You are receiving this newsletter because you are a recognized Douglas County community leader and stakeholder.
As County leaders, we must protect our region. Our quality of life is directly connected to our commitment to build a tomorrow that preserves the best of today. This vision includes protecting our natural resources, utilizing our county’s resources in a fiscally-smart manner, and wisely planning for our future. Thank you for standing with us.
Supply (or lack of) and High Demand Among All Front Range Communities is Quickly Making Water “The New Gold”
Inflation is impacting costs just about everywhere – and especially in the cost of water.
Last year, at least two families decided to exercise their private property rights and sell off some of their shares of Colorado-Big Thompson water.
An auction held for 90 shares of the Yoakum ranch were sold for a total of more than $4 million, or an average of $52,000 per acre-foot. One share sold for $72,000 per acre-foot. One decade ago these shares routinely sold for $18,000.
An observer at the auction told 9News in Denver that water is “the new gold.”
Douglas County currently has its future water security solely pinned on the Platte Valley Water Partnership (PVWP) project, spearheaded by the Parker Water & Sanitation District.
It is slated to come online sometime in the 2040s.
While leaders of the project had previously “guess-estimated” the cost at close to $800 million in public statements, recent media reports pegged the cost at more than $1.2 billion with a more realistic price tag moving closer to $2 billion dollars.
This back-of-the-envelope math is sure to rise substantially if the advocates must develop the actual per-acre-foot cost of acquiring water rights for the project in addition to the very significant cost of transporting the water and treating it to ensure it is safe for human consumption.
While the price tag for this project is high by today’s numbers – the project’s uncertainty and faith that it can even produce the 8,000 acre-feet of water annually – is the biggest concern.
Putting all the county’s chips on one project – that has no guarantee to be successful in its first 10 years - defies logic.
We must find and develop alternatives in case “Plan A” doesn’t work out
The urgency to act is yesterday. Over two years ago theColorado Sun wrote, “Douglas County needs to find new water sources as its population grows by 25 people every day.”
Douglas County does not have time to sit one water project out. It’s time to take an “all the above approach” to water and water projects.
Recent Headlines
Federal Colorado River conservation program lapses, faces uncertain future
A program that aims to cut water use in the overstretched Colorado River Basin will lapse this year after a federal bill to extend it stalled in Congress.
The program, called the System Conservation Pilot Program, relaunched in 2023 as part of a multistate effort to respond to prolonged drought in the Colorado River Basin. It pays volunteers — mostly farmers and ranchers — in Colorado, New Mexico, Utah and Wyoming to cut back on water use.
... U.S. Sen. John Hickenlooper, a Colorado Democrat, sponsored the bill, called Colorado River Basin System Conservation Extension Act, which aimed to reauthorize Reclamation’s ability to spend the money on the program. The Senate passed the measure Wednesday, but the House of Representatives left it on the chopping block as lawmakers raced to pass legislation to avoid a government shutdown.
A new measure is not a certain success: It will have to navigate a different Congressional composition and presidential administration. The program’s funding also faces uncertainty. President-elect Donald Trump has pledged to rescind unspent money allocated by the Inflation Reduction Act, according to news reports.
Northern Colorado water supplier announces 30% spike in water rates
The Fort Collins-Loveland Water District is moving forward with a rate hike in the new year. The water district, which serves more than 65,000 people every day, will start charging an additional 30% a month for existing residential users while adding a higher price tag for new taps in new developments.
What to ask your real estate agent about water in Colorado
…Who is the property’s water provider?
It’s also helpful to understand if the organization is planning to build new water infrastructure or has a backlog of needed repairs, Snitker {chair of the market trends committee for Denver Metro Association of Realtors} said. The cost of water and related fees can vary depending on the water provider, and it’s good to know those details up front, she said.
The experts also recommended learning about wastewater systems, water quality and any water-related expenses that could come up for new owners. Here are some questions they recommended asking:
Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment temporarily suspends water testing
On December 20, 2024, as part of the ongoing investigation into quality assurance processes within the State Laboratory’s water testing program, the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment (CDPHE) identified that a second chemist had manipulated quality control data, contributing to the lapses in method 200.7, which tests for certain metals in water.
Did you know? In the last century, almost the entire U.S. Southwest warmed by at least 2 degrees Fahrenheit. At the same time, many Western cities continue to grow. Ultimately, this has led to a 20% decline in the available water supply in the Colorado River compared with 100 years ago, according to USGS estimates.
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.
