Utilities: $15 million fix for July flood

A mere 2 inches of rain were a welcome relief to drought stricken Colorado before the Waldo Canyon Fire. Now, as Colorado Springs Utilities leaders have learned, it can cause $15 million dollars in damage if it falls in the wrong place.

The two-inch rainfall on July 30 caused infrastructure damage when flash flood water washed out roads in U.S. Forest land, exposing miles of water pipeline to rocks and wildfire debris.

In a report to the Utilities Board, leaders revealed that the company intends to work on forest mitigation beginning this fall to repair the damage and also prevent similar damage in the future.

“We still could get a significant rain out,” said Gary Bostrom, Chief Water Services Officer with Colorado Springs Utilities. “If we do, we will just have more damage to our infrastructure before we could get in this fall and do the necessary work to protect it.”

Bostrom told the board some of the costs will be covered by the Federal Emergency Management Agency. CSU will also be able to file insurance claims to cover the damaged pipelines but mitigation work will be done ahead of finding a funding source and before the U.S. Forest service has determined it’s necessary.

“We need to move at a much faster pace (than the federal government) to make sure we protect our infrastructure,” said Bostrom.

The Pine Valley pipeline was damaged in July’s storm. It carries fresh water from the Rampart reservoir to two treatment facilities near Monument creek.

“Under the right circumstance we will need that pipeline,” said Bostrom. “We don’t want to put our community at risk in terms of having a reliable water supply.”

CSU leaders will also work with the Coalition of the Upper South Platte because of its extensive work on forest rehabilitation following the Hayman fire.