The ECCV Northern Project is a multi-phase renewable water project that reduces ECCV’s dependency on non-renewable groundwater and aquifer resources. The majority of drinking water delivered to ECCV customers each year now comes from the Northern Project, which began in 2003.

By the completion of Phase 1 in 2012, ECCV had secured 6,000 acre-feet of water rights from the South Platte River, constructed a 31-mile Northern Waterline, storage tanks, two pump stations and the state-of-the-art reverse osmosis (RO) Northern Water Treatment Plant near Brighton, CO.

Phase 2 of the project was completed in 2020-21. This phase included additional water rights, as well as capacity expansions of the Northern Water Treatment Plant. These expansions included construction of a second treatment building at the plant, and a second deep injection well to dispose of brine—treatment byproducts—more than 10,000 feet underground.

ECCV is currently completing Phase 2B of the project which will add more RO filtration units at the Northern Water Treatment Plant. ECCV is also pursuing additional injection wells for brine disposal.

While the Northern Project originally anticipated a third phase to occur around 2030, ongoing improvements and demand have made this unnecessary for the time being. ECCV will continue to explore options to maximize its renewable water supply into the future.

ECCV’s Northern Project has been recognized as one of the leading renewable water solutions along the Front Range, and is also a leader in Colorado for developing acceptable disposal methods for RO brine.

Importance

The Northern Project is important for ECCV customers because it provides the District with a reliable and resilient long-term water supply. Renewable water replenishes year-to-year through snowmelt and rainfall.

Many water utilities in our area primarily rely on underground water supplies that do not replenish. Once water is extracted from aquifers deep underground, it is gone. This water supply method is getting more difficult and expensive. As aquifer levels decrease, additional wells must be added in order to maintain existing yields. In short, non-renewable supplies require more and more investment to access less and less water. The Northern Project allows ECCV to maintain a sustainable primary water supply and use its underground aquifer supplies more strategically.

The project has also allowed for the development of water utility partnerships through the use of the 31-mile Northern Waterline. In fact, a partnership with Arapahoe County Water and Wastewater Authority has already flourished as a result of the construction of the pipeline. By allowing other water utilities to use the pipeline, ECCV has been able to share and decrease project costs to its customers.

Partnerships

Developing partnerships for projects like the Northern Project is important as it helps provide regional water solutions.

When initial planning for the Northern Project’s 31-mile Northern Waterline started, the District was thinking ahead and planning for regional solutions and partnership opportunities. As a result, the pipeline was constructed with additional capacity for other water utilities to be able to use the pipeline as well, which was funded by neighboring water providers.

Today, the Arapahoe County Water and Wastewater Authority (ACWWA) is a water utility that has benefited from the additional capacity in the pipeline. We anticipate more water utilities will also benefit from the pipeline to help provide future regional water solutions.

What is the Northern Project?

The Northern Project is a multi-phase water supply and infrastructure project that brings renewable water to East Cherry Creek Valley Water & Sanitation District (ECCV). The project that began in 2003 is now responsible for a majority of the annual drinking water supply enjoyed by ECCV customers—more than two billion gallons of drinking water per year. 

How is the project paid for?

ECCV has financed this important project using enterprise revenue bonds. These are very similar to bonds issued by cities and towns to finance capital projects and serve as a type of loan. The sale of these bonds provides ECCV with the funds for the project’s infrastructure. ECCV then pays back the bonds over a fixed amount of time. Over the years, ECCV has refunded some of these bonds (similar to refinancing a mortgage) to gain more favorable interest rates on behalf of its customers, while also continuing to fund new phases of the Northern Project.

ECCV implemented a flat monthly fee, the Sustainable Water Assurance (SWA) Fee, to raise the revenue to meet this debt obligation. This fee must remain in place until all bonds reach maturity and are fully paid off.

Where does Northern Project water come from?

Northern Project water comes from the South Platte River. It is stored in the Beebe Draw, a shallow aquifer near Brighton, CO. When needed, water is pumped from the Beebe Draw, treated at the ECCV Northern Water Treatment Plant, and transported through the 31-mile Northern Waterline to our community. Our community sits about 1,000 feet higher than the Northern Water Treatment Plant so transporting this drinking water requires moving it steadily uphill.

Why does ECCV need this water?

The Northern Project provides a renewable surface water source that makes ECCV’s water supply both sustainable and resilient. Prior to the Northern Project, nearly all of ECCV’s water came from limited-supply deep aquifers in the Denver Basin. When water is removed from these aquifers, it is gone for good. As aquifer levels drop, more and more wells must be added to reach less and less water.

By getting a majority of its water from the Northern Project, ECCV can better manage its deep aquifer wells to preserve their finite supplies. Water from these wells helps ECCV meet peak demands, and also provides customers with an important redundancy should the Northern Project water supply be temporarily impacted for any reason.

What parties are involved in the Northern Project?

The Northern Project came about through a three-way arrangement between ECCV, Farmers Reservoir and Irrigation Company (FRICO) and the United Water and Sanitation District (United).

Arapahoe County Water and Wastewater Authority (ACWWA) later became a partner in the project facilities. ACWWA paid for and utilizes capacity in both the Northern Water Treatment Plant and Northern Waterline to treat and deliver its own water rights. As such, it pays for infrastructure development and operation costs proportionate to the share of water it receives from the Northern Project facilities.

