HomeMy WebLinkAboutCOUNCIL - AGENDA ITEM - 03/23/2021 - WASTEWATER UTILITY OVERVIEWDATE:
STAFF:
March 23, 2021
Theresa Connor, Interim Utilities Executive Director
WORK SESSION ITEM
City Council
SUBJECT FOR DISCUSSION
Wastewater Utility Overview.
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
The purpose of this item is to provide an overview of the Fort Collins Wastewater Utility. Wastewater Utility
collects, treats, and either discharges or reuses the effluent from approximately one -third of the city’s residents
and businesses. On average, 14 million gallons of sewage is treated every day. Treatment exceeds standards
required for discharge back into the Cache la Poudre River or Fossil Creek Reservoir Inlet Ditch. This represents
one of the largest investments the City makes in Environmental Health and Public Health outcomes for the city.
The system is in relatively good shape, however, investment in the aging sewer system and the treatment plants
to meet increased environmental regulations will be needed in futu re years. It should be noted that the Clean
Water Industry as well as Utilities staff continue to see this service as less “waste” and more of a resource
recovery opportunity. This overview will cover how the Utility is recovering nutrients, energy and w ater (ReNEW)
from the raw sewage. In the near future, it is expected that these services will be referred to as the “ReNEWal
Utility” or “Resource Recovery Utility”.
GENERAL DIRECTION SOUGHT AND SPECIFIC QUESTIONS TO BE ANSWERED
Does Council have any questions or feedback about the strategic direction or operations of the wastewater utility?
BACKGROUND / DISCUSSION
Water is an essential ingredient to the many activities and businesses that make Fort Collins special. This first
installment of the community-owned Fort Collins Utilities overviews relates to the Wastewater Utility, which is
responsible for collecting and treating water after it is used and then returning it to the environment. Water and
wastewater utilities are foundational community institutions that provide critical and reliable services 24/7 while
protecting the health of our community and natural resources. The challenges we face today and tomorrow
require new technology, innovation, and foresight. Investments in our water and wastewater resources and
infrastructure help protect our community allowing it to continue to thrive.
The following United States Water Alliance description of forward -thinking wastewater utilities captures the Fort
Collins Utilities’ approach: “Wastewater is not waste; rather, it’s a precious resource. Water utilities throughout
the country are recovering nutrients, reclaiming water, and producing energy from waste streams - all of which
help reduce carbon and nitrogen emissions to the atmosphere and generate power and heat. Water utilities are
using biogas cogeneration, wind turbines, heat exchangers, and solar systems to recover and produce net
energy positive facilities. They have embraced the idea that wastewater treatment plants can be transformed into
resource recovery facilities, as some produce more energy than required for their operations and sell the excess
energy back to the grid. Similarly, biosolids management has evolved from a “disposal” problem to a “reuse”
opportunity.”
The Numbers
• Residential customers - 32,500
• Commercial customers - 2,000
o Industrial customers - 15
March 23, 2021 Page 2
• Average Total Daily Flow - 12.8 million gallons/day
o Average Flow at Mulberry Water Reclamation Facility - 2.7 million gallons/day
o Average Flow at Drake Water Reclamation Facility - 10.1 million gallons/day
• Average Reuse Flow - 3 million gallons/day
• Annual Average Tons of Biosolids - 2,200 dry tons
• Acreage of Meadow Springs Ranch - 26,500 acres
• # of Miles of Sanitary Sewer Collection System - ~458 miles
• # of Employees - 92
• 2021 Operating Budget - $17.9M
• 2021 Capital Budget - $13.6M
Customer Satisfaction Survey
Utilities has a long history of measuring customer satisfaction to ensure world -class customer service. In 2020,
Utilities transitioned our customer satisfaction survey to a benchmark survey and partnered with J.D. Power. J.D.
Power compares the results for Fort Collins Utilities with utilities nationwide and the mid -size west utilities.
