Partnership with Springs Utilities and local nonprofit saves money, provides jobs

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KRDO) -- Colorado Springs Utilities is turning copper into gold, so to speak, by recycling old materials and passing the savings on to customers.

For more than 25 years, Colorado Springs Utilities has partnered with Community Intersections, a local nonprofit to provide adults with disabilities jobs. Jeremiah Kincaid has been working in the wire stripping department for about a month now.

"Something that I can out the house. I’m not sitting in the house all day, meet new people, new people come and people go whatever the case may be," said Kincaid.

Kincaid and his fellow coworkers strip aluminum and copper from cable.

"Excess cable that's no longer in use. Usually, it's been damaged or needs replacements and we get right down to the bare nonferrous metals, the copper, aluminum, and make quite a substantial return on that by recycling," said Todd Thompson, the supervisor for investment recovery.

Each year, the program generates between $200,000-300,000. 

"We have a baler right here and when it’s full we have probably 2,000 pounds of copper," said Alan Freier the supervisor for Community Intersections.

Recycling the copper and aluminum saves customers money.

"All that money that is brought as a revenue return goes to the general fund so that helps offset other costs," said Thompson.