Do other water districts benefit from the project?

In addition to regular use by ACWWA, members of the South Metro Water Supply Authority (SMWSA) have paid for added capacity in the Northern Waterline to transport water to serve their communities in the future. Each SMWSA member is responsible for securing its own water supply.

What is the Beebe Draw?

The Beebe Draw is a shallow aquifer system ranging from a few dozen to 150 feet below ground. It was the historic stream channel of the South Platte River. This underground reservoir is naturally filled with sand and gravel, which makes it a perfect spot to store water for later pumping.

Will the Beebe Draw aquifer become depleted over time?

No. ECCV purchased renewable surface water rights as part of this project. These rights will be used to make sure there is always water in the Beebe Draw, which serves as a large underground reservoir that can be filled through diversions from the South Platte River.

What are aquifers?

Aquifers are underground, water-rich layers. A shallow aquifer is part of an overall river system, such as Cherry Creek or the South Platte River. The deep aquifers of the Denver Basin, by comparison, are hundreds or even thousands of feet below the surface. Deep aquifers are minimally connected to rivers, creeks, and streams on the surface, and very little new water enters them. Much of the water in deep aquifers has been underground for hundreds-of-thousands of years. While this water is relatively clean and often needs little treatment before piping it into homes, the resource is finite. The cost to extract—think of it as mining—deep aquifer water increases greatly as the water level in an aquifer drops.

What is the difference between aquifer/well water and surface water?

Unlike deep aquifer water from the Denver Basin, which is finite, surface water resources are replenished with seasonal rains and snow. Surface water comes from rivers, can be stored in reservoirs for later use, and is treated prior to delivery to customers. It is important for districts like ECCV to maintain a "portfolio" of water resources that rely mainly on this kind of renewable water resource. For example, the entire Denver Water system is built on renewable surface water collected in Colorado's mountains, piped to the Front Range, and stored for municipal use.

What is the direct benefit of the Northern Project to my family and me?

First and foremost, the Northern Project is a long-term assurance of safe, reliable water for everyday use (drinking, cooking, flushing, gardening, cleaning and irrigating). Especially here in the arid West, this is fundamental in protecting your investment in your home and property served by ECCV.

Did ECCV consider other options before pursuing the Northern Project?

In the 1980s, ECCV participated in the study of the Two Forks Reservoir with Denver, Aurora, and other metro area water providers. That project would have provided renewable water to ECCV. However, the Environmental Protection Agency rejected the project in the late 1980s, leaving the study participants searching for other water projects.

Of the other renewable water projects ECCV investigated throughout the 1990s, barely any have come to fruition. Those that did have also provided only a temporary solution for many area water providers. By pursuing the Northern Project, ECCV has secured a long-term water supply and system for its customers.

Did ECCV consider buying water from a large provider like Denver or Aurora?

ECCV receives a portion of its water supply from Denver as a result of an agreement created after the Two Forks regional water project was struck down by the federal government. This water has a long-term guarantee. Additionally, both Denver Water and Aurora Water have made shorter-term arrangements with various providers/members of the South Metro Water Supply Authority. However, these have never been viewed by the parties as long-term solutions and were not pursued by ECCV. Both Denver and Aurora must prioritize their own service areas first. In some cases, other providers in the area are now looking at more permanent supply and system solutions similar to ECCV’s Northern Project, all of which have only increased in cost since ECCV undertook the Northern Project.

How much will this project cost?

The infrastructure delivered through the completion of Phases 1 and 2 of the Northern Project had a combined cost of $189.2 million. Additionally, obtaining senior water rights to better ensure a consistent water supply each year cost $76 million. Due to changes in federal regulations that required operating the Northern Water Treatment Plant at reduced capacity, ECCV is also in the process of pursuing a Phase 2B. This will restore the Northern Project system to its full Phase 2 capacity and is estimated to cost an additional $30 million.

Would we need this project if area development had been stopped years ago?

Yes. Because there is not sufficient non-tributary water under a given area for urban development, outside water sources were needed. Without a renewable water source, continued pumping of deep aquifers by ECCV and others would have resulted in significant increases in costs over time for the development of additional wells or alternative infrastructure to keep up with the same demands. Less development would have also meant a smaller customer base with each customer paying much more for the water supply and system.

One other note on development: the ECCV service area is more than 90 percent built out. This means the vast majority of properties the ECCV system can serve have already been developed. Most new development in our area, including development east of E-470, is outside the ECCV service area. The Northern Project has always been planned to provide sustainable service at full build out.

Why does ECCV still have outdoor watering schedules or restrictions?

Outdoor watering often accounts for more than half of a property’s annual water usage here in the arid West.

ECCV’s standard three-day per week watering schedule helps landscapes thrive while conserving water. Drought conditions develop quickly and can linger for months, even years. While the Northern Project delivers a sustainable long-term water supply to customers, it is not unlimited. Following outdoor watering schedules, and rarely imposed restrictions, is a way for every customer to do their part to keep the system running strong at all times. The watering schedule also helps manage daily demands so that expensive, excess capacity at the Northern Water Treatment Plant does not have to be constructed.