DA’s office declines to pursue charges after investigating Calhan water theft claims

The Town of Calhan was accused of breaking the law over how it manages its water system, but the Fourth Judicial District Attorney’s Office says there isn’t enough evidence to file charges.

Calhan is located about 35 miles northeast of Colorado Springs on Highway 24.

The DA’s office said in a news release Thursday that the town was accused of impropriety in how it managed its water delivery system, water supply and water sales.

In July of 2015, KRDO NewsChannel 13 reported that the Colorado Bureau of Investigations was looking into claims that 2.5 million gallons of water was missing from the Upper Big Sandy Groundwater Management District. The report said that the Town of Calhan was involved in that investigation.

The CBI investigation determined that there wasn’t sufficient evidence to pursue charges. The DA’s office agrees, but said there is enough evidence that the case might have legs in civil court.

The DA’s office said some of the concerns cannot be fully investigated or proven because of the informal manner in which the Town of Calhan has metered and billed for water it has sold in the past.