SDS Starts Construction on Largest Colorado Water Projects
Aug. 22, 2011
When complete, the project will deliver up to 96 mgd to the region
Source Southern Delivery System
Southern Colorado officials and community leaders gathered at the base of Pueblo Dam to celebrate the beginning of major construction on the historic Southern Delivery System (SDS), one of the largest water supply projects under way in the U.S.
The SDS project will serve the southern Colorado communities of Colorado Springs, Pueblo West, Fountain and Security. With the ultimate capacity to deliver up to 96 million gallons per day (mgd), SDS will provide a stable supply of water for decades to come.
Starting in 2016, SDS will transport water from Pueblo Reservoir through about 60 miles of underground pipeline. The project’s first phase also includes three pump stations and a water treatment plant. Work on the SDS connection to Pueblo Dam and raw-water pipeline construction in El Paso County began this year. The approved budget for phase I of construction is $880 million. Future phases will include constructing a terminal storage reservoir and exchange reservoir, as well as expanding pumping and water treatment capacity.
