Barbara Biggs, General Manager Roxborough Water & Sanitation District

Effective May 1, 2021, Governor Polis lifted the prohibition on water utilities, like the Roxborough Water & Sanitation District, for assessing late fees and shutting off service for past due accounts. The District recognizes that the last year has been difficult for a lot of people, and it is not the District’s intent to add to those difficulties. Yet, the District incurs all the costs associated with providing clean, safe drinking water and efficient wastewater services to the community and being a not-for-profit entity, does not have the financial capability to continue to carry past due accounts. As of May 1, [...]

Like most public water systems, annually RWSD flushes its entire water distribution system. Water distribution pipes carry water in an underground, “grid like” system, and each spring these pipes require maintenance. The main purpose of flushing is to rid the pipes of any buildup of naturally occurring, harmless minerals that have adhered to interior walls during the winter months. When the water consumption slows down during winter months, the velocity of the water slows, allowing natural minerals like iron and manganese to adhere in the pipe. To rid the pipes of those minerals we artificially simulate high rate, directional flow through [...]

At 8:00 a.m. on March 17, 2021, the Roxborough Water and Sanitation District’s Board of Directors will hold its annual public hearing on rates and charges. Staff will present our recommendations for rates at that meeting, but ultimately the Board makes the final decision.  Rate recommendations are based on several factors: Current year (2021) budget adopted by the Board in November Previous year actual financial results Extensive review of current fixed asset reserves and the District’s 10-year capital improvement plan. Some highlights from 2020: 2020 was a hot, dry year, and water use was up as a result. Average use per [...]

On Monday morning Roxborough Water and Sanitation District (RWSD) received notice that a water utility in Oldsmar, Florida, had suffered a cyberattack during which a hacker was able to access their supervisory control and data acquisition (SCADA) system software and altered the amount of sodium hydroxide, a chemical routinely used in small doses during water treatment, to levels that would have made the water unsafe to use. We know that given the cyberattack RWSD suffered in August, we have a lot of trust to rebuild with the community, but we want to assure everyone that we have made significant improvements to [...]

Some residents have called the office or posted on social media about discolored water, chlorine smell or metallic taste recently. I’m happy to report that everything should be cleared up by the end of next week. Providing safe, great tasting water is our number one priority. Roxborough’s water remains safe and clean. It starts as a pristine mountain supply and is treated in the community’s state-of-the-art treatment plant. The recent discoloration was caused by a process change to complete routine maintenance of the distribution system. We apologize that this change impacted the appearance, taste and odor of the water. We have [...]

It’s been a long hot, dry summer.  As of August 20, the region has had 60 days over 90 degrees, and through July we have received less than 7 inches of precipitation for the year, compared with almost 12 inches in 2019.  The entire state of Colorado is now in a drought, and there is little relief in sight as forecasts indicate the weather for the rest of August and September is likely to be warmer and drier than normal. What does this mean for the community’s water supply?  On August 19, we hit a record of 3.6 million gallons of [...]

Roxborough Water and Sanitation District (RWSD or District) continues to receive recognition for the state-of-the-art technology and innovative approach to water treatment plant operations at its Larry D. Moore Water Treatment Plant. In the summer of 2017, RWSD began operations at the new water treatment plant, which replaced its old facility constructed in 1958.  The new treatment plant included the ACTIFLO high-rate water clarification process that has the ability to remove over 99% of the naturally occurring contaminants in our raw water supply and allowed RWSD to save an estimated 30% on the cost of the new treatment plant.  The new [...]

Now that we’re over four months into the global coronavirus pandemic, I’d like to highlight the hard work the operations staff at RWSD puts into serving the community’s water and wastewater needs. We operate the entire RWSD system – treatment, distribution, and wastewater collection – with only 8 staff members plus the Director of Operations and the Operations Administrator.  These dedicated professionals are essential personnel in this crisis.  They make sure the community always has fresh water to drink and wash with, and safe and effective wastewater collection and transmission 24/7.  They have been at work throughout the pandemic, in addition [...]

Every year around this time residents receive Roxborough Water and Sanitation District’s (RoxWSD or the District) Annual Water Quality Report, also known as the Drinking Water Consumer Confidence Report (the Report). Publication of this Report is mandated by the EPA’s Clean Water Act and is intended to provide residents with a summary of the quality of their drinking water. Because there are detailed regulations governing the Report, the text we are required to use can seem technical and be difficult to understand. In this blog, I’ll do my best to explain what it all means. First, let’s review the community’s water [...]