Turning on the tap feels simple. Water is there when you need it, whether you are filling a glass, taking a shower, watering a garden or running a business.
But before water reaches your home, it has already traveled through a complex regional system of water rights, reservoirs, pipelines, tunnels, ditches, treatment facilities, tanks and pipes. In Colorado, delivering reliable water is not as simple as pulling from one nearby river or reservoir. It requires long-term planning, coordination and infrastructure that often begins far from the customer’s tap.
For Fort Collins-Loveland Water District customers, that journey starts with a diverse water portfolio.
TL;DR Summary
- FCLWD’s water comes from three river basins: the Colorado River Basin, Laramie River Basin and Poudre River Basin, creating a diverse portfolio of water resources.
- Water reaches Soldier Canyon Water Treatment Plant through a regional system of reservoirs (including Horsetooth Reservoir), pipelines, tunnels and ditches.
- Soldier Canyon treats the water before it enters FCLWD’s distribution system and we also receive water from the City of Fort Collins water treatment plant.
- From there, water travels through pipes, pump stations, storage tanks, valves and meters before reaching customers.
- The water we use today is here because of planning and decisions made years ago, and the decisions we make today will affect FCLWD customers for decades to come.
Step 1: Securing the right to use the water
In Colorado, water providers cannot simply take water from a river or reservoir. Water must be secured through water rights, which are legally recognized means of use. Colorado uses a prior appropriation system that prioritizes seniority, often referred to as “first in time, first in right.” In general, there are no new water rights available, as all the water is spoken for. So when the district needs to acquire additional water, we must purchase existing water rights that are for sale.
FCLWD’s water right portfolio is made up of water from three river basins. According to Richard Raines, Water Resource Manager at Soldier Canyon Water Treatment Authority, approximately 90% of the District’s water right portfolio is derived from the Colorado River Basin, 5% from the Laramie River Basin and 5% from the Poudre River Basin.
That diversity matters. Each river basin has its own snowpack, runoff patterns, infrastructure and administration. Some years may be stronger in one basin than another. Having water connected to multiple basins helps support long-term reliability in a region where weather, snowpack and demand can vary significantly from year to year.
The majority of FCLWD’s water comes from the Colorado-Big Thompson Project, often called C-BT. This major regional water project collects, stores and transports water from the Western Slope near Grand Lake to the Front Range through a complex system of reservoirs, tunnels, pipelines and canals.
Step 2: Moving water through a regional system
Many people assume their water comes from one river, one reservoir or one pipe. In reality, water delivery in Northern Colorado is much more coordinated.
“FCLWD’s water supplies reach the Soldier Canyon Filter Plant for treatment through a vast set of reservoirs, pipelines, tunnels and ditches stretched across three river basins,” Raines said. “Horsetooth Reservoir is the key location where the majority of FCLWD’s supplies are located directly above the treatment plant.”
Horsetooth Reservoir plays an especially important role because it sits just above Soldier Canyon Water Treatment Plant. That location allows water stored in Horsetooth to be delivered to the treatment plant throughout the year, where raw water is treated and prepared for customer use. This system reflects decades of regional planning.
Step 3: Treating the water at Soldier Canyon and the City of Fort Collins water treatment facility
Once raw water reaches Soldier Canyon Water Treatment Plant in Fort Collins, it is treated to meet state and federal drinking water standards before entering FCLWD’s distribution system. Soldier Canyon Water Treatment Authority is jointly owned by three special districts: East Larimer County Water District, Fort Collins-Loveland Water District and North Weld County Water District. Together, these three districts are often referred to as the Tri-Districts.
The facility is a 68 million-gallon-per-day conventional water treatment plant that has provided drinking water service to northern Colorado communities since 1961. Today, it serves more than 150,000 people. At Soldier Canyon, raw water undergoes treatment processes designed to remove particles, disinfect the water and ensure it meets the required drinking water standards.
In addition to water treated at Solder Canyon, FCLWD receives treated water from the City of Fort Collins water treatment facility. The City of Fort Collins has a similar water portfolio, with water originating from the C-BT Project and the Cache la Poudre River Basin.
Step 4: Entering FCLWD’s distribution system
After treatment, water enters FCLWD’s distribution system. This is the network that moves finished drinking water from the treatment plant to homes, businesses, schools, parks and other customer locations throughout the District. The distribution system includes water mains, pump stations, storage tanks, valves, pressure zones, hydrants and meters. Each piece plays a role in delivering water reliably across a service area with different elevations, demand patterns and infrastructure needs.
Storage tanks help balance demand throughout the day. Pump stations help move water where pressure or elevation requires it. Valves allow crews to isolate parts of the system for maintenance or emergency repairs. Meters measure customer usage and help identify unusual changes that could indicate leaks or other issues. Most of this infrastructure is not visible to customers, but it is working constantly.
Step 5: Reaching your tap
The final part of the journey happens close to home. Water moves from the District’s larger water mains into smaller service lines that connect to individual properties. From there, it reaches the faucets, fixtures, appliances and irrigation systems customers use every day.
By the time water reaches your tap, it has been legally secured, transported through regional infrastructure, treated, tested and delivered through a local distribution system. That is why water service requires both day-to-day operations and long-term planning. The water you use today depends on decisions made years ago, and the water future customers will rely on depends on decisions being made now.
Why long-term planning matters
Northern Colorado continues to grow, and water planning must account for that growth while continuing to serve existing customers. That means evaluating water supply, infrastructure, treatment needs, water quality and cost. The District also considers potential future sources, such as the Vita H2O Project, as part of long-term planning. Those decisions are not based on supply alone. Water quality, reliability and long-term cost all matter when determining whether a future source is a good fit for the District and its customers.
Raines said one of the most important things customers should understand is that water supply can vary from year to year because FCLWD’s sources come from three different river basins.
“Each basin has its own snowpack, runoff, administration and infrastructure to account for to get water to the Soldier Canyon Filter Plant,” Raines said.
That complexity is part of why water providers plan decades ahead. Reliable water service depends on much more than what is happening in one reservoir or one river in a single season.
The bottom line
In Northern Colorado, the journey of a drop of water is complex, but our goal is simple: provide sustainable, high-quality, secure, reliable and cost-effective water to the community. For FCLWD customers, water begins with a diverse portfolio, moves through a regional network of reservoirs and infrastructure, is treated at Soldier Canyon and the City of Fort Collins water treatment facility and is delivered through a local system built to serve homes and businesses every day.
So while turning on the tap may feel simple, it is supported by a carefully planned system that starts long before water reaches your faucet.
