We are proud to serve some of the best water in the nation. But many people in the world are not so fortunate. In honor of World Water Day - and every day that we can turn on our tap to access clean, safe drinking water - we want to draw attention to the value of water. After all, valuing our water is the first step to protecting and sharing this life-giving resource.
As part of my job, I educate people in Colorado Springs about where their water comes from and all the steps involved in getting it your tap - and those are some mighty big steps.
Did you know, for example, that we rely almost exclusively on surface water transported from as far as 100 miles away?
That’s because our community is not located near a major river or large body of water. For us to have a vibrant city we must pipe and pump water from three mountain river basins. The mighty Colorado River Basin supplies 65% of our water, the Arkansas River Basin gives us 30%, and the South Platte River contributes 5%. What you use to clean, cook, and keep your landscape healthy is primarily first-use snowmelt water collected in mountain reservoirs and piped to town where it is cleaned at one of our water treatment facilities before arriving at your home.
Our extensive, expertly engineered water system includes:
- Four transmountain tunnel systems.
- Five pump stations.
- 250 miles of water collection pipelines.
- 25 reservoirs collectively able to store up to three years’ worth of supply.
- Six water treatment facilities.
- 2,100+ miles of underground distribution pipes.
To make sure you receive the best drinking water at your tap every day, our laboratory staff collect and test more than 1,000 water samples a month while continuously monitoring in-line water quality sensors. Now that’s something we can all appreciate!
But our water story doesn’t end there. We're also your wastewater provider. Once you are done using water inside your home, it gets reclaimed at one of our water resource recovery facilities, treated, and either released down Fountain Creek where it flows past 200 other communities before reaching the Gulf of Mexico or reused in town for irrigation and industrial purposes. It’s quite a journey, with many other users downstream also depending on that water.
How can you celebrate World Water Day? Commit to value your water by using it as efficiently as possible. Water conservation is a key component for a sustainable water supply. Follow the Water Wise Rules of limiting outdoor watering and when you water. Change your habits by taking shorter showers and turning off faucets while washing hands, brushing teeth or shaving. You can also upgrade to efficient plumbing fixtures and appliances and find and fix leaks. Small changes add up to big savings. Check out our incentives and rebates, and water savings tips.
You can also learn more about how we monitor drought and other conditions that impact our water supply on our new Water Supply Watch page.
We invite you to celebrate World Water Day every day and enjoy a cool, refreshing drink of delicious water proudly delivered by your community-owned, not-for-profit utility. Cheers!
