June 12, 2024

Participant Spotlight: Town of Erie

Just east of Boulder sits the growing Town of Erie, which has a current population of almost 35,000 and a projected 3.3 percent increase by 2028. As a proud partner of the Chimney Hollow Reservoir Project, a firm water supply is critical for the Town of Erie, which has 6,000 acre-feet of storage in the project.  

“After decades in planning, we are excited to see the project come to fruition and coming out of the ground. The town has made consistent, significant investments in this project and we are excited and grateful to be a part of it,” said Public Works Director Todd Fessenden. “Chimney Hollow will add more certainty in our supply, specifically in terms of firm yield and will allow us to better meet the current and future needs of the town.” 

After almost literally running out of water decades ago, Erie began investing in the Windy Gap project. With the help of Paul Zilis, Esquire of Vranesh and Raisch, the town developed a water supply plan, which included both the Chimney Hollow Reservoir Project and the Northern Integrated Supply Project (NISP).  

Welcome To Erie Sign

In addition to securing a firmer water supply, the town prides itself on being a leader in water conservation with a per capita per day water use that is already in line with the long-term goals of many Front Range communities. 

“Our water tier structure highly incentivizes conservation, and we intend to continue to push the needle on all fronts to ensure we are using this critical natural resource in a highly responsible manner,” Fessenden said. “My mentor is famous for saying that water is the only service that affects 100 percent of the population 100 percent of the time. We intend to treat that resource with the care it deserves.”