Better water system on tap for Aurora

Ground broken on project that will boost supply

Ivan Moreno, Rocky Mountain News

Published July 26, 2007 at midnight

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AURORA - Officials broke ground Wednesday on a purification plant that will bring the city billions of gallons of water annually by 2010.

The ceremony at the Aurora Reservoir attended by Mayor Ed Tauer and hundreds of community members marked the fruition of the Prairie Waters Project, an idea conceived after the city's reservoirs were drained to 26 percent of their capacity after the 2002 drought.

"Apart from when we turn the tap on, this is probably the most important date on this project," said Peter Binney, director of Aurora Water.

Standing next to a 30-foot- long pipe, Tauer said the project will make Aurora's water system better equipped to handle another drought.

A large portion of the $754 million Prairie Waters Project is being paid for through an increase in water rates and tap fees for Aurora residents.

A 12 percent increase in customers' rates and fees first took effect in 2006, with an additional 12 percent hike this year and another 12 percent increase in 2008.

"What we wanted to do was increase the reliability of our water system," Binney said. "What this project does is increase the city's water supply by 20 percent."

The water to be purified will come from the South Platte River and will travel through 34 miles of pipeline and three pump stations before arriving at the Aurora Purification Facilities at the Aurora Reservoir.

Dave Little, manager of water resources and general planning for Denver Water, said that if the project produces a long- term water surplus, other metro-area cities potentially could benefit if Aurora makes the water available to them.

"I think they're doing some very innovative planning for their future," he said. "I'm very impressed."

morenoi@RockyMountainNews.com or 303-954-2895

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