HomeMy WebLinkAboutMemo - Mail Packet - 9/12/2017 - Memorandum From Mark Kempton And Carol Webb Re: 2016 Drinking Water Confidence Report, And The 2016 Drinking Water Quality Policy Annual ReportUtilities
electric · stormwater · wastewater · water
700 Wood Street
PO Box 580
Fort Collins, CO 80522
970.221.6700
970.221.6619 – fax
970.224.6003 – TDD
utilities@fcgov.com
fcgov.com/utilities
M E M O R A N D U M
DATE: 09/01/2017
TO: Mayor Troxell and Councilmembers
FROM: Mark Kempton P.E., Water Production Manager
Carol Webb, Water Resources and Treatment Operations Manager
THRU: Darin Atteberry, City Manager
Kevin R. Gertig, Utilities Executive Director
RE: 2016 Drinking Water Consumer Confidence Report, and the
2016 Drinking Water Quality Policy Annual Report
Federal and state regulations require drinking water providers to deliver an annual Drinking
Water Quality Report to their customers. The City’s Drinking Water Quality Policy also
requires Utilities to provide a separate report of the actions taken in support of the Policy. We
are pleased to submit both of these reports on drinking water for the 2016 data year to the Mayor,
City Council, Water Board and the City Manager. Please contact me if you need additional
information or have comments or questions.
DocuSign Envelope ID: 4809B8D5-0CD8-4DA6-9327-0FF2E03B5267
2016 REPORT
DRINKING
WATER
QUALITY
Para más información de este informe de su cualidad
de agua potable en español, llame Fort Collins
Utilities a 970-221-6700, TDD 970-224-6003 o mande
preguntas en español a utilities@fcgov.com.
Continuing Our Commitment
Know your H2O. Learn where your drinking
water comes from and how it compares to
federal standards by checking out this report.
Fort Collins Utilities remains committed
to delivering high-quality drinking water
and meeting the challenges of source
water protection, water conservation and
community education.
DocuSign Envelope ID: 4809B8D5-0CD8-4DA6-9327-0FF2E03B5267
fcgov.com/utilities • utilities@fcgov.com • 970-212-2900 • V/TDD: Dial 711 for Relay Colorado page 2
The City of Fort Collins’ drinking water supply
comes from two water sources, the Cache la Poudre
River and Horsetooth Reservoir. Beginning as rain
and snow in the mountains, Horsetooth water is
delivered from the western slope via the Colorado-
Big Thompson Water Project, while Poudre River
water originates on the eastern slope, northwest of
Fort Collins.
Utilities collaborates with local drinking water
providers to monitor and assess water quality in
the upper Cache la Poudre and Big Thompson
watersheds as well as Horsetooth Reservoir.
Through these programs we monitor for over 25
different chemical, physical and microbiological
contaminants across more than 35 locations in the
source watersheds. We are a member of the
Coalition for the Poudre River Watershed
(poudrewatershed.org) and the Big Thompson
Watershed Forum (btwatershed.org). As in previous
years, the City’s source watersheds continue to
provide reliable, high-quality drinking water.
In 2016, the Fort Collins Source Water Protection
Plan (SWPP) was completed for the Utilities source
water supplies. This assessment characterized and
prioritized potential sources of contamination to
both the Poudre River and Horsetooth Reservoir and
identified key protection or mitigation strategies.
The top two identified threats to source water
quality were wildfires and unverified historical
mining activity in the watersheds. As follow-up
to the SWPP, an Upper CLP Mine inventory and
assessment (SWPP, Appendix H) was completed in
September 2016. Results of the water quality study
did not find any indication of mine drainage in the
Poudre River or tributaries. These findings were
consistent with routine Poudre River monitoring
data from 2008-2016. Based on these results, it is
expected that Fort Collins water supplies are at low
risk of contamination from historical mining activity.
In 2016, the Utilities also dedicated funding for
Watershed Protection activities aimed at reducing
risks to water supplies from wildfires. This work
will begin in 2017 and will include completion of
the remaining restoration within the High Park Fire
burn area to control soil erosion, and conducting
forest thinning projects in unburned areas to reduce
fuels loads and minimize the risk of large, high
severity wildfires.
Since 2013, Utilities has worked collaboratively
with the Coalition for the Poudre River Watershed
(CPRW) and other stakeholders. In 2016, the CPRW
completed the Poudre River Watershed Resiliency
Plan, which Utilities will use as a guide for prioritizing
watershed protection activities in the watershed.
Monitoring and Protecting Our Water Sources
Additional information about the City’s Source Water Monitoring Program and
source water quality seasonal updates and annual reports can be found at:
fcgov.com/utilities/what-we-do/water/source-water-protection-plan
D
fcgov.com/utilities • utilities@fcgov.com • 970-212-2900 • V/TDD: Dial 711 for Relay Colorado page 3
The Water Treatment Facility is committed
to protecting the environment by identifying
and reducing its environmental impacts in
order to increase its operating efficiency.
To help achieve this goal, the facility has
established a formal Environment Management
System (EMS) that has been certified to
conform to the International Organization for
Standardization (ISO) 14001:2004 standard.
The goals of an EMS are to prevent pollution,
comply with legal requirements and continually
improve environmental performance. The key
environmental objectives set by the facility
include reduction in greenhouse gas emissions
by reducing energy and fuel consumption, and
sustainably managing the facility’s landscape to
minimize risks to public safety, private property
and the environment. The ISO 14001 standard
was revised in 2015 and the facility EMS team
is implementing the requirements of the new
standard. The transition to the new standard
must be complete by September 2018.
The facility is participating in the Colorado
Industrial Energy Challenge (CIEC), which is
sponsored by the Colorado Governor’s Energy
Office and the U.S. Department of Energy
(DOE). The CIEC is a voluntary program that
supports industrial facilities to overcome
barriers in achieving energy efficiency goals.
