As you turn on your tap or take a big gulp of water, do you ever wonder about its quality? If not, it’s time to start considering it! Being well-informed about the water you consume, use for cooking, or bathe in is incredibly important. At the Fort Collins-Loveland Water District, we devote significant attention to water and take pride in providing safe and reliable water for our community.
Meet the Expert
To help us better understand water quality in Northern Colorado, we caught up with a specialist on our team, Vic Federico. Vic has worked for the District for more than 10 years and three years ago he began working in water quality. His primary role is to ensure that the District is operating under the state-issued monitoring plan.
Prior to working for the District, he studied industrial microbiology at Colorado State University and worked in a water quality lab for four years. When it comes to water excellence in Northern Colorado, Vic is the expert.
“The biggest issue we face in Northern Colorado is damage to our source water from the large forest fires we’ve had in recent years,” he said. “To make the water safe to drink and use, we follow all testing guidelines set forth by the state and the EPA.”
“We do field testing every month for bacteria and chlorine levels. Disinfection by-products are sampled at the edges of the District quarterly, and lead and copper are tested once a year. We also test for unregulated contaminants when directed,” Vic added. “I’m proud to say we meet all requirements for testing and numbers put forth by the state — we continue to provide safe and clean water to our 60,000 plus customers.”
Where Does My Water Come From?
When it comes to water quality in Northern Colorado, the first question to ask is where does our water come from? FCLWD water comes from the Poudre River and Horsetooth Reservoir. Before the water makes its way to your house, it goes through the Soldier Canyon Water Treatment Authority (SCWTA). It’s treated, cleaned, and meets all federal and state standards before leaving the plant. Quarterly reports for the plant are available on our website.
What Contaminants Are in My Water?
All water, including bottled water, contains minute traces of contaminants. Although these trace levels of substances do not necessarily pose any health risks, we always report findings to keep our customers informed. In the past, we have detected negligible quantities of lead, originating from household fixtures and residential piping, rather than from our water sources or treatment. Additionally, we have detected minor amounts of copper, chlorite, chlorine, nitrate, and various other substances. Despite these findings, it is important to note that we remain well within the allowable limits established by both the EPA and the State of Colorado.
The full list of levels is available in our annual reports.
“Regulations will continue to grow and will increase testing requirements as new contaminates are identified and as the district increases in size,” Vic said. “We will continue to meet and exceed all regulations for our water testing and quality assurance.”
Water Quality Reports
The purpose of our yearly water quality report is to disseminate valuable information about the water you consume and share interesting facts about our District. Our goal is to provide you with safe, dependable water and one of the ways we do that is through full transparency. You can find historical water reports on our website, along with this year’s report.
It is worth observing that each year, we consistently surpass all water safety regulations set by both state and federal authorities. We diligently monitor contamination levels and promptly address any issues that arise. Furthermore, we are pleased to announce that, once again, we have maintained high-quality water standards, just as we have in previous years.
The 2023 annual water report is now available.
If you have any questions or concerns about water in Northern Colorado, we invite you to contact us. We are here for you and our mission is to provide you with high-quality, secure, reliable, and safe water.
