Water Supply and Demand

Horsetooth Reservoir

Poudre River

Michigan Ditch

Fort Collins’ water sources include:

• the Colorado-Big Thompson (CBT) Project, which includes Horsetooth Reservoir;
• the Cache la Poudre River basin; and
• portions of the Michigan River basin that flows to the Poudre River via the Michigan Ditch and Joe Wright Reservoir system.

Per City Council policy, Utilities maintains enough water supply to meet at least a 1-in-50 year type drought event in the Poudre River basin. During more severe droughts, conservation or restrictions reduce demand to match available supplies.

Each year the City typically:

• delivers an average of 28,000 acre-feet per year of treated water to customers;
• uses 3,000 to 4,000 acre-feet of raw water to irrigate the City's parks, golf courses, cemetery, green belt areas and school grounds; and
• delivers about 4,000 acre-feet of other raw water obligations.

The City currently owns water rights that yield approximately 72,000 acre-feet per year. Because of system capacity and legal constraints, as well as annual yield variations, the amount available to meet treated water demands is normally much less. Today, the City's water supplies can meet an average annual treated water demand of approximately 32,000 acre-feet during a 1-in-50 year type drought.

Water Supply Safety

Public concern about possible contamination of water sources and supply increased following the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001.

Both the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the American Water Works Association have said the likelihood of tap water being successfully contaminated with health-threatening chemical or biological agents is small. Even so, water utilities have long taken security precautions, and additional safeguards have been implemented, such as limiting access to facilities.

Even before Sept. 11, 2001, Utilities staff identified the need for surveillance and other security measures at our Water Treatment Facility. Additional applicable security measures have been adopted. These include:

• strict control and monitoring of vendor shipments;
• conducting additional water quality testing;
• reassessing procedures to detect incursions, and
• providing additional employee training.

The Cache La Poudre, along with Horsetooth Reservoir, are the focus of protective measures, with surveillance provided both by the U. S. Bureau of Reclamation and Fort Collins Utilities staff.

Fort Collins Utilities continuously alters security measures as recommended by the EPA and law enforcement agencies.