Fix Wellington's Water

The high cost of our water bills is due to the North Poudre Irrigation contract. In 1983 Wellington signed a contract with North Poudre Irrigation to guarantee 250 acre-feet (AF) of water, or 81 million gallons, per year to supply the Town. In return, the town gave up all its North Poudre shares, making Wellington one of only a small handful of communities in Colorado that does not own its water. 

 

Town leaders in 1983 did not consider the long-range impacts of this contract. As the town’s population grew, it soon required more than the guaranteed 250 AF. This is where the contract became a problem for the town. After the guaranteed 250 AF, the town could purchase additional water at a price that was determined by the amount of extra water used, the current price of North Poudre Irrigation shares, and the current interest rate for farm loans.

 

This wasn’t a problem at first because shares were relatively inexpensive, and the interest rate wasn’t a major factor. Today, however, a share of North Poudre water sells for more than $250,000, and interest rates have been rising since 2020. Four years ago, the yearly cost of this extra water was around $1.2M. Today, due to rising interest rates, the cost is closer to $3.5M. It’s no wonder your utility bill is so high. 

 

How to fix it!

 

1. Wellington needs to renegotiate the North Poudre contract to determine a new formula for extra water. This would lower costs to residents and stabilize monthly utility bills.

 

2. Wellington needs to source new water to reduce reliance on North Poudre. Owning our water is essential for long term sustainability for the town. Several options are available, and I will work with other Wellington Trustees to find a solution.​