Capital Improvements

Pulte Subdivision Water/Sewer Pipe Upgrades

The District’s engineering team is pleased to report the water service upgrades have been completed. All that remains is Douglas County’s responsibility in completing re-pavement on Fairwood and Garwood Streets. The County tells us they will begin repaving these streets in early 2012 as weather permits. We thank all involved for your patience and cooperation in these necessary community improvements!  

If you have any questions about the construction schedule or final improvements, please contact Karl Lucero of the Douglas County Engineering Department at klucero@douglas.co.us. If you have questions about snow removal or routine maintenance, please contact pwoperations@douglas.co.us.

 

Future Capital Improvement project:  Water Treatment Plant

The fate of our original 1958 water treatment plant is currently under review. Now that we’ve secured a permanent raw water supply and regionalized our wastewater treatment, the RWSD Board will be looking at the third biggest infrastructure issue facing us - our Water Treatment Plant (WTP).

Fortunately, discussions on the issue of the aging WTP began long ago. In 2000, we began WTP design options when customer demand for water was nearing the plant’s capacity to treat water. Plans were put on hold, however, when the drought of 2002 forced watering restrictions on many communities, including ours. The result? The demand for water dropped and the plant’s treatment capacity could continue to meet demand. We’ve continued the water restrictions because it has allowed the District to stretch the life of the WTP and to get us to this point in time. By staying on the two-day watering restrictions had multiple benefits: It helped us workout other necessary capital improvements first that required substantial fiscal investment. It also positively impacted environmental considerations, which simultaneously worked in our favor during negotiations with the City of Aurora.

It’s important to know that our successful permanent water supply agreement was based, in part, on the community’s reduced water usage! With many of our customers altering some or much of their original landscaping with more water-wise plants, the demand, per household, for water has dropped. These efforts have been, and still are, of great benefit to the community at large, not only in attaining our permanent water supply from Aurora, but in enabling us to extend the life of our water treatment plant.

 

Water Treatment Plant Options Under Review (2012)

• Expand the Existing Plant: Expanding the existing plant is like trying to rebuild a 1958 car. We need newer technology to continue to meet the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment (CDPHE) and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)’s clean water act , while being operationally cost-efficient for future growth needs.

• Denver Water’s Foothills Treatment Plant: While this option is being explored, it is looking like this option could more than double the cost we are currently paying to treat our water. It also would likely include a “tap” fee and additional infrastructure to hook onto Denver Water’s system, possibly making it one of the most expensive options.

• Construct a New Plant: This option is beginning to emerge as the most viable. The cost for construction of a new treatment plant would depend on the type of structure, capacity (size) and if the costs could be shared with neighboring districts. The District will be studying and analyzing these issues during 2012.

Please check back as we will post new information as it becomes available.