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Return Flow Locations <br />Aurora uses two wastewater treatment plants (WWTP), located as shown in Figure 1. Aurora <br />principally uses the Metro Wastewater Reclamation District located on the South Platte River in <br />the SE'/4 SW '/4 of Section 2, T3 S, R68W, 6th P.M Aurora also uses its Sand Creek Wastewater <br />Treatment Plant located on Sand Creek in the NW '/4 SE'/4 of Section 26, T3 S, R67W, 6th P.M. <br />Table 2 presents more detailed information on Aurora's current use of these facilities. <br />Table 2 <br />Aurora's WWTPs <br />WWTP Date of First Use Maximum Capacity Current Average <br /> (Aurora's Portion) Discharge <br />Metro WWTP 1966 Unlimited 26 MGD <br />Sand Creek WWTP 1971 5 MGD (includes 5 MGD (includes <br /> reclaimed water) reclaimed water) <br />Aurora has reclaimed domestic wastewater, since 1970, for the irrigation of the Aurora Hills <br />Golf Course. In 1980, three additional city parks, requiring an additional 50 million gallons of <br />irrigation water, were added to the reclaimed water system. More recent enhancements to <br />Aurora's reclamation project allow water to be provided to irrigate golf courses at Springhill, <br />Lowry, Murphy Creek, and Fitzsimmons, as well as greenbelt areas along the I-225 corridor and <br />additional city parks. Approximately 1,440 ac-ft of reclaimed wastewater was used in 2005 from <br />the Sand Creek Wastewater Reclamation Facility for golf course and park irrigation. <br />The use of the lawn irrigation return flows accruing to Shop Creek, a small tributary to Cherry <br />Creek above Cherry Creek Reservoir, was incorporated as replacement water for Aurora <br />depletions contained in the Cherry Creek Regional Plan. A pending application (02-CW-341) in <br />Water Court would allow reuse of other lawn irrigation return flows when those return flows are <br />generated from out-of--basin sources or from non-tributary ground water sources <br />WATER RIGHTS <br />Aurora has a diversified portfolio of direct flow water rights, storage rights and historic irrigation <br />water rights that have been subsequently changed to municipal uses. The descriptions below <br />briefly address Aurora's water rights in the South Platte Basin. Water sources in the Arkansas <br />and Colorado River Basins comprise a significant portion of Aurora raw water sources but can <br />be considered as integrated in the supply data of the Homestake Pipeline to the South Platte <br />Basin. With the exception of a Last Chance Ditch water right, Aurora's direct flow and storage <br />water rights in the South Platte River basin are located at or above Strontia Springs Reservoir. <br />Direct Flow Rights <br />Aurora direct flow water rights consist of the existing South Platte Intake water right and several <br />pending direct flow water rights on the South Platte. Table 3 presents information about these <br />rights. <br />City of Aurora Operating Memorandum 11 of 29 <br />