As Northern Colorado continues to grow and we work to replace aging infrastructure, the Fort Collins-Loveland Water District invests in capital projects to help us meet our community’s water needs. Several of our capital projects have recently reached exciting milestones, and we’re eager to share them with you. Your rates pay for these very tangible projects, improving our systems, increasing our ability to fight fires and providing more backup during times of the highest demand. We are grateful for each person in our District who makes these projects possible, from the ratepayers to the project managers, from the operations crew to our construction partners.
TL;DR Summary
- Projects are funded through rates and tap fees, ensuring that new growth covers the costs of growth-related projects, while customers contribute to the improvements and maintenance needed to continue providing reliable service.
- The Trilby Tank Expansion is a major investment to improve fire flow across the system, benefiting two-thirds of our district and expanding storage capacity from 4 million to 10 million gallons.
- The Airport and Longview Pump Station projects were recently completed, replacing aging infrastructure. At the same time, Western Backbone prepares to enter phase 4 in upgrading aging pipeline.
- The Alkire (Pierce) Farm Recharge Ponds support the transition of water rights through state-required groundwater recharge before converting water to municipal use.
Why Capital Projects Matter: Supporting Growth and Replacing Aging Infrastructure
Capital projects — like building new infrastructure, expanding existing systems, or replacing outdated equipment — are necessary to keep the system functioning properly and ensure we have enough capacity for future growth. Projects like the Trilby Tank Expansion and the Airport Pump Station are designed to increase our system’s capacity, pressure, and reliability, while also making sure that our water infrastructure keeps pace with development in areas like Fort Collins, Loveland, and beyond.
These projects are funded through rates paid by current customers and tap fees paid by new customers moving into growing areas. The costs for projects are shared across those who will benefit from them: growth projects are paid for by tap fees (you can learn more about what a tap fee is in this blog), maintenance projects are paid for by current customers, and projects that serve both growth and existing customers have costs that are shared.
As a Title 32 special district, FCLWD is here to serve our entire district, regardless of when someone became a customer. Once a tap fee is paid or you move into our district, you become a customer of the District. There’s no distinction between “new customers” and “existing customers”—once you’re a customer, it’s all about “us.”
Trilby Tank Expansion: A Critical Growth Project
The Trilby Tank Expansion is one of the most visible projects in our service area, and it’s a crucial part of the District’s growth plan. Currently, the tank is being expanded to 10 million gallons, up from 4 million. This expansion will ensure there is enough fire flow and that the system meets the maximum daily demand by providing more storage. Carlos Medina, our primary project manager, explains:
“The expansion will benefit over two-thirds of the system, primarily serving growth customers, who will pay for the expansion through their tap fees. This project is vital for ensuring adequate pressure and fire flow throughout our District as our service area continues to grow.”
The project has already undergone a major milestone—the monolithic concrete pour for the base. View a timelapse video of this impressive project here. On the day the base was poured, we partnered with a nearby concrete plant to close it to the public for the day so we could be the sole recipient of concrete, with a new concrete truck arriving every five minutes. There were 165 workers from our partner RESPEC on the day of the pour, ensuring there were no seams in the concrete and everything went according to plan. Though the expansion is visible now, the project will eventually be “invisible” to customers. The new tank will be buried, blending into the landscape with minimal visual impact.
What’s Next for Trilby Tank?
In June 2026, we’ll schedule the concrete pour for the lid. Similar to the base pour, we expect over 150 workers on-site, starting before dawn to ensure that heat and wind do not disturb the project. It’s an exciting milestone, and the new tank will be operational by Fall 2026.
Airport Pump Station & Longview Pump Station: Complete
The Airport Pump Station was completed in February 2026. This project was an in-kind replacement for the older facility, which had never been upgraded. This pump station helps fill the Crossroads Tank and supply water to customers in this fast-growing area, especially during peak demand months.
The Longview Pump Station is another critical upgrade, designed to replace a pump station that’s been in operation for over 20 years. The new station enhances our ability to meet both fire flow and water pressure needs, all while improving operational efficiency and providing more redundancy across the system.
Western Backbone: Larger Pipelines for Optimal Flow
The Western Backbone project has already undergone phases one through three and will begin phase four in May 2026. This project will pick up where it left off, in the neighborhood between Overland Trail and Taft Hill Road to the west and east and Prospect Road and Horsetooth Road to the north and south. More details will be coming soon about specific roads that will be impacted. The next phase will involve the installation of 6,000 linear feet of new 42” water pipeline, replacing aging infrastructure.
Residents in these neighborhoods, who this project will directly impact, will be invited to an ice cream social at the site to answer questions and provide more information.
Alkire Farm Recharge Ponds: Supporting Water Rights and Growth
You may remember recent communications about the Alkire Farm in Pierce, Colorado, which we purchased from the Alkire family and sold to Weld RE-9 School District, while converting the water rights in the process. Currently, our team is building recharge ponds as part of the effort to convert agricultural water rights to municipal use. Jason Martin, the project manager, explains:
“The recharge ponds are mandated by the State of Colorado to meet water rights requirements. This is necessary before we can use the water for our system. These ponds will help restore groundwater to the aquifer, and while they will have a minor visible impact, the site will function just like stormwater detention ponds, only they are permeable.”
For this project, two recharge ponds were required, each about 1 acre in size. Once the design of the ponds was completed, FCLWD selected a Pierce-based contractor, Melvin Geib, Inc., for the project. The Geib family has been in Pierce for several generations, and they will complete the project this month.
Why These Projects Matter
Capital projects like the Trilby Tank Expansion, the Airport and Longview Pump Stations and the Alkire Farm recharge ponds are more than just construction projects; they represent our commitment to proactively preparing for future growth while continuing to serve current customers with reliable, high-quality water.
We’re investing in infrastructure that supports a growing community and ensures our system remains resilient for the future. These projects are paid for by both current customers through rates and new customers through tap fees, ensuring a fair distribution of costs.
At FCLWD, we take fiscal responsibility seriously. These projects are part of a thoughtful, long-term planning process to ensure that water is available for years to come. To stay up to date on our capital projects, be sure to visit https://fclwd.com/resources/construction-projects/.