Utilities made the change to support the Baldridge practice of benchmarkab le data to understand how we
compare industry wide and received J.D. Power results presentations on what Key Performance Indicators drive
higher overall customer satisfaction within the six factors of the survey. Utilities intends to conduct the J.D. Power
surveys and other surveys to capture the voice of the customer following this schedule:
• Even years, Residential Electric and Water and Wastewater survey, fielded in two waves of surveys to track
customer satisfaction of Utilities business customers.
• Odd years, beginning in 2021, Commercial Electric Survey fielded in one wave. Utilize the Fort Collins
Community Survey to track Utilities residential customer satisfaction.
In 2020, the Residential Water & Wastewater survey achieved a response rate of 4 .4%, exceeding the goal of
99% confidence level and less than 5% margin of error. The response rate was three times higher than our
previous survey participation rate. In addition to Overall Satisfaction, the survey uses six factors for measuring
customer satisfaction:
• Quality & Reliability
• Billing & Payment includes both water and wastewater.
• Price
• Communication includes both water and wastewater.
• Conservation
• Customer Service includes both water and wastewater.
The Overall Satisfaction score, as well as three of the six factors, are relevant to the wastewater utility - Billing
and Payment, Communications and Customer Service.
• Overall Satisfaction: Utilities scored 758, above the national average of 742, and above the mid -size west
utilities of 739, an excellent score for a newly participating utility. However, Utilities’ score of 758 was below
the top quartile score of 785, which is an overall customer satisfaction greater than 75% of national utilities,
e.g., a top-performing utility.
• Billing and Payment: Utilities scored 801, just above the national and mid -size west utilities scores, both of
which are 791.
• Customer Service: Utilities scored 783, below the national average of 812, and below the average of mid -
size west utilities of 808. Customer service includes both the phone and digital experience. Overall, Utilities
performed above average on the phone experience and below average on the digital experience.
• Communication: Utilities scored 675, below the national average of 705, and below the average mid-size
west utilities of 699.
March 23, 2021 Page 3
Three wastewater-specific questions were added to the residential water survey in 2020:
• Overall satisfaction specific to the Wastewater Utility (because most of the general overall satisfaction sc ore
relates to the Water Utility):
o Utilities scored 7.79 on a scale of 1-10. Utilities scored above the national average of 7.32 and above
average for mid-size west utilities of 7.30.
• Percentage of customers not experiencing issues with wastewater services:
o Fort Collins Utilities scored 96%. National average was 82%, and the average mid -size west utilities was
88%.
• Average billing comparisons:
o The average reported customer wastewater monthly bill in Fort Collins was $43, lower than the national
average of $93 per month and lower than the average mid-size west utilities of $79 per month.
In summary, the Utility industry nationwide continues to respond to the needs and desires of our customers and
scores continue to increase yearly. Partnering with J.D. Power enables Utilities to compare our performance
within the evolving industry to measure and achieve outstanding customer service.
Background of the Infrastructure System
Utilities serves approximately one third of the City’s Growth Managem ent Area as well as the town of Laporte.
Other areas of the city are generally served by the Boxelder Sanitation District or South Fort Collins Sanitation
District. There are about 32,500 residential customer, and 2,000 commercial customers with 15 industr ial
customers.
• Utilities operates approximately 458 miles of sanitary sewer system. Operations and maintenance goals
include washing of the system every two years and televising the system every 10 years.
• Approximately 20 miles of sanitary sewer p ipe are over 100 years old. Useful life of the pipe was expected to
be 50-70 years, and much of this pipe is undersized. Currently, Utilities is replacing about two miles of
sanitary sewer system per year.
• The Mulberry (MWRF) and Drake Water Reclamation Facilities (DWRF) operate within and maintain ISO
14001 certifications, which manages the environmental impacts of our activities and products. Both facilities
also are recognized by CDPHE as Gold Level Environmental Leaders.
• MWRF is operated remotely by the operators located at DWRF through a SCADA system that monitors
operating conditions at the plant.
o Mulberry is rated at 6 million gallons/day (mgd) capacity with average daily flow of 2.7 mgd. The
discharge from MWRF flows directly into the Cache la Poudre River Segment 11.
