Well House Filtration Project

A large portion of the drinking water that Parker Water & Sanitation District provides to our customers comes from well water that is located hundreds, and in some cases thousands, of feet below the surface of the ground in the Denver Basin Aquifer. This well water can sometimes appear discolored (red or brown) because of naturally occurring minerals, mainly iron and manganese. These minerals are a part of the rock sandstone formation that has existed in Colorado for millions of years. 

While safe to drink, we recognize that this discolored water is inconvenient and, in some cases, alarming for our customers. 

In an effort to reduce the iron and manganese, PWSD has begun the process of implementing filtration in our well houses. This is a phased program that has a targeted completion date of 2025. When the program is complete, the discoloration that our customers experience should be greatly reduced.

What is PWSD currently doing about discolored water?

While the well house filtration systems are being implemented, PWSD also has multiple programs in place to help mitigate discolored water issues that our customers experience.

Our current efforts include the use of sequestration chemicals to help isolate the minerals that cause discoloration in the water, seasonal flushing activities, and continuing to implement proactive communication measures to help alert our customers when issues arise.

What does the Well House Filtration Project involve?

Once complete, all nine of PWSD’s well houses will have filtration installed in them. 

PWSD’s Canyons and Ridgegate Well Houses were the first well facilities to have filtration installed. Both facilities have been outfitted with gravity filtration units with silica sand and anthracite media. The filters were fully integrated in October 2021 and each treats roughly 1 million gallons of water per day (MGD). 

Our Rueter-Hess Well House is nearing completion and will have the capacity to treat and filter up to 8.5 million gallons of water per day. Our Reata Well House is scheduled to be next.

The remaining groundwater treatment facilities throughout the District will be prioritized for receiving filtration based on iron and manganese content and their supply to the distribution system. 

What’s the timeline for this project?

The filtration project is expected to be completed by the end of 2025. 

What’s the budget for this? Will it affect my rates?

The targeted budget for this program is $40 million. While all projects completed by PWSD have an impact on rates, the costs for this project were part of the District’s long-term capital plan and therefore included in our long-term rate plans along with many other necessary projects and costs.  

Will any homes or businesses be impacted by this project?

Depending on the location of various well houses, some construction traffic may occur. All of the construction will be occurring on PWSD’s property. 

Who are your partners in this?

PWSD has hired Garney and Tetra Tech as our Design Build team for this program. This team has a long-standing relationship with PWSD that has proven to be successful and integral in the continued improvements to our well house upgrades. 

Who should the public contact about the project?

Inquiries about the project may be directed to the PWSD Engineering Department.