Carter Lake Pipeline

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New Information:

Northern Colorado Water Conservancy District (NCWCD) filed its  1041 permit application for the Carter Lake Pipeline with the Boulder County Land Use Department in May 2009.

Staff submitted the draft  Community and Environmental Assessment Process (CEAP) report to the Water Resources Advisory Board (WRAB) in September 2009, with the intention of returning to WRAB in November for a final recommendation.  However, on Sept. 29, 2009, Boulder County determined it would require NCWCD to evaluate and present information on specific, less environmentally damaging alternatives to the preferred alignment for the pipeline, as authorized by the Boulder County Land Use Code.  Due to the uncertainty concerning the pipeline alignment, staff has decided to wait to finalize the Carter Lake Pipeline CEAP until alignment issues are resolved so community and environmental project effects can be correctly portrayed in the CEAP.  This will probably not occur until the fall or winter of 2010.

Background:

Source water protection has become a critical component of providing safe and reliable drinking water due to a greater understanding of the limits of treatment processes in removing contaminants. Most water utilities institute a multiple barrier approach which includes preventing contaminants from entering the water supply, in addition to providing multiple water treatment processes. Increased levels of contaminants in source waters causes a greater potential for contaminants to pass through the treatment facility. Over the past decade, water utilities have increased reliance on source water protection to provide a complete overall prevention and treatment barrier for public health safety.

As a result of these concerns, the city initiated the Source Water Quality Planning Study - Phase I, completed by Black and Veatch Consulting Engineers (B&V) in April 2003. This study provided the city with an overview of alternative approaches available to improve and protect source water quality. Recommendations from the the Phase I study included further consideration of the management of Boulder Reservoir and the construction of a pipeline from Carter Lake to the Boulder Reservoir Wastewater Treatment Plant (BRWTP).

As a result, the city participated in a Southern Water Supply Project II Feasibility Study, Integra Engineering, January 2006, to evaluate a pipeline from Carter Lake to the BRWTP. The proposed Carter Lake Pipeline, also called the Southern Water Supply Project II (SWSP II), is a collaborative project between the Northern Colorado Water Conservancy District (NCWCD) and five northeastern Colorado municipal water providers, including Boulder. The proposed pipeline would carry Colorado-Big Thompson Project and Windy Gap Project water from Carter Lake to project participants.

During a similar time period the city also initiated the Pre-design Report for Near-term Improvements for the BRWTP, dated 2003. The 2003 Pre-design report listed costs for near-term, mid-term and long-term improvements at the treatment plant, but made no long-term recommendations. Membranes, ultraviolet (UV) disinfection and ozone were proposed as possible long-term improvements.

City staff again workee with B&V who has developed a draft report on the Integrated Evaluation of BRWTP Source Water Protection and Treatment Improvements. This study evaluates recommendations from two previous 2003 reports. The study develops and evaluates alternatives for source water protection and treatment and proposes a long term capital improvement plan for the BRWTP.

The city continues to pursue federal funding to assist with the construction of this project. The 2009 State and Federal Legislative Agenda includes this project, which previously received a $10 million authorization by the federal government in November 2007 as the Water Resources Development Act of 2007.

The Carter Lake Pipeline continues to be one of the preferred alternatives for securing long term water quality benefits for the BRWTP. The city is continuing to collaborate with the NCWCD and other northeastern Colorado water providers by participating in the development of applications for various required federal, state and local permits required for the pipeline.

One of the primary economic issues related to the pipeline is the estimated cost of $25 million.  While the city is pursuing federal funding for the project, there must still be an appropriations request next year and, if successful, funding would not be forthcoming until 2009. A $10 million authorization was approved by the federal government in November 2007 as the Water Resources Development Act of 2007.

In Sept. 2007, a WRAB/staff consensus proposal was approved by a 4-1 vote based on reconciling various facts and opinions. The consensus proposal supports continuing work related to pipeline planning and preliminary engineering and permitting and right-of-way acquisition, while evaluating other utility capital improvement and operating priorities with the goal of achieving superior performance, maximizing efficiency, providing outstanding customer service while minimizing the need for rate increases to the extent practical. The proposal also includes nine different work items including pursuing federal funding for the pipeline.

There will be short-term environmental impacts associated with the construction of the pipeline although the impacts will be appropriately mitigated.  Marginally less water will flow through the Boulder Feeder Canal and Boulder Reservoir. It is not anticipated this will negatively affect the water quality or recreational opportunities in the Boulder Feeder Canal, Boulder Reservoir or lower Boulder Creek.

The new pipeline will improve the reliability and safety of the city's drinking water for all citizens independent of ethnicity, culture, ability, age, income or family demographics.

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Project Documents:

• Carter Lake Pipeline power point presentation, City Council Study Session, July 31, 2007 (in PDF format 172 KB)

• Memorandum to City Council and supplemental information reguarding Carter Lake Pipeline July 20, 2007

• Water Resources Advisory Board Agenda Item June 28, 2007
  

• Water Resources Advisory Board Agenda Item March, 19, 2007
• Water Resources Advisory Board Agenda Item Feb. 27, 2006
• Water Resources Advisory Board Agenda Item Oct. 17, 2005
• Integrated Evaluation of Boulder Reservoir Water Treatment Plant Source Water Protection and Treatment Improvements Report, Black & Veatch, June 18, 2007 
  • Cover Page and Table of Contents
  • Chapter 1
  • Chapter 2
  • Chapter 3
  • Chapter 4
  • Chapter 5
  • Chapter 6
  • Chapter 7
  • Chapter 8
  • Appendix 1
  • Appendix 2
• Second Interim Agreement with NCWCD, Southern Water Supply Project Water Activity Enterprise, Jan. 2007
• Southern Water Supply Project II Feasibility Study, Integra Engineering, Jan. 2006 (this document is extremely large and will take a moment to open)
• Predesign Report for Near-term improvements for the BRWTP - June 20, 2003
• Source Water Quality Planning Study Phase I - April 2003 - Black and Veatch

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Last Updated on Friday, 13 November 2009 10:25