Colorado Springs Utilities, Colorado, USA – Exploring purified recycled water for the future

Colorado Springs Utilities explored the option of direct potable reuse with a demonstration project that operated from June 2021 to May 2022. We partnered with Colorado School of Mines and Carollo to build a pilot carbon-based advanced water treatment facility housed inside a trailer for the purpose of conducting public outreach and exploring the compatibility of our source water. The demonstration was purposely designed as a mobile unit so it could be used by other communities after Colorado Springs Utilities’ testing and outreach was completed.

Colorado Springs Utilities relies on surface supplies to serve 580,000 people. 30% of its water is collected from within its native watershed – the Arkansas River Basin. Up to 70% of the water served to the community comes from trans-basin sources, primarily the Colorado River Basin. Colorado water law allows the reuse of trans-basin water supplies to extinction. Currently, Springs Utilities fully reuses its reusable supplies through water exchanges and its non-potable system. The utility is exploring the option of indirect and direct potable reuse to provide additional flexibility in how it uses its reusable supplies.

The demonstration trailer can treat 5 gallons (18.9 litres) per minute or 7,200 gallons (27,200 litres) per day. Purified water from the PureWater Colorado Direct Potable Reuse Mobile Demonstration was used for making beverages or was recycled back into the wastewater process. It was not blended into the utility’s drinking water supply. Nearly 1,000 participants joined a tour of the demonstration trailer while thousands more learned about DPR and the project through community event booths, presentations, social media campaigns and beverage release parties.

Colorado Springs Utilities – Direct Potable Reuse

Related resources:

PureWater Demonstration Process Fact Sheet

Direct Potable Reuse Demonstration – Summary Report

Direct Potable Reuse (DPR): Recycling water to drinking water standards video