Where Does Longmont Get Its Water?
Longmont has a varied and extensive portfolio of water rights that include decrees for pipelines, storage reservoirs, irrigation rights, and contract rights as well as conditional decrees and applications filed in Water Court for additional decrees.
Water Rights Inventory and Acquisition
Water Rights are acquired primarily through implementation of the Raw Water Requirement Policy. In 1964 the City Council adopted the Raw Water Requirement Policy. This policy provides the method whereby the City will acquire water rights in such quantity and of such quality as to provide a safe and reliable water supply for present and future water users under a wide range of hydrologic conditions. This policy provides the method in which the owners of properties with historic water rights insufficient to meet the requirements of the Raw Water Requirement Policy may satisfy the requirements in the policy by the payment of cash in lieu of water rights.
Future of Longmont's Water Supply
Water Resources is currently working on a number of projects that will ensure that the City has enough water to meet demands. Current Projects include:
- Union Reservoir Enlargement Project
- Raw Water Master Plan
Statement of Historical Use of Water Rights
Use one affidavit for each ditch company. Show minimum of last 10 years consecutive use.
Download the Statement of Historical Use of Water Rights Affidavit (pdf 277KB)
Raw Water Master Plan
Raw Water Requirement Policy
The Raw Water Requirement Policy can be found in Title 14, Public Services, Chapter 14.05 of the Municipal Code.
History of Longmont's Water Utilities
The first settlement in the present-day Longmont area was a trading fort built by Ceran St. Vrain and the Brent brothers in 1838. Settlers began to set up residences along the St. Vrain River, using stream water for their domestic needs. As the colony grew, a few individuals went into business hauling water from the streams which customers stored in large barrels or cisterns. A town pump was located in the center of town at the corner of 4th and Main Streets. On September 8, 1879, the 300 block of Main Street caught fire and was completely destroyed. The only water for fighting the fire came from the town pump and a bucket brigade that formed from the St. Vrain Creek. The fire led to the formation of the first fire fighting company in 1880. The fire of 1879 and the recognized need for a clean water supply were the impetus for developing a water system. On April 1, 1882, the Longmont taxpayers voted a $70,000 bond to build the first pressurized waterworks system.
Today, the City's distribution system has grown to 11.6 miles of raw water lines, 45 miles of transmission lines, and 238 miles of distribution mains along with the wastewater collection system which consists of 206 miles of sanitary sewer lines, and the wastewater treatment plant which has the capacity to treat 11.5 million gallons per day.