Utilities Partners with EPA, First Responders to Better Protect the Poudre River from Spills

Posted on: Sep-17-2014

Fort Collins Utilities continually works to maintain and improve systems that protect our watershed (the area that drains into a waterway) and drinking water supply. Lessons learned from previous spills in the Poudre River, including the asphalt spills in recent years, emphasized the importance of proper tools, training and partnerships with local first responders for clean-up efforts. Utilities’ Environmental Regulatory staff recently spearheaded an interactive training led by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) that brought together responders from Poudre Fire Authority, Fort Collins Utilities and the City of Greeley Bellvue Water Treatment Plant. During the two-day training, responders practiced using a ‘spill containment boom’ in the Poudre River and learned techniques and strategies to more quickly mitigate spills. When properly deployed in the river, the large containment boom directs the spill to a location where the material can be effectively removed. This technique facilitates protection of fish, wildlife and shorelines and helps prevent the contaminant from reaching the City’s drinking water intake. The Poudre River is one of two sources of raw water supply for the City of Fort Collins. After treatment, the river water flows through pipelines and into the homes and businesses in Fort Collins, making the need to mitigate spills as quickly as possible a critical function of Fort Collins Utilities. For more information, call 970-631-3698, email sstrong@fcgov.com, visit https://www.fcgov.com/utilities or TDD 970-224-6003.

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