In addition, the facility participates in
the Colorado Environmental Leadership
Program (ELP), an environmental recognition
and reward program administered by the
Colorado Department of Public Health and
Environment’s Division of Environmental
Health and Sustainability. As a result of
its continuing environmental stewardship
and the successful ISO certification of the
EMS, the facility was recognized as an ELP
Gold Leader in 2014, 2015 and 2016.
Lastly, a nationwide program that both
the water treatment facility and the water
distribution system participate in is the
Partnership for Safe Water. The Partnership is
an alliance of six drinking water organizations
including the EPA. In 2016, the water
treatment facility and the distribution
system each earned Partnership Awards.
The facility earned the Partnership’s
President’s Award, which is part of phase IV
of the Partnership, the highest phase in the
program. This honor is only awarded to top-
tier water facilities that have demonstrated
the commitment to operating their facilities in
an optimized manner throughout the process
and providing superior quality water to their
customers, beyond the requirements of the EPA
regulations. Only 36 treatment facilities in the
nation have achieved this level of performance.
fcgov.com/utilities • utilities@fcgov.com • 970-212-2900 • V/TDD: Dial 711 for Relay Colorado page 4
Treating Source Water
Drinking water, including bottled water, may
reasonably be expected to contain at least
small amounts of some contaminants. The
presence of these contaminants does not
necessarily indicate that the water poses a
health risk.
As water travels over the land’s surface or
through the ground, it dissolves naturally
occurring minerals and can pick up substances
resulting from the presence of animals and
humans. To ensure tap water is safe to drink,
the CDPHE regulates the amount of certain
contaminants in water from public water
systems. Source water may contain:
• Microbial contaminants, such as viruses and
bacteria, which may come from sewage treatment
plants, septic systems, agricultural livestock
operations and wildlife.
• Inorganic contaminants, such as salts and metals,
which may be naturally occurring or result from
urban stormwater runoff, industrial or domestic
wastewater discharges, oil and gas production,
mining or farming.
• Pesticides and herbicides, which may come from
a variety of sources such as agriculture, urban
stormwater runoff and residential uses.
• Organic chemical contaminants, including
synthetic and volatile organic chemicals, which are
byproducts of industrial processes and petroleum
production. These contaminants also may come
from gas stations, urban stormwater runoff and
septic systems.
• Radioactive contaminants, which may be naturally
occurring or the result of oil and gas production
and mining activities.
For more information about contaminants
and potential health risks, call the Safe
Drinking Water Hotline at (800) 426-
4791 or visiting epa.gov/safewater.
Cryptosporidium and Giardia come from animal
and human waste in the watershed and are
common in untreated surface water. When
ingested, the organisms may cause fever,
nausea and diarrhea. They are removed by a
well-maintained water treatment process.
In 2016, Utilities tested the untreated source
water for the organisms. Giardia was found in
the Poudre River samples. Neither organism
was found in Horsetooth Reservoir samples.
Measuring streamflow on the Little South Fork
29,007
Single Family
Residential
Accounts
1
Wholesale
Account
(for resale)
fcgov.com/utilities • utilities@fcgov.com • 970-212-2900 • V/TDD: Dial 711 for Relay Colorado page 5
Our Water Treatment Facility produces nearly all the water it distributes; however, customers
may occasionally receive a blend of water treated by Utilities and the Soldier Canyon Filter Plant
(SCFP). Both treatment facilities use Horsetooth Reservoir and the Cache la Poudre River as
sources of water. The SCFP is owned by East Larimer County, North Weld County Water District,
and the Fort Collins Loveland Water District.
The monitoring results below are representative of water treated by Utilities and the Soldier
Canyon Filter Plant (SCFP). In compliance with regulations, the copper and lead data are from
monitoring completed during 2014; all other data are from monitoring completed during 2016.
Acronym definitions are listed on page 6.
Where Our Water Originates
Distribution System
Parameter Month Result
Number of
Samples
Below 0.2 ppm
Sample
Size TT Requirement Meet Standard? Typical Sources
Chlorine
Residual April, 2016
Lowest monthly
percentage was
97.12%.
3 104
At least 95% of samples per
month must have a chlorine
residual of at least 0.2 ppm.
Yes Water additive used to
control microbes
Parameter Highest LRAA Range
Sample
Size
Unit of
Measure MCL MCLG Average
Meet
Standard? Typical Sources
Total Haloacetic Acids 23.10 13.9 to 32 32 ppb 60 N/A N/A Yes
Byproduct of
drinking water
disinfection
Total Trihalomethanes 35.70 15.7 to 47 32 ppb 80 N/A N/A Yes
Chlorite N/A 0.11 to 0.33 36 ppb 1.0 .08 0.22 Yes
Regulated at the Consumer’s Tap—52 Homes Were Tested
Parameter
Monitoring
Period 90th Percentile
Number of
Samples
Unit of
Measure
Action
Level
Number of Sample
Sites Above
Action Level
Meet
Standard? Typical Sources
Copper
08/25/2014 to
09/29/2014
fcgov.com/utilities • utilities@fcgov.com • 970-212-2900 • V/TDD: Dial 711 for Relay Colorado page 6
Sampled at the Entry Point to the Distribution System
Parameter Month Level Found TT Requirement
Meet
Standard?
