The Pueblo County Board of County Commissioners unanimously approved an intergovernmental agreement April 25 regarding future Colorado Springs stormwater program commitments. This follows approval of the IGA by the Colorado Springs City Council last week. 

This is an historic agreement for Colorado Springs and Pueblo County. The agreement reinforces collaboration between the two communities to identify, prioritize and fund critical stormwater projects.

This action also allows the Southern Delivery System to begin commercial operations as planned this week without the threat of legal complications.

The IGA covers the time period from 2016 through 2035 and identifies an agreed upon list of capital projects for construction in 2016 and subsequent years. Under the agreement, the City of Colorado Springs and Colorado Springs Utilities will spend $460 million over 20 years. Additionally, Utilities will provide three annual payments of $1 million toward the City of Pueblo’s levee repair and improvement work with matching contributions from Pueblo.

An initial payment of $9.6 million will be made to the Fountain Creek Watershed District within 30 days. Subsequent payments of about $10 million will be made annually for the next four years. The funds could be used to construct flood control dams and other sediment controls on Fountain Creek below Colorado Springs for the benefit of Pueblo County residents and landowners.

For more information about the Southern Delivery System, visit www.SDSWater.org.