Western Slope Fears Future Trickling Away: The Denver Post

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Page 4 of 6 From Denver Water's perspective, the utility is trying to fix a bottleneck in the northern part of its system by funneling more water to its Moffat treatment plant. Currently, some metro customers could lose service if a fire or accident disabled the Foothills or Marston treatment facilities. But to increase the capacity of the Moffat facility, Denver needs to store more water in its northern system, and that means bringing more Fraser River water to the east slope. Denver Water officials point out that the utility has taken a number of voluntary steps to aid Fraser River communities. On four of the 30 diversions in the valley, Denver releases enough water to keep downstream fish alive in winter and summer. Several years ago, the utility agreed to give Winter Park 900 more acre -feet per year. And this spring, when the utility shut down bypass flows to maximize its own storage, it agreed it would release additional water if Winter Park faces shortages. "We understand they're trying to solve their problems and not kill us in the meantime," Teverbaugh said. "We're trying to make sure that doesn't happen either." But Denver Water's first priority remains serving its own customers, Little said. "There is a tension between what's best for our customers and what Grand County perceives it needs for their recreation economy," Little said. The utility's manager, Chips Barry, said Winter Park's beef isn't so much with Denver as it is with state water law. "What they're complaining about is ... the pinch that comes from the prior appropriation doctrine," Barry said. "Everyone who has to deal with it claims at one time or another it isn't fair. Besides, they all know the only people who can do anything to help them is Denver Water." But Denver's diversions have already forced Winter Park, the town of Fraser and other communities to build a sophisticated $20 million regional sewage treatment plant to comply with state pollution laws. The reason: Releases of treated sewage violated state water quality laws because the Fraser runs so low. The new debt from the sewage plant has further reduced the small towns' ability to pay for new water supply projects. Teverbaugh doesn't dispute that Denver has a legitimate right to the water. "I'm arguing that the water on the West Slope is an asset to the Front Range that needs to be protected," he said. "And I think it's unfair for Denver to say, 'Build -out is a God -given right on the Front Range. "' Opening taps for growth Some Denver Water officials suggest Grand County should have taken a harder look at its water supply before establishing development targets. However, since 2000, Denver Water has added more than 16,000 taps, a 5.7 percent increase. In 2002, the drought's worst year, Denver added almost 10,000 new taps - even as it was drastically cutting back releases to the Fraser for six months. By contrast, the stagnating economy has reduced demand in Hutchins' Grand County Water and http: / /www.denverpost.com /cda/article /print /0, 1674 ,36 %7E23447 %7E2335775,00.html 8/16/2004