallon water tank and pipelines to transport water to the Arapahoe County fairgrounds.

Service to Customers Not on the Lowry Range

Sky Ranch - In 2010, the Company purchased approximately 931 acres of undeveloped land known as Sky Ranch. The property includes the rights to approximately 830 acre feet of water. The Company plans to use this water in conjunction with its Rangeview Water Supply to provide water service to the Rangeview District’s customers at Sky Ranch. The $11.4 million of capitalized costs includes the costs to acquire the water rights and to construct various facilities, including an eight-mile pipeline, to extend service to customers at Sky Ranch.

Total consideration for the land and water included the $7.0 million purchase price, plus direct costs and fees of $554,100. The Company allocated the total acquisition cost to the land and water rights based on estimates of each asset’s respective fair value.

In June 2017, the Company completed and placed into service its Sky Ranch pipeline, connecting its Sky Ranch water system to Rangeview's water system for approximately $4.7 million.

Wild Pointe - On December 15, 2016, the Rangeview District, acting by and through its Water Activity enterprise, and Elbert & Highway 86 Commercial Metropolitan District, a quasi-municipal corporation and political subdivision of the State of Colorado, acting by and through its Water Enterprise (the “Elbert 86 District”), entered into a Water Service Agreement (the “Wild Pointe Service Agreement”). Subject to the conditions set forth in the Wild Pointe Service Agreement and the terms of the Company’s engagement by Rangeview as Rangeview’s exclusive service provider, the Company acquired, among other things, the exclusive right to provide water services to residential and commercial customers in the Wild Pointe development, located in unincorporated Elbert County, Colorado, in exchange for $1,600,000 in cash. Pursuant to the terms of the Wild Pointe Service Agreement, the Company, in its capacity as Rangeview’s service provider, is responsible for providing water services to all users of water services within the boundaries and service area of the Elbert 86 District and for operating and maintaining the Elbert 86 District’s water system. In exchange, the Company receives 100% of system development (or tap) fees from new customers and 98% of all other fees and charges, including monthly water service revenues, remitted to the Rangeview District by the Elbert 86 District pursuant to the Wild Pointe Service Agreement. The Elbert 86 District’s water system currently provides water service to approximately 130 existing SFE water connections in Wild Pointe.

O&G Leases

In 2011, the Company entered into the O&G Lease and the Surface Use Agreement with Anadarko. Pursuant to the O&G Lease, the Company received an up-front payment of $1,243,400 from Anadarko for the purpose of exploring for, developing, producing and marketing oil and gas on 634 acres of mineral estate owned by the Company at its Sky Ranch property. The Company also received $9,000 in surface use and damage payments. In December 2012, the O&G Lease was purchased by a wholly-owned subsidiary of ConocoPhillips Company. The Company received an additional payment of $1,243,400 during February 2014 to extend the O&G Lease an additional two years through February 2016. The O&G Lease is now held by production, entitling the Company to royalties based on production.

In September 2017, subsequent to fiscal year end, the Company entered into a three-year Paid-Up Oil and Gas Lease with Bison Oil and Gas, LLP, for the purpose of exploring for, developing, producing and marketing oil and gas on 40 acres of mineral estate owned by the Company adjacent to the Lowry Range.

Land and Mineral Interests

As part of the 2010 Sky Ranch acquisition the Company acquired 931 acres of land which is valued at approximately $4.8 million. Additionally, in fiscal 2015, as part of the settlement with HP A&M, the Company was assigned 75% mineral interests in the Arkansas River land. Together with the 25% mineral interests the Company owned prior to the settlement, the Company now holds approximately 13,900 acres of mineral interests. The Company has valued its mineral interests at approximately $1,425,500.