New reservoir project shared by Colorado Springs, Fountain, Pueblo, Pueblo West, Aurora, Southeastern Enterprise

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. -- On Tuesday, city leaders approved their involvement in a project to build a new reservoir and partner with four local communities and a metro-Denver city.

The city will work with Fountain, Pueblo, Pueblo West, the Southeastern Water Activity Enterprise and Aurora on the Haynes Creek Reservoir Project, located along U.S. 50 and around 20 miles east of Pueblo, near the town of Boone.

The Colorado Springs City Council unanimously approved its role in the project during its Tuesday regular meeting.

Councilman Wayne Williams, who also is chairman of the Utilities Board, said that the reservoir is part of the Southern Delivery System for Colorado Springs Utilities.

"We want to establish a consistent flow of water that we get from the Arkansas River," he said. "The reservoir will be east of our SDS pipeline to Colorado Springs, but we will exchange that water with water in the Pueblo Reservoir upstream."

The six partners will share the $2.8 million cost of the 641-acre reservoir site -- with Colorado Springs, Pueblo and Aurora each using 28.5% of the water and thereby paying higher shares of the cost.

The remaining partners will each use 4.7% of the water.

Officials said that because of the permitting process and other requirements, the reservoir likely won't be ready until 2030 at the earliest.

"But it will help supplement our water needs for the future," Williams said.