When traveling through the Poudre Canyon on Hwy. 14 this summer or fall, you may see heavy equipment off the side of the road. City of Fort Collins Utilities, with Hydro Construction and Stantec Consultants, will be performing inspections on a 24-inch water pipeline from the mouth of the Poudre Canyon to Gateway Park, approximately 3.5 miles.

Approximately eight excavation sites will be located along the pipeline off the road. Traffic will not be impacted. The work will begin in mid-July and continue through late October.

The pipeline is a reinforced concrete pipe (RCP) that was installed in the 1920s. Through a series of downstream pipelines, it transports approximately 10 million gallons a day of water from the Poudre River to the City of Fort Collins Water Treatment Facility at the west end of Laporte Avenue.

The pipeline is a vital component of Fort Collins Utilities’ invaluable trans-mountain water system and the integrity and reliability of the pipeline must be maintained. In addition to evaluating the condition of the pipeline, specific locations also will be identified and mapped for future review.

During the assessment, other alternatives for water delivery will be reviewed and analyzed. Some of these could include using other pipelines for water delivery to fulfill the City’s water rights or constructing new pipelines in the canyon.

The assessment project is to ensure that the best alternatives for rehabilitation are identified and that ratepayers’ dollars will be spent efficiently to ensure the reliability of this important water supply infrastructure.