Typical
Sources
Turbidity, Utilities January Highest single measurement:
0.32 NTU Maximum is 1 NTU for any single
measurement
Yes
Turbidity, SCFP November Soil Runoff
Highest single measurement:
0.059 NTU Yes
Turbidity, Utilities and SCFP All 12
months
100% of samples were less than
0.3 NTU
In any month, at least 95% of samples
must be less than or equal to 0.3 NTU Yes
Parameter Result Average
Number
of Samples Range
Unit of
Measure MCL MCLG
Meet
Standard? Typical Sources
Barium, Utilities 0.02 N/A 1 N/A ppm 2 2 Yes Discharge of drilling wastes;
discharge from metal refineries;
Barium, SCFP 0.015 N/A 1 N/A ppm 2 2 Yes erosion of natural deposits
Fluoride, Utilities 0.59 N/A 1 N/A ppm 4 4 Yes Erosion of natural deposits; water
additive which promotes strong
teeth; discharge from fertilizer and
Fluoride, SCFP N/A 0.54 4 0.50-0.61 ppm 4 4 Yes aluminum factories
Nitrate, Utilities 0.09 N/A 1 N/A ppm 10 10 Yes Runoff from fertilizer use; leaching
from septic tanks, sewage; erosion of
Nitrate, SCFP 0.11 N/A 1 N/A ppm 10 10 Yes natural deposits
Parameter
Number of Samples Not
Meeting the Standard
Sample
Size Standard
Meet
Standard? Typical Sources
Chlorine Residual 0 2196 TT = No more than 4 hours with
a sample below 0.2 ppm Yes
Water additive used to control
microbes
Chlorine Dioxide 0 366 800 ppb Yes
Acronym Definitions
AL: Action level - concentration of a contaminant,
which, if exceeded, triggers treatment or other
requirements that a water system must follow.
CDPHE: Colorado Department of Public Health and
Environment
ELP: Colorado Environmental Leadership Program
EMS: Environmental Management System
EPA: United States Environmental Protection Agency
ISO: International Organization for Standardization
MCL: Maximum contaminant level - highest level
fcgov.com/utilities • utilities@fcgov.com • 970-212-2900 • V/TDD: Dial 711 for Relay Colorado page 7
D
i
d
y
o
u
k
n
o
w
?
About
½ of the
distribution
system is
flushed
through fire
hydrants each
year.
Fluoridation
As directed by City Council and our customers,
Utilities adds fluoride to the water. This results in
levels that range from 0.60 to 0.75 milligrams of
fluoride per liter of treated water.
If you or members of your household are sensitive
to fluoride or fluoridation-related substances or if
you provide our water to an infant younger than
six months of age, please consult your physician or
another health expert regarding precautions you
may want to consider. For more information, visit
fcgov.com/water/fluoride.
Vulnerable
Populations
Some people may be more vulnerable to contaminants
in drinking water than the general population.
Particularly at risk are immunocompromised
persons, such as those undergoing chemotherapy;
those who have received organ transplants; people
with HIV/AIDS or other immune-system disorders;
and some elderly and infants. These people should
seek advice about drinking water from their
healthcare providers.
Guidelines to lessen the risk of infection by
Cryptosporidium and other microbial contaminants
are available from the EPA/Center for Disease Control.
Call the Safe Drinking Water
Hotline at (800) 426-4791 or
visit epa.gov/safewater.
Lead
Since 1984, eight years before EPA began
regulating lead in drinking water, Utilities has used
best management practices to provide conditions
that keep lead levels low in our finished drinking
water. The Water Treatment Plant operators
manage the water quality by raising the calcium
level and reducing the corrosiveness of the treated
drinking water. As a check to make sure our
corrosion control approach is effective, Utilities
also monitors lead levels in the drinking water of
fcgov.com/utilities • utilities@fcgov.com • 970-212-2900 • V/TDD: Dial 711 for Relay Colorado page 8
Community
Participation
Community members are welcome to attend Fort
Collins Utilities’ Water Board meetings, a citizen
committee that advises City Council on matters
of policy and budget. Please see the schedule
and location at fcgov.com/cityclerk/water.php.
Chlorine Contact Basin
Construction on a new Chlorine Contact Basin began in 2016 and it was placed into service at the Water
Treatment Facility in March 2017.
This $9 million project includes a
2.5 million gallon baffled tank that
provides contact time for disinfection
of the city’s drinking water supply.
Other benefits of the project
include delaying the need for new
water storage tanks, the provision
of emergency water storage and
operational flexibility for the Treatment
Facility, and improved water quality for
Fort Collins Utilities customers.
The basin was constructed using
almost 1 million pounds of reinforcing
steel and more than 4,500 cubic yards
of concrete. Pictures of the basin are
shown here.
Contact
fcgov.com/utilities
utilities@fcgov.com
970-221-6700
V/TDD: Dial 711 for Relay Colorado
DocuSign Envelope ID: 4809B8D5-0CD8-4DA6-9327-0FF2E03B5267
Page | 1 2016 Fort Collins Drinking Water Quality Policy Annual Report
2016 Fort Collins
Drinking Water Quality Policy
Annual Report
The new chlorine contact basin nearing completion
In October 1993, Fort Collins City Council Resolution 93-144 adopted the Drinking Water
Quality Policy (Attachment A). The purpose of the policy is to ensure the continuous delivery of
high quality drinking water to Fort Collins Utilities’ (Utilities) customers. This 23rd annual report
is a requirement of the Drinking Water Quality Policy and summarizes the actions taken in
support of policy goals during 2016.
DocuSign Envelope ID: 4809B8D5-0CD8-4DA6-9327-0FF2E03B5267
Page | 2 2016 Fort Collins Drinking Water Quality Policy Annual Report
Solar panels at the
Water Treatment Facility
The City will provide water services that meet or exceed customer
expectations for quality, quantity and reliability.
Reliability, Capacity and Redundancy
Fort Collins Utilities owns an 87 million
gallon per day capacity drinking water
treatment facility and operates it 24 hours a
day, seven days a week, to ensure that a
continuous supply of high quality drinking
water is delivered to our customers. Utilities
staff is available at all times to respond to
customer complaints and concerns
regarding drinking water quality and
reliability of service.
The treatment plant has multiple systems
and processes in place to provide high
reliability with low risk of failure. For
example, Utilities has two water sources,
three raw water pipelines, multiple chemical
storage tanks, delivery systems, treatment
trains, filters and storage reservoirs.
Utilities also has a robust asset
management and preventative maintenance
program, which helps ensure the provision
of safe drinking water to the community and
that standards are met for community
firefighting and emergency activities.
In an effort to increase reliability of electrical
power to the Water Treatment Facility, the
Water Production Division submitted a
budget offer in 2016 to switch power
suppliers for the Water Treatment Facility
from Xcel to City of Fort Collins Light and
Power. This budget offer was approved and
staff is currently pursuing this change. This
is a politically complicated process with
many collateral effects. However, staff is
confident we will be able to account for and
accommodate all requirements to complete
this project in 2018. In addition to increasing
system reliability, this change will also
create a more collaborative environment for
use of renewable electricity generation on
site.
