Effective April 1, 2024, new water rates will take effect. Your monthly investment contributes to maintaining and improving the complex water system that delivers water to your homes and businesses. In addition to providing clean, safe water free of contaminants, Thornton invests in ongoing maintenance and improvements to ensure the entire water system remains efficient and effective for years. A lot is going on behind the scenes! Just a few examples of these improvement projects include: Advanced Metering and Ongoing Meter Replacement This citywide, multi-year project includes installing ..read more

Like any well-rounded organization, maintaining a sustainable water utility requires thoughtful investments and long-term growth. Much like other cities across the country, Thornton continues to see increased costs to maintain and improve our water system. To continue providing our customers with safe, reliable drinking water, we are implementing a water rate increase for all customers, effective April 1, 2024. Most residential water customers will see an average monthly increase of $2.32 during the winter and $4.79 during the summer. Calculations are based on an average monthly water use of ..read more

It’s hard to believe, but NOW is the time to start thinking about how your yard can earn you a rebate next year. In addition to receiving up to $1 per square foot for low-water grass seed/sod areas and up to $2 per square foot for perennial gardens and other projects, there are many different reasons to convert your landscape: Decreased water waste Added visual interest and curb appeal Increased property value Big savings on future water bills Decreased lawn maintenance Creates habitat for pollinators like bees, butterflies and hummingbirds Offers a stopover for migrating birds A gorgeou ..read more

There’s a lot to be said about lead. The EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) banned the use of lead pipes in 1986 through the Safe Drinking Water Act (later implemented in 1988) as lead pipes were shown to contaminate drinking water, posing significant health risks, especially to children. Today, no lead pipe water service lines have been found in Thornton, and we continuously monitor the water supply to detect any trace of lead while following strict guidelines from the Colorado Department of Public Health & Environment (CDPHE). Pipe Inventory Thornton is working on a water service lin ..read more

Emerging technologies surround us. Maybe you depend on continuous upgrades to technology on your cell phone, monitor your home with a video-operated doorbell, or even use a weather-based irrigation controller to help make your life more efficient. Water utilities everywhere are doing the same thing, seeking tools to make water services more efficient. In 2020, Thornton was awarded a $1.5 million WaterSMART grant from the Bureau of Reclamation to implement new technologies to improve water services citywide. The Project The Advanced Metering Infrastructure (AMI) and Residential Meter Conversi ..read more

The story of Thornton’s water supply is not as simple as turning on a faucet. Thornton manages water rights in the South Platte River and Clear Creek to supply water to customers citywide. Thornton’s water portfolio also includes water rights in the Water Supply and Storage Company (WSSC) that the city purchased in the 1980’s. This water is diverted from the Cache la Poudre River via an irrigation canal into reservoirs owned by WSSC. These water rights are very senior and have been diverted 10 miles northwest of Fort Collins from the same location, in the same amounts for the past 130 yea ..read more

A Candid Conversation About Thornton’s Response to the Upcoming Regulations Water customers nationwide are hearing about “forever chemicals” in the news. These chemicals have been detected at low levels in many drinking water supplies around the country, including in some of Thornton’s water sources. We recently sat down with Martin Kimmes, Water Treatment and Quality Manager at the city of Thornton, to learn more about what Thornton is doing to address low-level Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS) that have been detected in our water. First and foremost, are the levels of PFAS i ..read more

While creating the recent Value of Water video series, we learned customers are confused about what our water treatment plants really do. Thornton has two operating DRINKING water treatment plants to process the snow melt into the water delivered directly to customers’ taps. Wastewater treatment happens at Metro Water Recovery in Denver after water leaves a customer’s home or business via a separate sewer system. Your Water Quality To get a bird’s eye view of the process, watch the video “Your Water Quality.” Our water treatment processes ensure the city’s drinking water meets all state ..read more

Each year, Thornton works hard to balance the rising costs of power, materials, and other commodities necessary for supplying water to all Thornton customers, with keeping water rate increases to a minimum. Effective January 1, 2023, a nominal water rate increase will go in effect to keep pace with the cost of delivering safe, clean drinking water. The water rates you pay are a direct investment in Thornton Water’s large, complex system that collects, cleans, and delivers water right to your home. Less than a dime a day. About 92% of residential water customers will see increases of less t ..read more

Guest Blogger: Kristin Schwartz, Civil Engineer/Project Manager at City of Thornton, Colorado When it comes to water, the average person turns on the faucet, starts the dishwasher, or fires up their sprinkler system, not thinking twice about HOW the water gets to their home. Yet we know there are curious customers, like you, who want to know more. The water distribution system The city’s water utility installs, operates, and maintains the complex water delivery system that serves our community: a total of 640 miles underground pipes that deliver clean, safe water from the drinking wa ..read more