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State Supreme Court Creates New Water Reality for Douglas County
The time is even more crucial for Douglas County to take "an all of the above” approach to renewable water proposals
The decades-long water challenges facing Douglas County, thanks to its over-reliance on non-renewable aquifers, have deepened in the wake of a recent Colorado Supreme Court decision.
The court upheld the so-called “slow sip” approach to pumping water out of the Denver Basin aquifer, put in place by the state that strictly limits the amount of water availability for area water providers – including Parker and Castle Rock.
These rules were put in place to protect the Front Range from catastrophic results from over using the non-renewable aquifer that many growing Front Range communities rely on for its residents.
The goal is to ensure that the non-renewable water sources can last for at least 100 years.
The water providers (Parker Water & Sanitation District and the Town of Castle Rock) had sued the state, arguing that the pumping limits were inexact and not based on current technology.
These communities were (and are) desperate to meet the growing demands for water with diminishing supplies from their existing supplies, especially since Parker Water has not had any significant growth in actual deliverable water.
Put aside the fact that the water providers will need to scramble to pass a bill through the legislature to overturn the court decision – an uncertain proposition that would cause Gov. Polis to overrule his own water experts – the issue brings back into focus the need to expand and diversify Douglas County’s water supplies.
Some Douglas County leaders have put politics over common-sense water initiatives including those involving the private sector to solve water problems. The concern over finite non-renewable aquifers serving Douglas County goes back more than 30 years -- when limits on well usage were first put in place.
The residents of Douglas County deserve real solutions, not outrageous funding expenditures upwards of $52 million for a new office as authorized by Parker Water officials. Our quality-of-life is a stake without reliable water.
The new court decision, which without question presents very significant challenges for Parker, Castle Rock and other water providers, underscores the need to embrace an “all of the above” approach to renewable water proposals.
The lack of more aggressive, fact-centered long-range planning, which county leaders have begun to remedy thanks to the creation of the Douglas County Water Commission, has been exposed by the Court’s ruling.
It’s likely that the Water Commission will provide the roadmap needed considering the Supreme Court “slow sip” decision.
Recent Headlines
Colorado Supreme Court “slow sip” ruling could affect city water supplies from Greeley to Castle Rock
Nearly 40 years ago, after watching aquifers below Douglas County plunge amid fast growth and heavy use, Colorado lawmakers adopted a “sip slowly” management process that required communities such as Parker and Castle Rock to pump out fixed amounts of nonrenewable groundwater each year in an effort to make the resource last at least 100 years.
Fast forward to 2020. That year, the state directed well owners to sip even more slowly, explicitly stating how much water their permits entitled them to, and requiring them to stop pumping at the end of that 100-year period if they have fully used the water to which they were entitled when the original well permits were issued.
But Parker and Castle Rock objected, suing the state over the new permitting language.
Aurora and Greeley joined the case, siding with the state. A special water court ruled against Parker and Castle Rock, which together appealed to the Colorado Supreme Court.
Colorado Springs City Council confirms approval of $1.8B Utilities budget for 2025
...Residential customers can expect to pay on average $14 more each month next year for water, wastewater, natural gas and electric services, according to a Utilities presentation in October. A sample service bill provided by Utilities shows the average residential customer can expect their bills to increase from about $255 a month currently to about $269 a month beginning Jan. 1, or an increase of 5.5%.
The 2025 budget is 21% more than the approved 2024 spending plan. Regulatory requirements, system reliability needs and community growth are driving the increased costs from 2025 through 2029, Utilities officials have said.
…The council voted to implement recommended base rate increases by about 6.6% for all four utility services each year from 2025 through 2029. Utilities will increase base rates by 6.5% for electric and water services, 4% for natural gas and 9% for wastewater each year during the next five years.
Broomfield City Council approves water rate hike for its Colorado residents of more than 50%
...Broomfield City Council approved a water rate hike of more than 50% for 2025. That means bills in Broomfield are going up next year. The county says this comes after years of not paying enough to keep up with system fixes. But now, the county is playing catch-up.
Broomfield Communications Director Julie Story explain some reasons for the rate increase include aging infrastructure, more regulations, and pay was not set to keep up with demand.
…Other cities and counties like Denver are also raising their water rates but many are by lesser amounts.
On an average day, 25 people move to Douglas County. The county has a limited supply of underground aquifers, meaning the clock is ticking for the county to find more sustainable resources before they run out. Water supply is not keeping up with population growth.
Upcoming News from DCFF
Every other week, DCFF will report on important news and challenges impacting our community. We hope you will stay engaged and connected with us.
