FAQs

What is the Prairie Waters Project?
Why is Aurora Water developing this project?
In what ways is the project environmentally responsible?
Has Aurora Water worked with people and agencies in my community to create this project?
What impact will the project have on the river and any nearby wells?
How much water will Aurora use from the river?
What is the project’s schedule?
In what ways will the project benefit my community?

What is the Prairie Waters Project?
The Prairie Waters project is an environmentally responsible way for Aurora to collect South Platte River water it already owns from wells near the river's bank. The water collected will be piped 34 miles to a new purification facility near the Aurora Reservoir where it will be purified then used by Aurora citizens.

Why is Aurora Water developing this project?
The drought of 2002 and 2003 left Aurora in dire straits. The city had less than a 9 month supply of water, well below acceptable standards. Aurora Water staff had to find a solution, one that met the city's immediate needs and protected it again droughts in the future. That's why city leaders asked Aurora Water to ensure that it was capturing all the water the city currently owns for use by Aurora residents. That direction lead to the development of the Prairie Waters Project.

In what ways is the project environmentally responsible?
Environmental responsibility means not only abiding by all environmental regulations associated with the Clean Water, Endangered Species and National Historic Preservation Acts, but also using innovative methods to go beyond those requirements. Our natural cleansing processes include riverbank filtration combined with a unique, protected aquifer recharge and recovery, which provide a sustainable biological purification method that greatly reduces the demand on more energy-intensive filtration. Additionally, our environmental specialists and project engineers, working with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, continuously work to help protect wetland areas and the diverse wildlife habitat in the area by using environmentally smart design and construction practices.

Has Aurora Water worked with people and agencies in my community to create this project?
Aurora Water is committed to developing this project in the most responsible way possible. Along with making the project environmentally friendly, we've also been working hard with a variety of regional watershed stakeholders, elected officials and other interested citizens to share information about the project and hear their input to ensure that the project impacts your area as little as possible. Additionally, Aurora Water has been working with regulating agencies to make sure the project adheres to local and regional development codes and low-impact aesthetic standards.

What impact will the project have on the river and any nearby wells?
During the natural purification process, riverbank filtration and aquifer recharge and recovery combine to slowly filter water from the river using the area’s natural sand and gravel. Throughout the processes, groundwater levels will be constantly monitored to protect from adverse impacts.

Aurora Water—with oversight by a panel of independent scientists, water treatment experts and local university professors—has done extensive research and modeling that indicates the natural purification process is biologically and physically sustainable and has no adverse impact on the river and groundwater system of the South Platte River.

How much water will Aurora use from the river?
The Prairie Waters Project will use riverbank filtration and protected aquifer recharge and recovery to divert up to 3.3 billion gallons of water per year from the South Platte River. Our natural purification process design protects the South Platte River from adverse impacts to water levels by controlling the water’s flow as it moves slowly through the system.

What is the project’s schedule?
Field testing at the northern end of the project in Brighton began in the summer of 2006, and the project is on track to begin construction on the southern portion near the Aurora Reservoir in the spring of 2007 and on the northern end in the fall of 2007. All construction should be complete by late 2010 and water is expected to begin flowing to Aurora for the 2011 irrigation season.

In what ways will the project benefit my community?
This is an important project for Aurora, but in building it, Aurora is also making sure that it brings benefits to northern Colorado communities as well. Project representatives are meeting with representatives from Adams, Weld and Arapahoe counties to explore a variety of partnerships with all communities impacted by the Prairie Waters Project.