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Fort Collins-Loveland Water District (FCLWD) is proud to announce our partnership with FrontRange H2O, an innovative, U.S.-based water development and operating company. Their new project, Vita H2O, is a groundwater-based project that offers a timely, financially sound solution that aligns with FCLWD’s long-term goals for water supply security and helps us plan for the future.
At FCLWD, we value transparency. We have always been transparent about where our water supply comes from and what we plan to do to secure water for the future as our region grows. Our decision to partner with FrontRange H2O is grounded in due diligence and financial responsibility. FCLWD has carefully evaluated all water supply options and has determined that FrontRange H2O offers a reliable and scalable solution.
As a growing district with over 67,000 customers, FrontRange H2O helps FCLWD build a diversified water portfolio to meet long-term demand.
FrontRange H2O gives us more resilience during critical drought scenarios that can and do happen in our region.
The Vita H2O Project is the most financially sound option we’ve considered for increasing our water portfolio.
The unit cost per acre-foot of this new water supply fits within the cash-in-lieu rate that we currently use to fund our water resource acquisitions.
This water supply will be compatible with our existing treated water from Soldier Canyon Water Treatment Authority. It will not require the expensive construction or expansion of a new water treatment plant.
The initial portion of the project is being funded through the District’s existing raw water budget. To fund the remainder, FCLWD plans to issue bonds, which may have an impact on future developer tap fees in alignment with our “growth pays its own way” philosophy. However, we do not anticipate that monthly customer rates will be affected by this project. Like all utilities, our overall rates and fees may still be influenced by other factors such as inflation, system maintenance and construction costs over time.
After the project is implemented, Vita H2O will also positively affect our customers because we will have a more reliable water supply, even in drought years. The District will continue to meet all water quality regulatory standards and continue to provide sustainable, high-quality, secure, reliable and cost-effective drinking water.
The Vita H2O Project is an on-demand groundwater supply and Aquifer Storage and Recovery (ASR) system that aims to enhance regional water security by storing excess water underground during wet years and making it available when it's most needed. The project is not intended to replace existing surface water supplies but rather to complement them. It is a financially sound and powerful tool in building a resilient, diversified water portfolio that can meet long-term demand and adapt to drought conditions.
Aquifer Storage and Recovery is a water-saving strategy that stores water underground in a natural aquifer during times when water is plentiful (like years of above average river flows), so it can be pumped back out and used later—especially during dry periods or drought. An aquifer is a natural underground layer of rock, sand or gravel that stores water for later use. That water can be accessed by drilling wells and pumping it up for drinking, municipal irrigation, and commercial and industrial uses of potable water.
Aquifer Storage Recovery (ASR) is safe and is already used as a viable long-term water storage solution in several states, including other parts of Colorado, Texas, Florida and Arizona—especially in areas with limited surface storage options like reservoirs. Water will be treated before being put in the aquifer to protect the native groundwater environment. Water taken out of the aquifer will be treated and tested again before being delivered to our customers so that it still meets or exceeds all state and federal drinking water standards. As mentioned, water from Vita H2O will be just one water source in our portfolio.
The Vita H20 project is designed to serve the region for over 100 years. By combining non-tributary groundwater, long-term reuse, aquifer storage, and the coordinated use of surface and groundwater supplies, Vita H2O sets a new standard for responsible water development.
The project utilizes Aquifer Storage and Recovery (ASR) — a strategy that stores excess water underground during wet years and recovers it during dry years, helping us stretch our supply in drought conditions.
While the groundwater used in this project is non-tributary and considered a non-renewable source, it is fully reusable, meaning it can be reused until it is fully consumed. The project has been carefully designed and permitted to operate within sustainable limits, ensuring both reliability today and resilience for the future.
The Vita H2O infrastructure is mostly underground and will have a low environmental impact. It’s also important to note that this project is NOT a “buy and dry” project. In other words, it doesn’t take away water from agriculture, and it does not depend on buying up farm land. One of the many benefits of this project is that the water can be reused multiple times. While non-tributary groundwater is a non-renewable natural resource (but is renewable using ASR), the water can be reused until it is fully consumed.
The board of directors approved the partnership on May 29, 2025. Vita H2O is anticipated to produce water for delivery in 2029, years ahead of many alternative projects.
Headquartered in Loveland, Colorado, FrontRange H2O brings capital resources and expertise to responsibly source, finance and distribute untapped water supplies to communities and industry across the American West. With a focus on long-term sustainability and smart infrastructure investment, FrontRangeH2O is helping to solve critical water challenges by unlocking underutilized resources and delivering them where they’re needed most. Learn more at frontrangeh2o.net.
As is the case for all NISP participants, FCLWD is under an annual Interim Agreement through the end of 2025 and will continue to evaluate the project’s financial and operational viability before making future commitments.
FCLWD currently gets it's water from surface water sources including the Colorado River, Poudre River and the Laramie River. While we have enough water for all existing customers in our service area, and for the growth we are currently experiencing, we will need additional acre-feet of water to meet the demand of our growing service area. Our current portfolio likely will not provide more water than it does now, and could even produce less water depending on snowpack and climate variability.
Water is becoming scarcer and more expensive throughout Colorado. Colorado is a “first in time, first in right” state, meaning that water rights are based on seniority and, generally, no new water rights are available—all have been spoken for. To purchase new-to-us water rights, it generally means purchasing existing water rights from another entity, which is why it will get more expensive to buy water as the demand grows. This is why the ability to store excess water from wet years underground for future use is such an appealing and cost-effective solution.
Northern Colorado has a dry climate. We sometimes experience years and even multiple years of drought. Colorado has experienced several significant drought years since the turn of the century, including 2002, 2012, 2018 and 2020, as well as a multi-year drought from 2000 to 2003. FCLWD has a drought and water supply plan to guide potential water use in future drought years. This plan, most recently updated in 2023, analyzes historic droughts dating back to 1957 and models how similar conditions could impact today’s demand. The Vita H2O Project will significantly support our water supply and our customers during drought years, providing a stored and available water source that doesn’t rely on new water coming in from snowpack.
The FCLWD team is available to answer your questions about water resources, FrontRange H2O and the Vita H2O project. You can contact our team at (970) 226-3104 or fill out the contact form on our website.
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