Letter of support sent for water storage feasibility study grant

At the Board of Mesa County Commissioners' July 15 public hearing, they ratified a letter of support to the Colorado Basin Roundtable for the Clifton Water District's grant application to fund a water storage feasibility study. 

Read the full letter:

We are writing to express our support for Clifton Water District’s grant application to fund a feasibility study, aiming to determine the viability of 100 acre-feet of water storage located at D ½ Rd, Clifton Co, 81520. 

Water storage pits are essential components of water utility systems, ensuring a consistent water supply, facilitating emergency preparedness, and protecting water quality. If Clifton Water District had to rely solely on its current water storage supply, customer demand would drain reserves in less than one day. With less than a day of water storage available, the District is unable to turn off access to the river intake regardless of potential upstream contaminants. Because of this, Clifton water quality can vary substantially due to factors upstream. 

Reservoirs provide a buffer in case of upstream pollution incidents like chemical spills, wildfires, or even heavy rainfall, allowing the District to shut off river intake until the contaminant passes. The addition of 100 acre-feet of storage would significantly enhance our community’s resilience to water shortages and contamination. 

The Mesa County Board of Commissioners stands strongly in support of this endeavor and looks forward to seeing the positive impact it will have on both the community and the environment.