Water Supply

Roxborough’s water comes straight from Rocky Mountain snowmelt, rain, lakes, and rivers (surface water.) Our location is a distinct advantage over those communities who use groundwater (wells, aquifers, etc.). We buy our raw water from the City of Aurora and then get our contracted share of water from Strontia Springs Reservoir which is located just west of Roxborough. An agreement with the City of Aurora (revised in 2017) has secured the water for Roxborough into perpetuity.

 Watch The "Where Your Water Comes From" Video

We are often asked about the cost of our water bills in comparison with those of other Front Range communities. The expenses for infrastructure, treatment, cost of the water, storage, and delivery are paid by the customers. Roxborough is a much smaller community and so the cost is shared by a much smaller number of customers. Learn more on our rates and fees page.

FAQs

What is the future drought response with respect to watering restrictions?

Under our Agreement with Aurora, Roxborough is required to implement drought response restrictions set by the City of Aurora.

Is the permanent raw water supply cost ($26.5 million) a one-time fee paid to the City of Aurora?

Yes. This is a one-time purchase fee that secures rights to permanent raw water to Roxborough forever. We are then charged for use based on a cost per 1,000 gallons. See the most recent rate study presentation for the current cost of 1,000 gallons.

Water Management

Hydrant Flushing

Each spring, we conduct our own “Spring Cleaning” by flushing the main water pipelines (mains) throughout the community to clear out naturally occurring iron and magnesium accumulation that has built up during the year. Flushing is critical to the maintenance of the distribution system, and field crews are not wasting water when they’re out flushing.

We track isolated areas of our distribution system where there are more frequent complaints of discolored water. Beginning in 2019 we started doing more frequent, periodic flushing of these areas. Typically, these are cul de sacs where our water lines dead end and don’t loop with surrounding pipes. These dead-end pipes give any naturally occurring minerals in the water that adhere to the pipe walls a good place to settle out and discolor the water. The water is safe, but please always let us know when you see issues so we can track them.

Need to shut off your water or address changes in water pressure?

Read more about our water quality.