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RWR: Bad for the San Luis Valley
and Douglas County

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Renewable Water Resources’ Pipe Dream

A “lose-lose” for the San Luis Valley and Douglas County

Renewable Water Resources (RWR), a for-profit corporation, is seeking to dry up farms in the San Luis Valley and pipe that groundwater hundreds of miles to Douglas County. Estimated to cost $2 billion, the proposal faces unsurmountable challenges to ever being built. The proposal puts Douglas County taxpayers dollars at great risk and drains funds from more viable and beneficial projects. While the Douglas County Commissioners voted to not allow use of COVID-relief funds to help fund the proposal, two of the commissioners “remain open” to talking with RWR. Here is what is at risk:

 

Risks to the San Luis Valley:

  • RWR would drying up more than 22,000 acres of farms/ranches that produce locally grown food for the Front Range and U.S.  

  • RWR would drain $53 million annually from the Valley’s economy that relies on agriculture as its primary economic driver and job producer.

  • RWR’s proposal would deplete an already dry groundwater table in the San Luis Valley, drawing water from streams, rivers and wetlands that support the Great Sand Dunes National Park, the Sandhill Cranes and the Baca Wildlife Refuge.

  • Recreation impacts to water sports, hunting and wildlife viewing would occur. 

 

Risks to Douglas County taxpayers:

  • RWR’s proposal is extremely expensive and risky – it highly unlikely to ever deliver water and will cost tax payers millions in legal fees.

  • Not one water provider in Douglas County is interested in the water. Of the 5 major water providers, two are at build-out and don’t need more water, and the other three already have more viable projects planned. Castle Rock, Parker and Dominion Water have stated no interest in RWR’s proposal. RWR must have a customer to go through the required water court process.

  • The proposal would require piping water hundreds of miles through the mountains and federal lands and would have significant environmental impacts.

  • RWR suggests using other water providers’ infrastructure to get the water to the Front Range, but all three utilities they list as having viable infrastructure – Denver Water, Aurora Water and Colorado Springs Utilities – have said they won’t allow it.

  • The proposal faces costly environmental permitting that would take tens of millions of dollars to undertake and has a high probability of failure.

  • Permitting and legal challenges will take decades and only route money away from more viable water solutions.

  • The proposal is universally opposed by state and federal elected officials, farm and ranch groups, environmental and conservation groups, recreation groups and the residents of the San Luis Valley.

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View Additional Analysis of RWR's Infrastructure Plan

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Stakeholders in the San Luis Valley and the entire state of Colorado including Douglas County have spoken out against this ill-conceived proposal.

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View letters already submitted to the commissioners

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You can express your concerns about RWR’s proposal to Commissioner Laydon and Teal who remain “open” to dialogue with RWR. Commissioner Thomas is opposed to RWR’s proposal. Contact information is listed below:

 

Email: bocc@douglas.co.us

Email for public comments on the ARPA (COVID-relief) funds: ARPA@douglas.co.us

Phone: 303-660-7401

 

Address:

Douglas County Commissioner’s Office

100 3rd Street

Castle Rock, CO 80104

 

Commissioner Abe Laydon, District 1

Commissioner George Teal, District II

Commissioner Lora Thomas, District III

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