Glenwood Springs 1996 WC Plan

• Project Type: Water Conservation Plan
• Project Name: City of Glenwood Springs Water Conservation Plan
• Title: Water Conservation Master Plan
• Date: 7/18/1996
• County: Garfield
• Water Conservation - Doc Type: Complete Plan

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SECTION 1. BACKGROUND

Initial components of the Glenwood Springs (City) Water System date back to the early 1900's
and were installed to provide potable water for domestic use and fIre-fighting purposes. To
serve its customers, the City obtained twenty (20) cubic feet per second (CFS) or
approximately thirteen (13) million gallons per day (MGD) of high quality surface water from
the Flat Tops Wa1ershed. This water is diverted from Grizzly and NoName Creeks. The
upstream tributary area is a protected non-urbanized water shed and the raw water is of
excellent quality with respect to both organic and inorganic constituents.

Early water system planners selected a source where, unlike the Colorado and Roaring Fork
Rivers the City is the fIrst user, the water does not have salinity problems and for ten (10)
months during the year, the water is essentially free of turbidity. The watershed produces a
relatively soft, good-tasting water that also has very low corrosive rates with respect to both
the City's pipe network and the plumbing systems that serve individual structures. In
addition, the City's entire raw water system is served by gravity eliminating the need for
costly raw water pumping facilities.

The system has and continues to serve the potable water needs of the City. However, there
has been increased public and regulatory concern over drinking water quality. At the City,
this concern has focused on seasonally high concentrations of turbidity and pathogenic
organisms such as giardia. In response, the City constructed microstraining and chlorination
facilities in the 1960's. These facilities, which were located at the NoName intake, were only
partially successful at controlling turbidity and the transmission of water borne diseases.

To further improve drinking water quality, the City constructed the Red Mountain Water
Treatment Plant (WTP) in 1974. The WTP provides for in-line fIltration, chlorination and
fluoride treatment. Compared to the microstrainers, the ftItration and disinfection facilities
removed more of the turbidity and pathogenic organisms contained in the raw water.
However, during the May through June spring run-off period, high water turbidities continue
1 to overload the fIlters since there were no pretreatment faciliti~s_~oreJ1lov~~l)ortion (If th~__
-- - ----~cnded solids luad;-NewpretFeafiiient tacilities -chemical treatment, flocculation and
sedimentation--were constructed in 1995. The City continues to provide a water of safe,
sanitary quality to its customers.

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The primary purpose of the City's Conservation Plan is to promote the efficient use of water
through education, example, incentive and innovation. By promoting the efficient use of
water, the burden on the treatment facilities will be lessened.

Today, both reliable demand and reliable supply management are integral parts of the City's
planning process. The purpose of this Master Plan is to spell out a general direction for
efficient water use by all of the City's customers in both the short-term and long-term future.

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