• DWRF recently was recognized by the National Association of Clean Water Agencies for Platinum Peak
Performance and the State of Colorado as an ELP Gold Certified Facility.
o DWRF is rated for 23 mgd capacity with an average daily flow of 10.1 mgd. It has permitted discharge
points to the Cache la Poudre River and the Fossil Creek Reservoir Inlet Ditch.
o DWRF produces about 3 mgd of reclaimed water that is sent to the Platte River Power Authority’s
Hamilton Reservoir at the Rawhide Energy Station, in partnership with Anheuser Busch and the Water
Supply and Storage Company, in a complex reuse agreement (that may be revisited in association with
the Rawhide Coal-Fire Plant’s planned closing in 2030).
• The Pollution Control Lab (PCL) is located at DWRF and performs critical analysis to ensure we are
protecting the public and our environmental resources from pollution. The Lab collects and analyzes over
40,000 samples each year from a variety of sources including the Poudre River , urban creeks, industrial
discharge, as well as various points in the wastewater treatment process. Over 90 parameters are assessed
to demonstrate that the wastewater processes are meeting regulations.
o An in-house laboratory provides the community with control over the quality and validity of the data and
March 23, 2021 Page 4
keeps costs low. This allows for the quick delivery of sound, reliable data to allow staff to respond to
changing conditions in a timely and effective manner.
o The Lab is certified and accredited thr ough an annual “blind sample” audit program and has always
achieved a 100% score over the last several decades. It also serves as a regional and community
resource for environmental analytical expertise. The Lab provides analytical and reporting services t o
local entities including Boxelder Sanitation District, South Fort Collins Sanitation District, Carestream
Health, the Township of Windsor, Leprino Foods, and the City of Greeley’s Bellvue Water and
Wastewater Treatment and Boyd Lake Treatment facilities.
• The biosolids operations at both DWRF and Meadow Springs Ranch (MSR) have achieved Platinum Level
Certification with the National Biosolids Partnership program. Biosolids are the stabilized residual from the
anaerobic digesters at DWRF. In addition to being the biosolids application site, MSR serves an important
role in environmental stewardship, maintaining water rights, and is a working cattle ranch. Numerous
archeological and historically relevant sites are on the ranch, including a barn used during the Pony Express
days.
CHALLENGES TO OUR SYSTEM
What Not to Flush
As with all our Utility services, we depend on community partnerships to be effective. What people put into the
sewer system can negatively impact performance of the system and the wastewa ter treatment plant and drive up
costs to operate both systems. Examples include:
• “Flushable” wipes are generally not flushable. They do not disperse upon flushing and stay like rags in the
sewer system where they can collect on tree roots in or in bellies within the pipes and cause sewer backups
into basements. New research conducted this summer, the first of its kind, indicates that higher microplastic
concentrations in the wastewater effluent have been linked to higher levels of wipes within the system in
Galway, Ireland.
• Fats, Oil and Greases (FOG) are often discharged during the holidays. Once FOGs are in the sewer system,
they will congeal and coat the pipe walls, which reduces capacity of the sewer system and potentially causes
sewer system backups. “Flushable” wipes also can combine with FOG to create Fatbergs (concrete -like
masses in the system). Certain areas of town have pipes called “greasers” that are cleaned monthly, which
drives up maintenance costs.
• Stickers from fruits and vegetables, those seemingly innocuous stickers found on fruits and vegetables at the
grocery store, find their way down the drain. When they arrive at a water reclamation facility, they gum up the
headworks of the plant as badly as wipes, hair or other various items f ound in the wastewater stream. Those
stickers that make it through the headworks do float and are able to make it all the way through the process
to the discharge.
• When pharmaceutical drugs are flushed down the toilet, they end up at the wastewater plant, which is not
designed to treat these drugs. The concentrations of “emerging contaminants,” such as pharmaceutical drugs
in the wastewater effluent, are increasing. Currently, these contaminants are not regulated but are expected
to be in the future.
