DENVER, May 16, 2002 -- The "spring" that keeps the South Platte flowing north of Denver will continue flowing this year despite the drought, officials at the Metro Wastewater Reclamation District say.
"We're the 'spring' that keeps the South Platte flowing north out of Denver 365 days a year," said Dr. Todd Harris, the Metro District's water quality officer. "Our discharge currently provides about 475 acre feet of water a day to the South Platte. We provide a dependable quantity of water to the river for irrigation.
"Downstream users can rely on the consistent daily discharge provided by the District. The quality of water we discharge to the South Platte is also a lot better than it was years ago," Harris continued. "It's a reliable resource for crop irrigation. In fact, it meets the same water quality standards as the river itself."
The Metro District is the wastewater treatment authority for most of metro Denver -- about 1.5 million people. Last year, it treated and discharged an average of 155 million gallons of water a day from its plant at 64th and York to the South Platte just north of Denver.
Most of the water the Metro District treats is the "used water" from the Denver area's homes. The Metro District does not treat stormwater (runoff), so the flows discharged by the District are not affected as much by a drought as many people think.
If people take to heart the tips for saving water in their homes they're getting from other agencies in metro Denver, Metro could see the amount of water it treats decrease. But even if that occurs, Metro will still be putting substantial amounts of water into the river.
The Metro District does not use drinking water in its treatment process, but it does use a small amount for employee drinking, to mix chemicals, to seal pumps with, and for other similar uses.
The Metro Wastewater Reclamation District operates the largest wastewater treatment plant in the Rocky Mountain West. It serves Denver, Arvada, Aurora, Lakewood, Thornton, part of Westminster, and about 45 sanitation and water and sanitation districts in metro Denver -- about 380 square miles. Individual homeowners do not receive bills from the Metro District because it is a wholesale agency and sends its bills directly to the municipalities it serves. They bill homeowners.