Emergency Response Plan Update
Utilities performed a vulnerability
assessment on the water system in 2015.
Consultants analyzed the system from raw
water supply through distribution and
delivery to the customer taps, including
business processes such as billing and
customer service. They looked for areas
where the system is potentially vulnerable to
damage from either natural disasters or
man-made events.
This information was used in 2016 to write a
new Emergency Response Plan, which will
provide guidance for response to emergent
Page | 3 2016 Fort Collins Drinking Water Quality Policy Annual Report
Regulatory Changes
Although there were no regulatory changes to operations in 2016, staff participated in regulatory
development meetings with the Colorado Water Quality Control Division (the Division). The
focus was to provide input to the Division as they prepared comments to the EPA regarding the
content of the draft lead rule. Comment topics included public education requirements and the
inclusion of options for water systems that do not have lead service lines in their distribution
systems. It is anticipated that the proposed rule will focus on the removal of lead service lines;
Utilities is unaware of any lead service lines in the City’s distribution system. It is anticipated that
EPA will publish the proposed rule towards the end of 2017.
Late in 2016, the Division increased Utilities’ lead and copper monitoring requirement (in
homes) from once every three years to once per year, beginning with 2017 monitoring.
Water Quality Complaints
In 2015, the City received 61 drinking water
quality complaints, equating to a rate of 1.75
per 1,000 customers. This was a 50%
increase from 2015, but is still well under
benchmark goals. Staff responded to 43 of
the complaints in person at the site to talk
with customers and collect water samples.
Based on the most recent QualServe report
from the American Water Works
Association, 49 other participating utilities
had a median number of technical water
complaints of 5.31 per 1,000 customer
accounts. The “best” quartile rate observed
by other participating utilities was 2.06 per
1,000; at 1.75 per 1,000, the City was
“better than the best.”
Figure 1
Figure 1 – 2016 Complaint Types by Quarter
DocuSign Envelope ID: 4809B8D5-0CD8-4DA6-9327-0FF2E03B5267
Page | 4 2016 Fort Collins Drinking Water Quality Policy Annual Report
The City will protect and maintain high water quality in the development of
all codes, policies, plans and specifications related to the acquisition,
production and delivery of water services to its customers.
Greater Achievements in the Partnership for Safe Water
The Water Treatment Facility reached a
new milestone in the Partnership for Safe
Water (PSW) in 2016, by achieving the
President’s Award. The President’s Award
is the first tier of Phase IV of the PSW,
which is the final phase. The Award is
bestowed upon top-tier water plants that
have demonstrated commitment to
providing superior quality water to their
customers, beyond the requirements of the
United States Environmental Protection
Agency (USEPA) regulations.
While the Director’s Award,
which was obtained by the
Water Treatment Facility for the
previous 16 years, requires
higher performance of the
overall filtered water quality,
the President’s Award requires
the performance of each
individual filter to be evaluated. Only 36
treatment facilities throughout the nation
have achieved this level of recognition. Staff
will evaluate the Facility’s readiness to
proceed to the Excellence in Water
Treatment Award in 2017, which is the
second tier of Phase IV of the partnership,
and the highest level recognized.
The PSW is an alliance of six drinking water
organizations including the USEPA. This
voluntary program strives to enhance water
quality through continuous optimization of
treatment processes. Operators, managers
and administrators are provided self-
assessment and optimization tools to
improve performance above and beyond
current and proposed regulatory levels.
The PSW was originally designed with a
focus on the treatment of drinking water, but
has expanded to inspire and recognize
excellence in distribution systems. The
distribution system was awarded the
Partnership’s Director’s Award for
distribution excellence in 2015.
The award was conferred after a
comprehensive, independent
review of our city-wide water
quality by a national panel. The
review was based in part on water
samples collected throughout the
distribution system by the City’s
Water Quality Lab. We are the first utility in
Colorado to receive the new Partnership for
Safe Water Director's Award for distribution
excellence! A short video (Barbara Martin
Page | 5 2016 Fort Collins Drinking Water Quality Policy Annual Report
Environmental Management System
The Water Treatment
Facility has established
a formal
Environmental
Management System
(EMS) that is certified
to conform to the ISO
14001:2004 standard.
A key aspect of the EMS is reduction in
energy usage and greenhouse gas footprint.
In support of this, the facility has
participated in the Colorado Industrial
Energy Challenge, sponsored by the
Colorado Governor’s Energy Office and the
U.S. Department of Energy. The Facility
achieved a 1.77 percent reduction in
purchased electrical usage from 2015,
which is a 24 percent reduction from 2005
levels. This exceeds the City’s Climate
Action Plan goal of 20 percent reduction by
2020.
The ISO standard was updated in 2015 and
the Water Treatment Facility Core EMS
team is diligently working to update our
system to conform to the new standard.
Plant staff continue to pursue energy
efficiency improvements in order to reduce
the greenhouse gas footprint and control
operating costs associated with energy in
the face of rising treated water demands.
Environmental Leadership Program
The Environmental Leadership Program
(ELP) is a statewide environmental
recognition and reward program
administered by Colorado Department of
Public Health and Environment’s
Sustainability Program.
The ELP offers benefits and incentives to
members that voluntarily go beyond
compliance with
state and federal
regulations and
who are
committed to
continual
environmental
improvement.
As the result of process improvements and
the ISO 14001:2004 certification of the
EMS, the facility has received and
maintained recognition as an ELP Gold
Leader.
DocuSign Envelope ID: 4809B8D5-0CD8-4DA6-9327-0FF2E03B5267
Page | 6 2016 Fort Collins Drinking Water Quality Policy Annual Report
The City’s water supply, treatment, storage, delivery, and laboratory
facilities will be planned, designed, constructed, maintained, staffed, and
operated to assure safe, reliable and cost-effective service to the residents
of Fort Collins and all those served by the City’s water utility.
