2020 INFORME DE CALIDAD DE AGUA Photo credit: iStock. Denver Water’s Public Water System Identification: CO0116001 3,10 0 square miles of watersheds 5 mountain reservoirs 3,000 miles of pipe to carry water Photo credit: iStock. WHAT IS THIS REPORT? The Environmental Protection Agency a source water assessment of the For more information on the report, requires public water suppliers that potential for contaminants reaching contact the Colorado Department serve the same people year-round any of Denver Water’s three terminal of Public Health and Environment (community water systems) to provide reservoirs at Strontia Springs, Marston by calling 303-692-2000 or visit consumer confidence reports to their and Ralston, the last stop for the water Colorado.gov/cdphe/ccr. The report customers. These reports are also before it is treated. The potential is located under “Guidance: Source known as annual water quality reports. sources of contamination that may exist Water Assessment Reports.” Search This report summarizes information are: EPA areas of concern; permitted the table using 116001 Denver Water regarding water sources used, any wastewater discharge sites; above Board. Or call Denver Water Customer detected contaminants, compliance ground, underground and leaking Care at 303-893-2444. and educational information. storage tank sites; solid waste sites; Información importante Where does your existing or abandoned mine sites; other acerca de la calidad del agua water come from? facilities; commercial, industrial and Para recibir la versión en español del transportation activities; residential, Denver’s drinking water Informe de Calidad de Agua de 2020 de urban recreational grasses; quarries, comes from rivers, lakes, Denver Water, llame a Servicio strip mines and gravel pits; agriculture; streams, reservoirs and al cliente al 303-893-2444 o visite forests; septic systems; oil and gas springs fed by high-quality mountain denverwater.org/CalidadDeAgua. wells; and roads. snow runoff. Denver Water’s supply is 100% surface water that originates in sources throughout 3,100 square miles of watersheds on both sides of the Continental Divide. Mountain water sources Denver Water’s water sources are the South Platte River and its tributaries, the streams that feed Dillon Reservoir, and the creeks and canals above the Fraser River. Denver Water stores its water in five mountain reservoirs: Antero, Eleven Mile Canyon, Cheesman, Dillon and Gross. From these reservoirs, the water is then sent to the metro area through a complex system of streams, canals and pipes. After treatment, drinking water is fed by both gravity and pumps to a system of underground, clean-water reservoirs before continuing to your home or business. More than 3,000 miles of pipe carry water to Denver Water customers. Source water assessment The Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment has completed 1 | 2020 Water Quality Report | SOURCES OF DRINKING WATER DENVER WATER’S SYSTEM Devoted to water quality Denver Water proudly serves high-quality water to 1.5 million people in the city of Denver and many surrounding suburbs. Since 1918, we have expertly planned, developed and operated a complex system that provides clean, safe, great-tasting water. Denver Water is a public agency funded by water rates, new tap Photo credit: iStock. fees and the sale of hydropower, not taxes. We are Colorado’s oldest and largest water utility — Denver Water has a total water Sources of drinking water include rivers, service area of approximately 300 square miles. lakes, streams, ponds, reservoirs, springs and Denver Water serves 25% of the state’s population with less than wells. As water travels over the surface of 2% of all the water used in the state. The natural environment is the land or through the ground, it dissolves our lifeline, and we help protect it by promoting wise water use. naturally occurring minerals and, in some We take our water quality very seriously. Last year, we collected cases, radioactive material. It can also pick up more than 35,000 samples and conducted more than 70,000 substances resulting from human activity and tests to ensure our water is as clean and safe as possible. Denver Water vigilantly safeguards our mountain water supplies, and the presence of animals. Contaminants may the water is carefully treated before it reaches your tap. This include the following: brochure provides data collected throughout 2019. Microbial contaminants Viruses, bacteria and other microbes that may come from sewage treatment plants, Reservoir Capacity Percent of septic systems, agricultural livestock (acre-feet) Total Capacity operations and wildlife. Dillon 257,304 37.1 Inorganic contaminants Eleven Mile Canyon 97,779 14.1 Salts and metals, which can be naturally Williams Fork 96,822 14.0 occurring or result from urban stormwater Cheesman 79,064 11.4 runoff, industrial or domestic wastewater discharges, oil and gas production, mining Gross 41,811 6.0 or