More than a Pipeline. A Lifeline.
On June 15th we photographed both stills and video of the new Southern Delivery System Pipeline from Pueblo Reservoir to Colorado Springs.
The Southern Delivery System (SDS) will, when completed in 2016, bring 78 million gallons of water a day from the Pueblo Reservoir to Colorado Springs.
Construction is under way, bringing jobs and opportunities to local businesses. Major construction began on the 60-mile pipeline in 2011.
"Colorado Springs Utilities has been planning on the Southern Delivery System since really the late 80s," SDS spokesperson Janet Rummel said. "It's really going to help insulate us from a drought like we saw in 2002."
The $1-billion first phase of the Southern Delivery System, one of the largest water projects to be built in Colorado in decades, is well under way and headed toward completion in 2016.
Construction crews are feverishly digging trenches to house the pipeline. It's often grueling work, requiring crews to dig into land that is flush with rock.
The SDS will bring Arkansas River water stored in the Pueblo Reservoir, located west of the city of Pueblo, north to Colorado Springs by means of a 62-mile underground steel pipeline. That water will serve the cities of Colorado Springs, Fountain, Security and Pueblo West.
More than 100 Colorado companies are already at work on the project, which is owned by Colorado Springs Utilities (CSU), and more than $100 million in contracts have been awarded. Funding comes from Build America Bonds and rate hikes for area water users.
"What this project means for the communities partnering in it is having secure water for several decades," says John Fredell, SDS project director. "This water is for businesses and consumers. We want to make sure we can attract businesses here and keep the ones we have."
Permits took 10 years and millions of dollars to obtain. Permits carry a "use it or lose it" limitation.
Colorado Springs' water system's capacity is constrained and repairs are needed. SDS improves the overall system.
SDS supports communities where future generations can live and thrive. Southern Colorado’s future requires water. El Paso County’s population will grow 1.9 percent a year through 2030, or 350,000 more people. The project partners already own rights to sufficient water, but need a delivery system to transport it. Beyond meeting growing demands, SDS diversifies water portfolios, protects against drought and increases the reliability of our existing water systems. SDS will ensure our communities have a stable supply of water for decades to come.
Construction on the pipeline near highway 50 in Pueblo.
© 2012 Table Mesa Productions/Lissy Brenner Photography
Construction on the pipeline near highway 50 in Pueblo.
© 2012 Table Mesa Productions/Lissy Brenner Photography
Construction on the pipeline at the Pueblo Dam and reservoir.
© 2012 Table Mesa Productions/Lissy Brenner Photography
Construction on the pipeline at the Pueblo Dam.
© 2012 Table Mesa Productions/Lissy Brenner Photography
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