Source Water Protection Efforts
In 2016, Fort Collins Utilities, with assistance from the Colorado Rural Water Association,
completed a Source Water Protection Plan (SWPP) for the City’s two major drinking water
supplies–Horsetooth Reservoir and the Upper Cache la Poudre River. This document guides
the City’s water quality monitoring and water supply protection priorities and directly supports
the City’s Drinking Water Quality Policy:
“The City will protect raw water sources from contamination or any other activities that
would diminish the quality of water provided to customers, or that would result in
increased treatment costs.”
Through the SWPP development process, public water providers identify potential sources of
contamination to water supplies, rank those sources according to risk and identify best
management practices to mitigate those risks. The Fort Collins SWPP identifies historical and
active mines and forest health/wildfires as the top threats to Horsetooth and the Poudre River
water supplies. For the full SWPP report, visit: fcgov.com/source-water-monitoring.
In response, the City developed a mine assessment and action plan and conducted water
quality monitoring in drainages throughout the Upper Cache la Poudre (CLP) Watershed with
identified historic mining. This monitoring effort revealed no indication of contamination from
mine drainage in the Upper CLP. The Watershed Program concluded the legacy of historical
mining is no longer a priority issue of concern.
GOAL 3
DocuSign Envelope ID: 4809B8D5-0CD8-4DA6-9327-0FF2E03B5267
Page | 7 2016 Fort Collins Drinking Water Quality Policy Annual Report
Coalition for the Poudre River Watershed
The Coalition for the Poudre River Watershed (CPRW) was formed in 2013 following the
Hewlett Gulch and High Park Fires to address post-fire restoration needs. City of Fort Collins,
City of Greeley and Larimer County provided the initial 2-year funding commitments for the
development period and retained fixed seats on the Board of Directors through September
2015. In 2016, a professional services agreement was enacted to guide the City’s ongoing
funding and involvement with CPRW. The City retained a reserved seat on the Board of
Directors in 2016 and will continuing working with CPRW through 2017. Future involvement and
support will be determined based upon program performance and project relevance to Utilities
interests in protecting water supply and quality.
In 2016, the CPRW worked with community stakeholders to complete the Upper Poudre
Watershed Recovery and Resiliency Plan. This plan identifies remaining post-wildfire
restoration needs and prioritizes areas for future forest health and wildfire risk reduction projects
based on watershed conditions and values at risk. For more information on CPRW and the
Upper Poudre Watershed Recovery and Resiliency Plan as well as CPRW members and
partnerships, visit: poudrewatershed.org.
Upper Poudre Watershed overall priority watersheds and target areas for
forest health and wildfire risk reduction projects outlined in the Upper Poudre
Watershed Recovery and Resiliency Plan.
Figure 2
DocuSign Envelope ID: 4809B8D5-0CD8-4DA6-9327-0FF2E03B5267
Page | 8 2016 Fort Collins Drinking Water Quality Policy Annual Report
Watershed Monitoring Activities
Cache la Poudre River
Since 2008, the Utilities Source Watershed Program has partnered with the City of Greeley and
the Tri-Districts in the Collaborative Upper Cache la Poudre (CLP) Water Quality Monitoring
Program in the shared interest of sustaining this pristine water supply. This program assists
partners in meeting current and future drinking water treatment goals by reporting current water
quality conditions and trends in the Upper CLP watershed and issues that potentially impact
watershed health. Seasonal, annual and 5-year water quality reports are available on the
Source Watershed Program website: fcgov.com/upper-poudre-monitoring.
Figure 3
DocuSign Envelope ID: 4809B8D5-0CD8-4DA6-9327-0FF2E03B5267
Page | 9 2016 Fort Collins Drinking Water Quality Policy Annual Report
Utilities Watershed Program staff sampling
water from Horsetooth Reservoir.
Horsetooth Reservoir
Fort Collins Utilities has actively monitored the water quality in Horsetooth Reservoir since the
mid-1980s. In 2016, Utilities continued its cost-share agreement with Northern Water for the
monitoring of Horsetooth Reservoir water quality. Utilities receives up-to-date information about
water quality conditions in Horsetooth Reservoir. In exchange for monitoring services, the Fort
Collins Water Quality Lab is providing in-kind contribution of chlorophyll-a analysis for samples
collected from sites within Northern’s monitoring
network. Northern Water monitors water quality in
streams canals, lakes and reservoirs throughout
the Colorado Big-Thompson and Windy Gap
projects. The value of these analytical services is
approximately $3,930.
Water quality data and Northern Water’s
tri-annual water quality reports are available at:
northernwater.org/WaterQuality/MonitoringPrograms.aspx
Big Thompson Watershed Forum
Fort Collins Utilities is a major funder and
member of the Board of Directors for the Big
Thompson Watershed Forum (BTWF), along with
the City of Greeley, the Tri-Districts, City of
Loveland, Weld County and Northern Water. The
BTWF manages a routine water quality
monitoring program, through a contract with the
US Geological Survey, on the Big Thompson
River, a major component of the Colorado-Big
Thompson (C-BT) system, which delivers water to Horsetooth Reservoir. Northern Water also
monitors additional C-BT Project canals and reservoirs upstream of Horsetooth. This
sustainable approach to monitoring large watersheds reduces sampling costs and provides a
significant shared knowledge base. For more information, visit: btwatershed.org.
DocuSign Envelope ID: 4809B8D5-0CD8-4DA6-9327-0FF2E03B5267
Page | 10 2016 Fort Collins Drinking Water Quality Policy Annual Report
Certified Laboratory
The City of Fort Collins is required to comply with state and federal drinking water standards.
These standards mandate that a certified laboratory perform all regulatory compliance
testing. The City’s Water Quality Lab staff provides state-certified regulatory compliance testing
and reporting for Utilities as well as ten other regional water agencies.
