Success stories

Bringing a recently regulated public water system into compliance

Wellhouse before design approval and modifications

During the year, the department routinely activates anywhere between 10 to 30 “unregistered” public water systems. These are systems that have been in routine operation, but have not been regulated. Many of these systems struggle with meeting the drinking water regulatory requirements (e.g. installing disinfection, hiring an operator, developing a monitoring plan, sampling, etc.). In 2017, due to customer complaints, the department activated an unregistered system in Teller County that is a year-round campground and serves approximately 20 residents and 50 transients. Initially, the owners feared the cost of installing treatment and ensuring compliance with the drinking water regulations would force them to shut the campground down.

In July 2017, the system was placed on a boil water advisory due to confirmed E. coli in the distribution system and lack of chlorination for their groundwater well. The advisory was escalated to a bottled water advisory in October 2017 due to high levels of nitrate in addition to the detected E. coli in the drinking water. The system was issued a formal enforcement order in April 2018 for numerous unresolved violations, including ongoing failure to disinfect the drinking water.

The system contacted the department’s local assistance unit in late March 2018 for assistance with completing plans and specifications for a new treatment system and well/wellhouse upgrades. During five separate coaching visits, the coach worked with the campground owners to complete a design submittal for a new treatment system, ensure proper chlorinator installation, and inspect the final project after completion. As of October 2018, the system has an approved chlorination system installed and in operation. This project would not have been possible without the extensive collaboration between the water system owners and the department’s drinking water compliance assurance section, the engineering section, the field services section, and the assistance coach. Through the collaboration efforts, the water system realized the compliance issues were solvable and could be completed without hindering their business.

Wellhouse after design approval and installation of treatment system

The system’s disinfection treatment project also included wellhead and source water protection improvements to address both nitrate and E. coli issues, and expansion of the existing treatment building to accommodate a contact time pipeline. After over 16 months of being on a boil water advisory due to E. coli in the distribution system, the advisory was rescinded in early November 2018 as the department determined the system is operating properly and providing safe drinking water to the public. The department is continuing to work with system to meet the drinking water regulatory requirements and to close the enforcement order in the near future.

➽ Haley Orahood, compliance assistance and Mike Bacon, local assistance coach