Low water in Teller County closes two public water stations, could impact campers
TELLER COUNTY, Colo. (KRDO) -- If you are traveling through Teller County this summer and need to fill your RV with water, you might be out of luck.
Teller County is running very low on water due to the dry winter and drought in Colorado.
The coin-operated water stations in Florissant have been closed down, and the one in Divide could be the next to go.
The county has started to close public access to water for campers in the region. Closing that access to water has been working to stop campers and travelers from draining the supply even further by filling personal water tanks.
“We can’t do that. We can’t afford 100 gallons if we can’t give water to folks in their own homes,” Teller County Commissioner Dan Williams said.
If the low water issue persists, local businesses could be forced to shut their doors.
“There’s an economic impact for businesses in the town of Florissant," Commissioner Williams said. "There’s 20 businesses. If you can’t wash dishes, if you can’t keep sanitation, we have to close your business.”
A lack of water as wildfires break out across Colorado could be dangerous.
Commissioner Williams said there are a lot of things people can do at home to help water conservation efforts, like taking shorter showers and avoiding watering lawns.
“Take a hard look at your lawn and ask yourself, would you rather lose your home or your lawn?” Commissioner Williams said.
Florissant Fire Rescue Chief John Buchan said they are not currently filling up their trucks at fire hydrants and are instead using portable tanks set up at their station.
Teller County is working on an emergency water plan for approval from the state of Colorado. This would allow them to move water around, giving relief to areas facing the shortage without draining resources elsewhere.
The water station in Divide is still open for now, but it could be subject to restrictions as part of the emergency plan.
Commissioner Williams said he expects their plan to be ready for the state to review next week.
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