The Water Quality Lab first achieved certification in bacteriology testing in 1978. Since that time,
the lab has gained certified status for a large array of water quality tests. Certified status is
achieved through a multi-step process:
Figure 4 – Certified Status Achievement Process
Figure 4
The Water Quality Services Division will be working with a consultant to complete a master plan
in 2017. This will include a condition assessment of the Water Quality Lab and will result in a
five year plan for maintaining the lab’s capability to provide necessary services. The process will
consider such options as renovation of the current building, building a new facility, or combining
with the Pollution Control Lab into one facility.
CERTIFIED
STATUS
Application
The application process
includes documentation
regarding the qualifications
of lab staff, training,
equipment, quality
assurance documentation,
facilities and budget, as well
as proof of successful
analysis of “unknown"
performance audit samples
each year.
Audits
These annual audits involve
analysis of samples from
USEPA and other providers
that contain unknown
quantities of unknown
constituents. This rigorous
approach covers an array of
parameters and weeds out
possible reporting of false
positive and false negative
results.
Inspections
Evaluation of lab staff
includes review and
verification of their formal
educational qualifications,
lab training and lab-related
work experience as well as
hands-on demonstration of
laboratory skills. In addition,
details of written and actual
test methods and
procedures are audited to
ensure “to-the-letter”
compliance with
required EPA
specifications. Certification
inspections also include
review of the lab’s budget,
Page | 11 2016 Fort Collins Drinking Water Quality Policy Annual Report
East Reservoir Influent pipe before and
after coating.
Effluent piping from the new Chlorine Contact Basin
Asset Management
Utilities continued risk-forecasting efforts within its water production and distribution asset base
throughout 2016. The Asset Management risk forecast is a process to evaluate the condition of
the equipment, piping and facilities, the types of risks associated with the system and
determinations as to timeline for replacement.
Some 2016 progress highlights:
Staff continued to add asset information
to the IBM Maximo Enterprise Asset
Management System for the Water
Treatment Facility and the distribution
system. Staff refined methodologies for
classifying assets and maintenance
performed on assets to provide better
data for use in planning.
Continued using data from the IBM
Maximo Enterprise Asset Management
System to analyze and benchmark
maintenance metrics. Data shows that
we are exceeding our benchmark goal
of 4 planned maintenance event for
every 1 corrective maintenance event.
The Water Treatment Facility completed
multiple asset replacement projects that
had been identified in the Master Plan,
including critical upgrades to the
electrical systems.
Replaced media and recoated walls in
six filters.
Completed minor repairs to the East and
West storage reservoirs on the Water
Treatment Facility site, as
recommended in the previous
inspections.
Extended permanent power to the
Goathill Reservoir, previously powered
only by small solar panels and a
propane powered generator.
Commissioned the new Chlorine
Contact Basin, which is now online and
functioning as designed.
In 2016, we replaced 7,751 linear feet,
or 1.47 miles, of water mains out of 550
total miles of pipe in the system. This
equates to an annual replacement rate
of ~0.27 percent. The 2016 replacement
rate was 16 percent higher than the
2014 replacement rate. Plans are being
developed to increase this rate to 1
percent replacement per year by 2020.
76 miles of water distribution pipes were
checked for leaks.
Performed 482 Backflow and Cross
Connection Surveys.
DocuSign Envelope ID: 4809B8D5-0CD8-4DA6-9327-0FF2E03B5267
Page | 12 2016 Fort Collins Drinking Water Quality Policy Annual Report
Pleasant Valley Pre-Sedimentation
Basin
In 2013, a pre-sedimentation basin was put
in service ahead of the Pleasant Valley
pipeline as a water quality buffer between
the pipeline and the canal carrying water to
the pipeline from North Poudre Irrigation
Company’s Munroe Diversion off the
Poudre River. A sediment removal study
continued in 2016 comparing multiple water
quality parameters between the influent and
effluent of the basin to further verify the
efficiency of the basin and its value in
protecting water quality for our customers.
Data demonstrated a 49 percent reduction
of total suspended solids (TSS) in the
effluent of the basin as compared to the
influent. The basin capture an estimated 18
tons of sediment during operations in 2016.
Chlorine Contact Basin
The Water Treatment Facility is nearing
completion of construction on the Chlorine
Contact Basin. The basin was brought
online in February 2017 and is performing
as designed. All that remains at this time is
earthwork and landscaping. This heavily
baffled basin provides sufficient detention
time prior to the drinking water storage
reservoirs to meet the disinfection contact
times required by state regulations at all
production rates. Previously, a portion of the
volume of the storage reservoirs was
reserved to meet these requirements. With
the commissioning of this 2-million gallon
basin, the Water Treatment Facility gains
back nearly 10 million gallons of usable
storage capacity in our reservoirs. This
project is on-track to be completed under
budget with a minor schedule extension.
State Certified Operators
The treatment facility operators are certified
by the Colorado Water and Wastewater
Facility Operators Certification Board as
certified water professionals. The plant
superintendent and all plant operators have
earned the highest level of classification, ‘A’.
Operation of the Water Treatment Facility
requires supervision by a certified Operator
A. The Water Production Manager holds a B
level certification and is testing for the A.
Several personnel are also certified
distribution system operators, varying from
level I to level IV. Operation of our pump
stations and storage reservoirs requires
supervision by a certified Operator III.
Additionally, several non-operations
personnel hold operator certifications. Other
plant personnel are encouraged to pursue
certification as plant operators, as well as
Page | 13 2016 Fort Collins Drinking Water Quality Policy Annual Report
Distribution Maintenance System
The Water Distribution Crews are
responsible for the operation and
maintenance of 539.03 miles of water
mains, 701 locator stations, 490 cathodic
protection test stations, 12,701 valves,
3,763 fire hydrants and 38,469 water
service lines in the City’s water distribution
system.
Some of the main responsibilities of the
group are to manage, implement, and set
annual goals for defined maintenance
programs. In 2016, the group was
responsible for responding to 955 customer
complaints during regular hours and 285
after hours. They also repaired 179 valves,
109 fire hydrants, 67 service lines, and 21
service leaks. Additionally, 111 water main
breaks were repaired. Of which 63 were
electrolysis, 40 were beam breaks, and 8
were longitudinal breaks. In addition, 8
miscellaneous repairs were made to the
water mains.
