The "Switch" is Here! 

Starting 10/2/2023, our operations team will begin the process of shutting down our Water Treatment Plant, and activating our interconnect with Centennial Water and Sanitation District.  As many of you are aware, every year from the beginning of October through the end of April, CPNMD utilizes our Hock Hocking renewable water rights to supply water to our community.  This water is stored in Chatfield Reservoir, treated by CWSD, then sent directly to our distribution system and out to our community members. This not only helps to prolong our non-renewable water, a confined aquifer resource, but allows CPNMD to complete capital projects and do maintenance at our treatment plant that wouldn't otherwise be possible with the plant in full service. This year we will be rehabilitating several of our process tanks, building a new chemical dosing room, and adding a work shop and storage space! Read more about that here.

There are some differences in the water characteristics that some residents may notice...

• Hardness: Our renewable water is much harder than that of our deep well aquifers. Residents may notice things like water spots on dishes or fixtures.
   
• Taste: Some residents report that they notice a shift in the taste of the water. It is often described as "earthy, or metallic". This again, has to do with the source water differences. The water is absolutely safe to drink and for all other uses. Centennial has been doing work at their treatment plant to help combat this aesthetic issue, and we do anticipate that this will be less noticeable in comparison to years past. 

For more information on these sources, visit our Water Quality FAQ page to learn more about differences in water taste, hardness, and odor. (Link available to the right if viewing this page on your desktop.)

Water Sources & Infrastructure

Most water in CPNMD originates from two Denver Basin underground aquifers, which include the Arapahoe, Lower Dawson, and Denver basins. These sources are the result of water rights that date back to the formation of the District. The District has 11  water wells located in the community that are generally only used in the summer months (May-October). 

This water is delivered to the CPNMD water treatment plant, which produces an average of two million gallons of water per day, except in peak summer months when four million gallons of water per day is more common. Treated water is then stored in the District's two storage tanks, and supplied to customers on demand. 

Renewable Water

In 2010, Hock Hocking (Park County, Colorado) and Upper Platte River rights were purchased to increase the community’s water assets to include surface water. This water is stored in Chatfield Reservoir, where CPNMD owns and has unfettered access to 1,006 acre-feet of storage capacity. Our neighbors to the north, the Centennial Water & Sanitation District (Highlands Ranch), treats our renewable water, which we then pump through our existing interconnect pump station and pipeline into our water distribution system. We typically utilize those renewable water resources from October 1st through April 30th of each year.