The Southern Delivery System (SDS) project passed a very important test this month and proved its value as a regional project. SDS came to the aid of the Pueblo West Metropolitan District when the project partner discovered a break in the water line that it needs to deliver water to its 11,000 households and businesses.  

Pueblo West’s water line – 24 inches in diameter and built in the 1980s – runs under the Arkansas River. It is attached to an opening in Pueblo Reservoir known as the “South Outlet Works.”  Fortunately, when the leak in the pipe was discovered on July 15, Pueblo West’s new 36-inch pipeline and the new North Outlet Works – both constructed in association with SDS -- were complete and in operable condition. The new outlet works and pipe was envisioned as a secondary way for Pueblo West to get its water from the dam, but the new pipeline had not yet been operated.

As Pueblo West worked hard to repair the leaky pipe, its staff turned on its new valve to send water on July 15  (see photo above) to the Pueblo West pump station, to the water treatment plant and then to customers.

The temporary use of the pipeline required approval and cooperation from Pueblo County, Pueblo West, Pueblo Board of Water Works, Colorado Springs Utilities and the Bureau of Reclamation.

“I am very pleased we were able to assist our project partner, Pueblo West, to continue uninterrupted water delivery to their customers,” said SDS Program Director John Fredell. “One of the great benefits of SDS for Pueblo West and the other project partners is the added reliability it brings to all our water systems. It provides all of us another way to get water from Pueblo Dam to our communities and we are so pleased it benefitted Pueblo West during this emergency situation this summer.”

Pueblo County Commissioner Terry Hart was quoted in the Pueblo Chieftain stating, "This emergency project demonstrates the wisdom of Pueblo West government planners to put in a redundant water delivery system for their community. …And I want to thank Colorado Springs Utilities and the Bureau of Reclamation for their willingness to step up to the plate and make this happen quickly.”

The water flowed temporarily only until the pipe was successfully repaired on July 21. SDS will begin commercial operation early in 2016.

SDS is a regional project that will benefit the communities of Colorado Springs, Pueblo West, Fountain and Security. The partners are paying a proportionate share to build SDS.