During the March 18, 2025, regular meeting of the Upper Thompson Sanitation District Board of Directors, the UTSD Board directed the District to discontinue its work on the new Water Reclamation Facility and lift stations construction project as currently designed.
This project has been in development since 2012 for a number of important and visionary reasons. The District currently operates aging infrastructure that is costly to repair and currently unable to meet water quality regulations that are anticipated in the coming years. The argument for a new facility has been clear but making that vision a reality has proven too great a cost at this moment in time.
The District received two bids for the construction of the facility on March 5, 2025, both of which were higher than estimated. In the current climate, the cost of construction is simply too high for the District to afford. The Board of Directors and staff have always been committed to their role as responsible stewards of rate payers’ dollars and recognize that moving forward under these conditions would place an unsustainable burden on our customers.
In the meantime, the Board and staff will leave no stone unturned as they explore all potential options for a path forward. They will operate with transparency as they determine the next steps.
While the long-term future of the project remains uncertain, the Upper Thompson Sanitation District will continue to provide the high-quality, cost-effective service that the Estes Valley knows and expects. The District will always be committed to the community as a dedicated partner and neighbor.