Figure 5
Maintenance performed by the crews during
2016, includes maintenance checks on
2,559 valves, 103 air valves, and 1,634 fire
hydrants. The crews also flushed the water
mains on the west side of the water
distribution system from Overland Trail to
College Avenue and operated 1,050 fire
hydrants during that program. Leak
detection operations were performed on 76
miles of water main along with 482 backflow
surveys and inspections and took 387
cathodic protection test station readings.
Construction Crews replaced a total of
7,751 feet of water main and installed 119
new valves and 14 fire hydrants during our
annual water distribution system
replacement program.
Figure 6
Following is a list of replacement
projects:
1. Stover Street Laurel to Myrtle - 762’
2. Oxford Lane/Lemay Avenue to Oxford Court -
2,587’
3. Mathews Street/Olive Street North to 207
Mathews Street - 418’
4. Pine Street 200 block - 106’
5. Boltz Drive/Lemay Avenue to Camelot - 1,067’
6. Camelot Dive/Mansfield to Parkview - 1,330’
7. Howes Street/Mountain Avenue to Oak Street -
630’
8. Silver Creek Drive/Lakeshore Drive to South end
of Lakeshore Drive - 410’
9. 350 East Horsetooth Road (Marriot Hotel
parking lot) JFK PKWY - 442’
0
Page | 14 2016 Fort Collins Drinking Water Quality Policy Annual Report
This report was compiled by the Water Production Division with contributions from:
Water Quality Services Division
Environmental Regulatory Affairs Division
Water Field Operations Service Unit
DocuSign Envelope ID: 4809B8D5-0CD8-4DA6-9327-0FF2E03B5267
OUR GOALS
2016 update on activities and results
related to the Fort Collins Utilities
Drinking Water Quality Policy.
THE DRINKING WATER
QUALITY POLICY
was adopted in October 1993 to ensure
the continuous delivery of high-quality
drinking water to customers.
Find out more at
A SOURCE WATER
PROTECTION PLAN
was completed for the city’s two
major drinking water supplies
Collaborative planning and monitoring of large
watersheds reduces sampling costs and provides
a significant shared knowledge base.
MILES OF WATER DISTRIBUTION PIPES CHECKED FOR LEAKS
PERFORMED 482 BACKFLOW AND CROSS-CONNECTION SURVEYS, ensuring contaminants cannot flow back into the water supply.
To continue reliable service, master planning e orts are ongoing across the water utility,
including planning for new water pipes, laboratories and treatment plant upgrades.
The Water Treatment Facility is an
Environmental Leadership Program
GOLD LEADER.
As part of the ISO 14001:2004 certification of our Emergency Management System, the
Water Treatment Facility participated in the Colorado Industrial Energy Challenge and
achieved a 1.77% reduction in purchased electrical usage from 2015, which is a
24% REDUCTION FROM 2005 LEVELS.
This exceeds the City’s Climate Action Plan goal
of 20% reduction by 2020.
Water
Distribution Crews
OPERATE AND
MAINTAIN
during the annual water
distribution system
replacement program
12,701
701 Valves
119
Locator
Stations
Fire Hydrants
3 7 6 3
W
a
t
e
r
S
e
r
v
i
c
e
L
i
n
e
s
Water
Distribution Crews
REPLACED
Miles 1.of 47 Water Mains
INSTA
L
L
E
D
V
A
L
V
ES
Fire Hydrants
&
76
539 Miles of Water Mains 490
38,469
To read the full 2016 update, visit:
FCGOV.COM/DRINKING-WATER-UPDATE
Auxiliary aids and services are available for persons with disabilities. 970-212-2900, V/TDD 711 17-10817
HORSETOOTH RESERVOIR CACHE LA POUDRE RIVER
49%
Removes up to 49% of total
suspended solids in the raw
river water before it reaches
the Water Treatment Facility
REPLACED MEDIA AND
RECOATED WALLS IN 6 FILTERS
PLEASANT VALLEY
PRE-SEDIMENTATION
BASIN x6
is now online and functioning as designed at the Water Treatment Facility,
gaining back nearly 10 million gallons of usable storage capacity.
This project was completed under budget with a minor schedule extension.
THE 2.5 MILLION GALLON CHLORINE CONTACT BASIN Completed minor repairs to
east and west storage
reservoirs on treatment
facility site
Extended
permanent power
to Goathill
Reservoir
GOATHILL
RESERVOIR
Previously powered
only by small solar panels and a
propane-powered generator
4x 1x
IBM Maximo Enterprise Asset Management System data shows
that we are exceeding our benchmark goal of 4 planned
maintenance events for every 1 corrective maintenance event.
Utilities received 1.75 water quality
complaints per 1,000 customers. This is 380%
lower than similar utilities nationwide.
The Water Treatment Facility completed multiple asset
replacement projects identified in the Master Plan,
including critical upgrades to the electrical systems.
vs
ADEQUATELY MAINTAINING OUR ASSETS ENSURES RELIABLE SERVICE
2012 2013 2014 2015 2016
150
100
50
0
0 50 100 150 200
2016
2015
2014
2013
2012
Annual number of MILES OF WATER
MAINS surveyed for leaks, 2012-2016
Number of MAIN BREAKS
occurring annually, 2012-2016
The Water Treatment Facility achieved the
PRESIDENTS AWARD
for excellence in drinking water quality.
The distribution system was the first in Colorado
and the twelfth in the nation to receive the
DIRECTORS AWARD
for the Distribution System Optimization
Program in 2015.
NEW!
