When Colorado Springs Utilities’ customers think of their services, wastewater may not be at the top of the list. Perhaps because once it’s down the drain, it’s out of sight and out of mind. The reality is that wastewater services play a significant and critical role in our operations.
The Wastewater Integrated Master Plan is a comprehensive tool in developing wastewater infrastructure now and in the future.
About our system
Imagine driving from Colorado Springs to Buffalo, N.Y. That's nearly the same amount of miles in wastewater pipes in our system. It’s the largest single-operator sanitary sewer system in Colorado (about 129,000 customers).
Your water pipes bring fresh, treated water into your home or business, while your wastewater pipe carries used water and waste from toilets, sinks and bathtub drains to the a lateral pipe. This pipe usually runs from a home or business to a main sewer line in the street. The main sewer lines carry the wastewater to a treatment plant for processing. Treated or clean water exits the treatment plant and is discharged into another water source (creek, river or lake) or used for non-potable (non-drinking) purposes. This reclaimed water can be used for irrigation, landscaping, heating and cooling, or used in manufacturing processes.
Master plan
The 2009 Wastewater Integrated Master Plan is an working document that will be reviewed and updated annually because of enhanced environmental regulations and potential growth in our community. The plan takes the following into consideration as we prioritize capital projects to meet demand.
- economics
- environmental regulations
- population growth
- new technology
- aging infrastructure
Public input
After you review the plan, you may submit comments to Gail Conners, issues manager, at gconners@csu.org.
You're invited to attend an open house Monday, Oct. 5, 4:30 to 6 p.m., at the Leon Young Service Center (1521 Hancock Expressway). You will be able to share ideas, receive answers to questions and submit comments for further consideration.
For more information, contact Gail Conners at 668-8012.
More system facts
- 1,609 miles of main pipes
- 19 lift stations (buildings which move water from one elevation to another)
- Two wastewater treatment plants and one biosolids plant
- Daily average treatment capacity at both plants is 42 million gallons a day, but can handle up to 95 million gallons a day.
- We have invested nearly $100 million on wastewater system improvements since 2000.
