Water Study Coming to Elbert County

This year, Elbert County is conducting a study to put together a Water Master Plan, with proposed actions to take place from 2024 to 2034.

“The bottom line for this study is to answer the question, „Does the water supply support future growth?‟” says Marc Dettenrieder, Elbert County‟s Director of Community and Economic Development. “With a study such as this, it is critical that we write it in plain language so non-technical readers can understand the concepts.”

The study is one of the action items in the County‟s Comprehensive Plan and will build on the 2018 Rural Water Supply Study and USGS Well Monitoring Study. The study will outline descriptions of current supply, use rate scenarios, and economic impact on both individual well-owners and community systems. It will seek to find a balance between the needs of newcomers and past commitments made to long-term residents.

The study has three major objectives:

1. Prescribe solutions for new development within the 300-year water rule (for reference, we project 3,000 new homes to be built over the next ten years)

2. Preserve economical access for existing well-users (around 8,000 homes) as well as current community systems (around 2,600 homes)

3. Integrate, where possible, with State, Basin, and regional plans

Community engagement and input will be a key part of the process. Watch out for invitations to take surveys and take part in focus groups to gauge resident priorities, solicit feedback, and identify challenges and opportunities.

Elbert County obtained a $45K grant from the Colorado Water Conservation Board (CWCB) to fund the project. The County will match the rest of the funding for a total cost of approximately $90K.

The County will hire a consultant to assist, and the project will begin in July 2023 and anticipates concluding in December 2023.