Aging Infrastructure
• Much of the DWRF facility was constructed in 1960, is reaching its useful life and requires renewal.
• Due to the gases and other conditions at a wastewater treatment plant, the environment is quite corrosive.
Replacement of the clarifier mechanisms and the plant headworks will be upcoming projects within the CIP
program.
• Over 20 miles of our sewer system is over 100 years old and is in Old Town or downtown area. The pipe
used at that time had an expected life of 50-70 years and is difficult to maintain. Much of that system is also
undersized and will require normal (open cut excavation) construction to replace the sewer pipe, which is
disruptive to the community.
March 23, 2021 Page 5
o Approximately 2 miles, or 0.44%, of sewer line is replaced each year. Best practice within the industry is
to replace 1% of the system per year so that every hundred years, the system is renewed or replaced. In
future capital plans, this rate of replacement or renewal increases to 4 to 5 miles per year to prevent
future failures of the system.
o To renew the sanitary sewer system, Utilities uses various pipe lining methods where the pipe size is
adequate. “Trenchless technology,” such as sewer lining, can be used to minimize impact where
possible.
o Approximately 116 miles of the 450+ miles of pipe in the system exist in backyards or private property,
which causes access issues for maintenance and replacement.
Nutrient and Temperature Regulations
• CDPHE is expected to adopt rules regulating temperature of discharg es in 2022 that will require upgrades to
MWRF that are expected to cost between $4-6 million. The rules are based upon the CDPHE need to protect
suitable wildlife habitat (brown trout) in the Cache la Poudre River and its regulatory authority of point sour ce
facilities. Staff continues to work with the state on alternative regulatory solutions such as site -specific
standards or variances.
• Excess nitrogen and phosphorous levels within the wastewater discharge are harmful to receiving waterways.
CDPHE will require reductions in phosphorous concentrations from the wastewater effluent in 2021.
• CDPHE is promulgating rules that would regulate the temperature of discharges. Currently, MWRF does not
meet those regulations approximately six days a year during the winter months.
24/7 Operations During a Pandemic
• Operating a wastewater system through the COVID-19 pandemic has been challenging. Initially, there was
concern that contact with the raw sewage was an exposure route to the virus, so construction pro jects that
included connection of laterals were stopped to prevent potential exposure.
• The sewer cleaning crews needed to continue to work, so PPE was increased for them, including higher level
respirator protection.
• At the plants, operators were separated to different areas of the facilities and kept separate from construction
projects occurring during the pandemic.
• At the Pollution Control Lab, staffing was rotated until a scheme could be developed to keep employees
separated within the lab itself.
Innovation and Opportunities
• Since wastewater systems were first developed in Europe to address the plagues of the early and mid -1800s,
it is fitting that we now use the wastewater systems as early surveillance warning for COVID spread within the
community. This partnership continues through CDPHE, CSU, and 17 front range wastewater utility providers.
Currently, the wastewater COVID concentrations are trending higher a few days ahead of the reported clinical
positive cases through Larimer County Public Health. The City has further partnered with CSU and Larimer
County to utilize sewer shed monitoring to identify potential outbreaks in specific areas such as the college
dorms.
• DWRF just began a side stream nutrient treatment process to reduce phosphorous in the effluent, required by
upcoming regulations from CDPHE. Process data to date from this project shows a 95% effluent phosphorus
levels in the Drake effluent. Additional operational optimization strategies have reduced the nitrogen and
phosphorus levels at MWRF and DWRF.
• DWRF will continue to reduce its carbon footprint through harvesting energy from the methane produced by
the anaerobic digestors, known as the Co-Generation Energy System. This will roughly meet 6% of DWRF’s
energy demands.
