This season’s closure of South Suburban Reservoir, located in the Stratton Open Space, presented a two-fold opportunity: first, and primarily, to inspect the reservoir and second, to conduct a thorough cleanup of the many years’ accumulation of dog toys and other discarded material.
South Suburban Reservoir is a drinking water supply reservoir for our customers – one of many in our system. It’s location within the city limits and the Stratton Open Space makes it a popular destination for day hikers and their furry companions. The reservoir is typically closed when ice starts to form on its surface and doesn’t open again until spring ice melt. This year we closed the reservoir a little earlier than usual so it could be completely drained, allowing us to observe the condition of the reservoir bottom and conduct any necessary maintenance.
One thing the bare-bottomed reservoir revealed was a stunning array of dog paraphernalia, including hundreds of tennis balls. While clean-up efforts by our operations staff take place every year along the shore of the reservoir, it has been nearly 10 years since we were able to clean the basin.
A team of operations staff and volunteers from other departments tackled this chore on a recent Friday afternoon, treading lightly in the surface-dried mud to pry rubber Kong toys, rope throws, and balls from their embedded resting spots. Remnants of dog poop bags were discovered, as well as general trash items. In all, 22 garbage bags of refuse were collected for disposal.
With all that material found residing in the reservoir, you may wonder what this means in terms of water quality. South Suburban Reservoir is tested regularly throughout the year by our environmental laboratory staff, as are all our supply reservoirs. In warmer weather, bacterial activity increases, so we are especially vigilant during summer months to make sure levels stay under pre-determined thresholds.
Rest assured; all our drinking water is treated before reaching our customers so that it is delivered to your tap safer than even bottled water! However, we also monitor reservoirs like South Suburban to make sure they remain safe for recreation. Reservoirs with shallower basins and more human/animal interaction, such as South Suburban and Pikeview (located off Garden of the Gods Road), present a higher risk for certain bacteria and algae to form. When that happens, we might close a reservoir until the situation resolves.
These reservoirs are critical sources of water for our community and a precious natural resource. We are ever mindful of the delicate balance between protecting our drinking water sources and the watersheds in which they reside, while sharing the recreational opportunities they present. We appreciate everyone’s efforts to keep our reservoirs clean and beautiful.