The Highline Water Storage facility – made up of two 10-million-gallon underground reservoirs – was built in 1958. The facility, located at the corner of Mesa and Fillmore, serves approximately 24,000 customers.
We are replacing the cover of this storage facility – completing a portion of the work this year and most of the remaining work in 2010 and 2011. The work is planned for months when water demands are lower to ensure customers won't be impacted.
The replacement is needed because many of the tank cover supports have become corroded with age. Over the years, the roofing system has been repaired due to leaks. However, the existing steel weld points have deteriorated. Without the replacement, the cover could collapse which would pose a water quality risk.
The total cost for the project is estimated at $8.6M:
- $1.6M in 2009 - for design and start of construction
- Total estimated cost in 2010 is $5.5M
- Total estimated cost in 2011 is $1.5M
We have applied for a low-interest loan to fund this project and recently our loan application was approved by the Colorado Water Resources and Power Development Authority (CWRPDA). Potential debt service savings in utilizing the low interest CWRPDA loan are estimated at $2.86 million over the life of the loan. At the Council meeting Tuesday, Oct. 27, Springs Utilities will request approval for the loan agreement.
This is one example of the challenges Springs Utilities is facing over the next several years as we balance putting in new infrastructure to meet growing demands while upgrading and maintaining aging infrastructure on our existing systems to ensure we continue providing reliable service.
- Below is a photo rendering of the new cover as it will look once the work is complete.