March 23, 2021 Page 6
Optimizing Operations
• Water Reclamation and Biosolids (WRB) is a charter member of the Partnership for Clean Water (PCW)
through the American Association of Water Works. Through this effort, the WRB teams have implemented
strategies at the operational level that will minimize the need for expensive capital projects going forward.
o One example is optimizing the primary treatment trains to generate and hold onto more internal carbon
for use in the secondary treatment process. Similar efforts have been made with determining dissolved
oxygen set points for secondary treatment processes to improve phosphorus and nitrogen removal.
These efforts will reduce the need and costs associated with external carbon supplementation.
o As part of the PCW, the WRB team has established performance goals that exceed regulatory limits.
These established goals, strategies for success, and documented case studies are part of the PCW
Partnership Application were scheduled to be submitted by end of January 2021.
• Recently, pipe lining technology has begun to use a thinner liner and UV to cure the liner in place. This
method also eliminates the resin off gassing and water by -product associated with previous steam-cured
processes. We are piloting this technology to determine effect iveness and could potentially use it in smaller
pipelines.
FINANCIAL OUTLOOK
A scan of typical monthly residential bills for wastewater charges across the Front Range is provided below. Fort
Collins Utilities is right in the middle of the range.
Utility 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021
Boulder 23.49$ 24.67$ 24.96$ 31.83$ 33.42$ 35.09$ 36.87$ 38.71$ 40.65$
Loveland 17.71$ 18.40$ 20.44$ 24.88$ 27.61$ 30.65$ 32.33$ 34.58$ 37.00$
Ft Collins 29.72$ 30.61$ 31.53$ 32.47$ 33.45$ 34.45$ 34.45$ 34.25$ 34.25$
Longmont 19.72$ 23.01$ 26.79$ 30.83$ 31.76$ 32.71$ 33.38$ 34.10$ 34.10$
Colorado Springs 28.63$ 28.63$ 28.63$ 28.63$ 28.63$ 28.63$ 29.41$ 29.88$ 29.88$
Greeley 19.07$ 18.67$ 18.53$ 19.17$ 19.17$ 19.74$ 20.24$ 21.92$ 24.11$
Wastewater
Wastewater Capital Improvement Plan
The Capital Improvement Plan for the Wastewater Fund includes capital improvements at the reclamation
facilities as well as a significant increase in asset renewal of the wastewater collection system to address the
significant need to replace an aging sewer system.
$0
$5,000,000
$10,000,000
$15,000,000
$20,000,000
$25,000,000
2021 2022 2023 2024 2025 2026 2027 2028 2029 2030
Wastewater Fund Capital Improvement Plan
Wastewater Collection Water Reclamation
Historical Ave Capital 2010-2019 Ave CapitalInvestment 2020-2030
March 23, 2021 Page 7
Wastewater Operations
Operating revenues have grown modestly over the past decade with rate increases often not being fully realized.
Modest rate adjustments will be necessary to increase revenues in this utility service.
$0
$5,000,000
$10,000,000
$15,000,000
$20,000,000
$25,000,000
$30,000,000
$35,000,000
$40,000,000
2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 2025 2026 2027 2028 2029 2030Annual Operating RevenuesWastewater Operating Revenues (2010-2030)
Operating Revenue (1.4% per year)
Assuming Historical Trend (2.5% per yr)
The colored area represents the 95% confidence band around the expected operating expense.
Wastewater Operations and Maintenance (O&M) expenses have increased 2.5% over the past decade. If this can
be maintained over the coming decade, this Enterprise Fund will be well-positioned to meet the anticipated
increase in capital investments.
$0
$5,000,000
$10,000,000
$15,000,000
$20,000,000
$25,000,000
$30,000,000
$35,000,000
Annual Operating ExpensesWastewater Operating Expenses (2010 -2030)
Operating Expenses
(2.5% per yr)
Assuming Historical Trend
(2.5% per yr)
The colored area represents the 95% confidence band around the expected operating expense.
The combination of operating revenues increasing very modestly and O&M increasing at a slightly faster rate will,
over time, reduce the operating income being generated for this utility. However, operating income is expected to
remain adequate to meet all debt service needs without significant contributions being required from plant
investment fees.
