Case Study:
Water and Wastewater Utilities
Planning for Climate Change
FORT COLLINS UTILITIES, COLORADO
Background
Fort Collins Utilities (FCU) provides drinking water and wastewater services to approximately 131,000 residential
customers and various large water users in Fort Collins, Colorado. FCU also sells excess raw water to large agricultural
users. Average daily production for the Water Treatment Plant (WTP) is 25 million gallons per day (MGD); over 50 MGD is
possible in the summer months. FCU is served by two main surface water sources: the Cache la Poudre River and
Horsetooth Reservoir.
Climate Threats
FCU is concerned with climate change threats that would present water quantity and quality issues for their service area.
FCU is especially concerned about water quality issues caused by flooding, particularly flash flooding on burned
landscapes following wildfires. Following the 2012 High Park Fire and a subsequent flash flood, FCU made a decision to
shut down the Poudre River intake for three months due to uncertainty concerning changes to water quality from high
turbidity and sedimentation events. FCU considered how climate change may increase the severity or frequency of these
threats, and assessed the impacts of a worst case scenario where both the Poudre River and Horsetooth Reservoir
sources would be compromised simultaneously from a water quality event following a wildfire.
Planning Process
FCU engaged in a series of webinars and an in-person meeting to conduct a climate change risk assessment using the
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) Climate Resilience Evaluation and Awareness Tool (CREAT). The
assessment brought together individuals from Fort Collins and EPA staff to think critically about potential climate impacts,
priority assets and possible adaptation options. FCU has conducted previous climate change planning for their utility and
with other city organizations, and used the CREAT assessment to build on and complement existing efforts.
Adaptation Measures
For this assessment, FCU assessed the consequences from a wildfire threat to the Cache La Poudre River and
Horsetooth Reservoir. FCU developed four adaptation plans in CREAT: existing adaptation measures are grouped into a
"Current Measures" adaptation plan, while three other adaptation plans-All Potential Wildfire Measures, Source
Watershed Protection and Management, and Water Treatment Plant Improvements-contain adaptation measures that
would provide additional protection to FCU's assets from climate change threats in the future. Cost data for the potential
adaptation plans were drawn from FCU's Master Plan.
FCU has requested funding to implement or further investigate adaptation options that will protect utility assets and
operations from climate change-related impacts, including water quantity and quality issues driven by drought, wildfire,
and floods. Increasing raw water storage is a priority adaptation option for FCU, as it has dual benefit to reduce
consequences from both water quantity and quality issues. See the table below for all potential adaptive measures that
were considered.
Fort Collins Utilities Case Study — Page 1
*>EPA

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Case Study: Water and Wastewater Utilities Planning for Climate Change
TYPE
POTENTIAL ADAPTIVE MEASURES
Source Watershed
Management and
Protection
Improve the partnership with the Coalition for the Poudre River Watershed to
reduce the consequences from water quality threat and prioritize forest
management

Improve early warning system for detecting high turbidity in water

Partnership with the U.S. Forest Service-Arapaho Roosevelt for improved
watershed protection
Water Treatment
Plant Improvements
Additional 10 million gallon (MG) finished water storage

Enhance treatment capabilities to treat the lower quality Poudre River source
All Potential Wildfire
Measures
Improve the partnership with the Coalition for the Poudre River Watershed to
reduce the consequences from water quality threat and prioritize forest
management

Improve early warning system for detecting high turbidity in water

Partnership with the U.S. Forest Service - Arapaho Roosevelt for improved
watershed protection

Additional 10 MG finished water storage

Enhance treatment capabilities to treat the lower quality Poudre River source

Additional 8,100 acre-feet raw water storage
Contact Information
For more information regarding Fort Collins Utilities' climate adaptation planning, contact Donnie Dustin at
ddustin@fcqov.com.
Fort Collins Utilities Case Study — Page 2
vvEPA
Office of Water (4608T)
EPA 800-S-16-005
January 2017

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