380%
Cathodic Protection Test Stations
DocuSign Envelope ID: 4809B8D5-0CD8-4DA6-9327-0FF2E03B5267
50
100
150
2012 2013 2014 2015 2016
NUMBER OF MAIN BREAKS
OCCURRING ANNUALLY, 2012-2016
0 50 100 150 200
2012
2013
2014
2015
2016
Annual number of miles of water
mains surveyed for leaks, 2012-2016
Miles
DocuSign Envelope ID: 4809B8D5-0CD8-4DA6-9327-0FF2E03B5267
other professional certifications that
increase their skills. One staff member
holds Professional Operator (PO)
certification through the Certification Council
for Environmental Professionals. Other
certifications held by plant staff include:
Professional Engineer
Certified Control Systems
Technician
Certified Water Quality Analyst
Hazardous Materials Technician
Journeyman Electrician
DOT Certification
ASE Mechanic Certification
The Pleasant Valley Pre-Sedimentation Basin
DocuSign Envelope ID: 4809B8D5-0CD8-4DA6-9327-0FF2E03B5267
equipment, facilities and
work processes.
DocuSign Envelope ID: 4809B8D5-0CD8-4DA6-9327-0FF2E03B5267
from the American Water Works Association
talks about Fort Collins water quality) about
the award is here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=87u14Ym0DSM
GOAL 2
DocuSign Envelope ID: 4809B8D5-0CD8-4DA6-9327-0FF2E03B5267
events. Staff will be trained on the new plan,
with tabletop exercises to be conducted on
annual basis to ensure ongoing staff
familiarity with the plan.
GOAL 1
DocuSign Envelope ID: 4809B8D5-0CD8-4DA6-9327-0FF2E03B5267
50 homes. These tests have shown the level of lead
in our drinking water to be substantially below the
EPA’s action level.
The source of lead in drinking water is primarily the
materials and components associated with service
lines and home plumbing. Lead service lines have
been prohibited by Fort Collins building codes since
before the 1950s. Utilities staff report that they
have only found three lead service lines in the past
40 years, each of which were connected to very old
buildings in the city. Lead service lines are replaced
when found. Lead-tin solder was also banned
by City Code in 1986. These safeguards limit the
potential for lead contamination of drinking water.
While Fort Collins Utilities is responsible for
providing high-quality drinking water, we have
limited control over the variety of materials used
in plumbing components. If your water has been
sitting for several hours, you can minimize the
potential for lead exposure by flushing your tap
from 30 seconds to two minutes, before using
water for drinking or cooking. If you have questions
or comments related to water quality, contact the
City’s Water Quality Lab at 970-221-6863.
If present, elevated levels of lead can cause serious
health problems, particularly for pregnant women
and young children. For more information, testing
methods and steps to minimize exposure, call the
Safe Drinking Water Hotline at (800) 426-4791 or
visit epa.gov/safewater/lead.
D
i
d
y
o
u
k
n
o
w
?
We check
approximately
3,500 valves
each year to
ensure they
are operating
properly.
View a presentation on the City’s approach to keeping lead levels low at
fcgov.com/utilities/what-we-do/water/source-water-protection-plan
DocuSign Envelope ID: 4809B8D5-0CD8-4DA6-9327-0FF2E03B5267
of a contaminant that is allowed in drinking water.
MCLs are set as close to the MCLGs as feasible,
using the best available treatment technology.
MCLG: Maximum contaminant level goal - the
level of a contaminant in drinking water, below
which there is no known or expected risk to
health. MCLGs allow for a margin of safety.
N/A: Not applicable
NTU: Nephelometric turbidity unit - measure of
particles in the water or clarity
ppb: Parts of contaminant per billion parts of
water, µg/L
ppm: Parts of contaminant per million parts of
water, mg/L
SCFP: Soldier Canyon Filter Plant
TOC: Total organic carbon
TT: Treatment technique - a required process
intended to reduce the level of a contaminant in
drinking water.
DocuSign Envelope ID: 4809B8D5-0CD8-4DA6-9327-0FF2E03B5267
0.08 52 ppm 1.3 0 Yes Corrosion of
household plumbing
Lead 2 52 ppb 15 0 Yes systems
Raw and Finished Water Ratio
Parameter Average Range
Number
of Samples
Unit of
Measure
TT Minimum Ratio
(the higher the better)
Meet
Standard? Typical Sources
Total Organic Carbon Ratio, Utilities 1.28 1 to 1.6 12 Ratio 1.00 Yes Naturally present in
the environment
Total Organic Carbon Ratio, SCFP 1.18 0.94-1.39 12 Ratio 1.00 Yes Naturally present in
the environment
DocuSign Envelope ID: 4809B8D5-0CD8-4DA6-9327-0FF2E03B5267
2,430
Non-Residential
Accounts
(industrial,
commercial,
or institutional)
3,647
Multi-Family
Residential
Accounts
D
i
d
y
o
u
k
n
o
w
?
We support
over 35,000
water
customer
accounts.
Cryptosporidium and Giardia
DocuSign Envelope ID: 4809B8D5-0CD8-4DA6-9327-0FF2E03B5267
The distribution system was awarded the
Partnership’s Director’s Award for distribution
excellence. The award was conferred after a
comprehensive, independent review of our
citywide water quality by a national panel. The
review was based in part on water samples
collected throughout the distribution system
by the City’s Water Quality Lab. Fort Collins
Utilities is the first utility in Colorado to receive
the new Partnership for Safe Water Director’s
award for distribution excellence. A short video
featuring Barbara Martin (American Water
Works Association) discussing the award and
Fort Collins’ water quality is available here:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=87u14Ym0DSM
Becki Clark (left), Deputy Director at the EPA,
presented the Partnership for Safe Water
awards to Fort Collins Utilities staff: Andrew
Gingerich, Gregg Stonecipher, Andrea
Schweitzer, Chris Parton and Mark Kempton.
Environmental Leadership
DocuSign Envelope ID: 4809B8D5-0CD8-4DA6-9327-0FF2E03B5267
i
d
y
o
u
k
n
o
w
?
In 2016,
we tested
1557 samples
of water from
faucets at various
locations in the
distribution system
to help ensure
water quality.
DocuSign Envelope ID: 4809B8D5-0CD8-4DA6-9327-0FF2E03B5267