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About Us
Who We Are
Established in 1962, Parker Water & Sanitation District (PWSD) is a water and wastewater utility located in the southeastern Denver-Metro area in Parker, Colorado. Our vision is to sustain life for our community by providing a growing population with secure, long-term, and high-quality water and wastewater service. Supported primarily by water and wastewater rates and new tap fees, we are a non-profit public agency.
Since beginning operations more than 60 years ago, the population of Parker and its surrounding area have grown exponentially - with a current population of around 60,000 people. PWSD currently serves approximately 19,500 accounts and anticipates serving 35,000 by 2040, when we reach build-out.
As outlined in our 2020 Master Plan (PDF) PWSD relies on multiple water sources to serve our growing population including the Water Infrastructure & Supply Efficiency (WISE) partnership, Cherry Creek, Newlin Gulch, and the Denver Basin Aquifer. How and when PWSD will pull from those sources will depend on multiple factors, including season, daily water demand, and drought conditions.
Through the construction of the Rueter-Hess Reservoir, utilizing our Rueter-Hess Water Purification Facility, collaborative partnerships, and the development of the Platte Valley Water Partnership, we are determined to continue meeting demands by developing the necessary renewable infrastructure to acquire, treat, store, and distribute water to all of our customers today and into the future.
Our Infrastructure
We manage infrastructure across our service area and you may see our staff working at various locations on a daily basis. Some of that infrastructure includes the following:
Rueter-Hess Water Purification Facility is a technologically advanced facility capable of treating up to 10 million gallons of water per day from the Rueter-Hess Reservoir.
Rueter-Hess Reservoir has a capacity to store 75,000 acre feet. Stored water from the reservoir is treated and distributed out to PWSD customers daily.
North and South Water Reclamation Facilities use the highest standards of advanced wastewater treatment to filter, treat, and clean water to meet and exceed federal clean water standards. The treated water is then discharged into Cherry Creek and/or transported to Rueter-Hess Reservoir.
Shallow Wells, also called "alluvial" wells, draw alluvial water at the edge of the Cherry Creek. They are each between 50 and 75 feet deep.
Deep Aquifer Wells draw water from deep underground sources known as the Denver Basin Aquifers. They range from 515 and 2,745 feet deep.
Lift Stations "lift" sewage from areas lower than the wastewater treatment plants in order to produce a gravity flow into treatment plants.
Pump and/or Booster Stations help pump drinking water from one pressure zone to another, especially when the water is located and/or stored at a lower elevation than its destination (homes and businesses).
Water Tanks hold water for business and residential use as well as fire prevention.