farming. Chatfield 27,076 4.0 Pesticides and herbicides (Denver's portion) Wolford Mountain Chemical substances resulting from a variety 25,610 3.7 of sources, such as agricultural and urban (Denver's portion) stormwater runoff, and residential uses. Antero 19,881 2.9 Organic chemical contaminants Marston 19,796 2.9 Substances including synthetic and volatile Ralston 10,776 1.5 organic chemicals, which are byproducts Strontia Springs 7,863 1.1 of industrial processes and petroleum production, that may come from gas stations, Meadow Creek 5,370 0.8 urban stormwater runoff and septic systems. Long Lakes 1,787 0.3 Radioactive contaminants Platte Canyon 910 0.1 Substances that can be naturally occurring or Soda Lakes 645 0.1 be the result of oil and gas production, and mining activities. Total 692,846 100 2 | 2020 Water Quality Report | Photo credit: Denver Water. WATER AT A GLANCE All drinking water, including bottled undergone organ transplants, people lead solder connecting copper pipes water, may reasonably be expected with HIV/AIDS or other immune in their plumbing. Faucets and fixtures to contain at least small amounts of system disorders, some elderly and made before 2014 do not meet today’s some contaminants. The presence of infants, can be particularly at risk of “lead-free” requirements. infections. These people should seek contaminants does not necessarily Lead exposure can cause serious health advice about drinking water from their indicate that the water poses a health problems, especially for pregnant health care providers. Guidelines from risk. In order to ensure that tap water is women and young children. safe to drink, the Colorado Department the EPA and the Centers for Disease of Public Health and Environment’s Control and Prevention on appropriate To address this issue, Denver Water has regulations set limits on the amount of means to lessen the risk of infection by launched the Lead Reduction Program, certain contaminants in water provided cryptosporidium and other microbial which was approved in December 2019 by public water systems. The Food contaminants are available from the Safe by the EPA and Colorado Department of and Drug Administration sets limits for Drinking Water Hotline, 800-426-4791. Public Health and Environment. contaminants in bottled water to provide Lead in drinking water The Lead Reduction Program similar protection for public health. Denver Water is committed to delivering has five main components: More information about contaminants safe water to our customers. The water • Increasing the pH level of the water and potential health effects can be we provide to homes and businesses to reduce the risk of lead from obtained by calling the EPA’s Safe is lead-free, but lead can get into the getting into drinking water from Drinking Water Hotline at 800-426-4791 water as it moves through customer- lead service lines or household or by visiting epa.gov/ground-water- owned water service lines and household plumbing. This change is being and-drinking-water. plumbing that contain lead. done to reduce the corrosivity of Some people may be more vulnerable Service lines bring water into a home the water, which will help protect to contaminants in drinking water or building from Denver Water’s main customers who have plumbing in than the general population. delivery pipe in the street. In Denver their home that contains lead, such Immunocompromised people, such Water’s experience, homes built prior to as customer-owned water service as people with cancer undergoing 1951 are more likely to have lead service lines that connect their home to chemotherapy, people who have lines. Homes built before 1987 may have Denver Water’s main delivery pipe 3 | 2020 Water Quality Report | in the street, solder that connects water treatment to minimize the risk of testing and steps to minimize exposure sections of pipe in their home, and lead getting into drinking water from is available from the Safe Drinking faucet parts. lead pipes and plumbing. Denver Water Water Hotline at 1-800-426-4791, studied multiple treatment options from at and at • Developing and maintaining a epa.gov/safewater/lead 2012 to 2017. Based on the results, . publicly accessible inventory of all denverwater.org/Lead the Colorado Department of Public customer-owned lead service lines Lead may exist in other areas of your Health and Environment in March 2018 in Denver Water’s service area. home. For a complete list and more required Denver Water to begin adding This interactive map is available at information, visit colorado.gov/cdphe/ orthophosphate to the water it delivers denverwater.org/Lead. lead-what-are-common-sources. in March 2020. • Replacing all lead service lines Orthophosphate is a food additive over 15 years at no direct charge commonly added to water to minimize Is there a presence of to the customer. corrosion and reduce the amount of lead cryptosporidium and giardia? • Providing a free water pitcher and released from pipes and fixtures.