March 23, 2021 Page 8
Wastewater Rate and Debt Forecasts
As the table below shows, very modest rate adjustments are anticipated along with the issuance of $25 -35 million
of debt over the coming decade to provide adequate financial resources to c omplete the anticipated $150-170
million of capital improvements.
2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 2025 2026 2027 2028 2029 2030
Rate Increase 0.0%0.0%0.0%0-2%0-2%0-2%0-2%0-3%0-3%0-3%0-3%
Debt Issuance $M $10-15M $15-20M
$150-170M of capital work is expected to be needed between 2020 and 2030 in addition to the current capital appropriations
Summary
Fort Collins Utilities runs a very competitive and cost -effective wastewater system that delivers a high level of
service to the community and is looked to as an innovation leader in the state and across the nation. Like many
wastewater system providers, we are challenged with aging infrastructure and changing regulations. We are
poised to address those challenges while continuing to optimize our operations and performance of the s ystem.
ATTACHMENTS
1. Powerpoint Presentation (PDF)
1Wastewater Overview
March 23, 2021
ATTACHMENT 1
Overview
Outcome of Service & Customers
System Overview & Challenges
Innovation and Opportunities
Financial Considerations
How It Happens
Questions, Comments, Discussion
1
2
3
4
5
6
Disposal reNEWal
Removal of Waste
Recovery of
Nutrients
Energy
(Clean) Water
Old Mindset New Mindset
Tr ansformation of Wa stewater
City Plan Alignment
Poudre River
Ecosystem/Health
Public Health
Livability
Community
Sustainability
Environmental
Health
Safe
Community
Customer Satisfaction Survey
New Residential Survey Tool –J.D. Power
•Benchmarkable
•Three times greater response
•Actionable information
Residential Wastewater Results
Wa stewater
Survey Questions
Fort Collins
Wastewater
Industry Mean
National
Industry Mean
Mid-Size West
Overall Satisfaction 7.79 7.32 7.30
Customers w/o Issues 96%82%88%
Av erage Bill $43 $93 $79
Customer Breakdown
•Residential: 32,500 accounts
•Commercial: 2,000
•Industrial: 15
Commercial
Wa stewater Results
Customers
Ranked
Service
Excellent or
Good
94%
Wa stewater System
Growth Management Area (GMA)
Mulberry Basin
Drake Basin
Wa ter Reclamation Facility
Wa stewater Collection Trunks
N
MulberryMulberry
DrakeDrake
Laporte
Fort Collins
Laporte Fort Collins
N
Rawhide Energy StationRawhide Energy Station Meadow
Springs
Ranch
Meadow
Springs
Ranch
Wa ter Reuse to Rawhide Power Station
Biosolids Application at
Utilities-Owned and -Operated
Meadow Springs Ranch
DrakeDrake
Wa stewater System
MulberryMulberry
Cache la Poudre River Fossil Creek Ditch
Sewer System By the Numbers
Maintain and Operate
•455 miles
of collection and trunk main, 6” -42”
•~25%of mains
in backyards or easements
•Property owner maintains laterals
Preventative Maintenance
•~50%or 270 miles
of mains hydro-jet washed annually
•~10%or 40 miles
of mains television inspected annually
•~2 miles
of mains lined with cured-in-place pipe liner
•20 wastewater mains
bio-augmented for grease weekly
Laporte
Fort Collins
N
Pi pe Condi tion Tot al Le ngt h
(miles)
Pe rcent of
System
Ve ry Poor 10.4 2.3%
Poor 22.6 5.0%
Fair 27.9 6.2%
Good 46.9 10.5%
Ex celle nt 340.0 75.9%
Pi pe Condi tion Tot al Le ngt h
(miles)
Pe rcent of
System
Ve ry Poor 10.4 2.3%
Poor 22.6 5.0%
Fair 27.9 6.2%
Good 46.9 10.5%
Ex celle nt 340.0 75.9%
Sewer System
Approximately
70-Ye ar-Old
Brick Manhole
Root Ball Growing in
60-Ye ar-Old Clay
Sewer Pipe
Collapsed 24”
60-Ye ar-Old Sewer
Trunk Main
Roots Growing in
90-Ye ar-Old Clay
Sewer Service
Aging Infrastructure
Asset Reliability
Risk of Failure =
Consequence x
Likelihood
Root Cause
Failure Analysis
Operational
Optimization
Capital Improvement
Forecasting
Innovation and Opportunities
Sew er System
Wa ter Reclamation Facilities Laporte
Fort Collins
N
Mulberry Water
Reclamation Facility treats
SIX MILLION GALLONS
of wastewater per day.
Drake Water
Reclamation Facility treats
23 MILLION GALLONS
of wastewater per day.
Wa ter Reclamation Facility Effluent Discharge Goals
Parameter Current Permit Limit Below Compliance Goal
BOD5 (30/7 day avg)30/45 mg/L 90% of Permit Limit (27 mg/L)
TSS (30/7 day avg)30/45 mg/L 90% of Permit Limit (27 mg/L)
TIN -annual median 15 mg/L 90% of Permit Limit (13.5 mg/L)
TIN -95th Percentile 20 mg/L 90% of Permit Limit (18 mg/L)
NH3-N limits by month 90% of Permit Limit
TP -annual median 1.0mg/L 0.95 mg/L
TP -95th Percentile 2.5 mg/L 95% of Limit (2.38 mg/L)
Combined Facility Energy Efficiency 1% annual reduction
Facility Performance
Facilities Awards and Recognition
Environmental Management System
Reclamation Facilities
Aging Infrastructure
Drake –Cyclones
for Inorganic
Separation
Mulberry –UV
Installed in 1996
Drake –¾-Inch
Bar Screens
To tal Phosphorus
Side stream phosphorus
removal system at Drake
•Secondary process
•Blower optimization
•Mixing operations
•Inline water quality probes
Reclamation Facilities
Innovation & Opportunities
Regulation 85 limits
To tal Inorganic Nitrogen
and Total Phosphorus
in effluent.
Limits could lower
beginning in 2028.
To tal Inorganic Nitrogen
Nutrient Regulations
•To tal inorganic nitrogen
•To tal phosphorus
Emerging Contaminants
•Pharmaceuticals
•Manmade chemicals
•Personal care products
•Microplastics
•Radioactive material
Te mperature
•Changing stream
classification at Mulberry
•Emphasis on fish habitat
Current Challenges
Cogeneration Unit at Drake
Innovation and Opportunities
Energy Optimization
Natural Gas Fleet Vehicles Hybrid & Alternative Fuel
Investing in Our Infrastructure
Innovative Technology
UV Pipe Lining Side Stream
Renew ing Our
System
Increasing
Environmental
Performance
Pollution Control Lab
•40,000+ samples each year from sewer collection,
water reclamation and environmental discharge points
•Ensures contaminants are removed
before water returns to the environment
•Serves 6+ outside organizations
•Cost-effective way to ensure quality
results and response
•100%score over
decades in annual
“blind sample” audit
certification program
Meadow Springs Ranch
Circular Economy
System Components
Meadow Springs Ranch
Community Partnership
How Much Does Sewer Service Cost?
$15
$20
$25
$30
$35
$40
$45
2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021
Residential Wastewater Monthly Bill
Boulder Loveland Ft Collins Longmont Colorado Springs Greeley
Wa stewater Fund Capital Improvement Plan
26$0
$5,000,000
$10,000,000
$15,000,000
$20,000,000
$25,000,000
Wastewater Collection Water ReclamationHistorical Ave Capital 2010-2019 Ave CapitalInvestment 2020-2030
2030202220232024202520262027202820292021
$0
$10,000,000
$20,000,000
$30,000,000
OPERATING INCOME Total Operating Expenses Total Operating Revenue
Wa stewater Fund Operating Income
1.5% growth
2.2% growth
How It Happens
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Questions?