The purpose/goal is to provide you with a safe and dependable supply of drinking water under the governance of the State of Colorado. The District was created over 40 years ago to provide potable water to the ~2 acre lots in Ridgewood’s Filings 1 and 2 and 3.

The RWD is managed by an elected Board of Directors consisting of a President, Vice President, Secretary, Treasurer, and three members at large. The RWD is a “Special District”.

• Special Districts in Colorado are local governments, i.e., political subdivisions of the state, which make up a third level of government in the United States. (The federal and state governments are the other two levels.) Local governments include county, municipalities, school districts, and other types of government entities such as “authorities” and “special districts”. Colorado law limits the types of services that county governments can provide to residents. Districts were created to fill the gaps that may exist in the services counties provide and the services the residents may desire.

• As political subdivision of the State of Colorado, special districts are required to submit a number of required filings to various state agencies throughout the year. These filings are primarily financial, but include election results and lists of boards of directors.

• RWD is a member of the Special District Associations of Colorado, a non-profit created in 1975 to serve the interests of the individual Special District in Colorado.

They are significantly different.

• Ridgewood HOA is an incorporated 501(c)3 non-profit. Belonging to the HOA is voluntary, as are the suggested annual dues. The stated goal of the HOA is to “always preserve and enhance the value of our neighborhood for our property owners.” The HOA motto is: “Safety, Security & Serenity”.

• The Ridgewood Water District is a Public Water System (ID: CO0160400) that is regulated as a Special District in many ways. Each parcel in the Ridgewood neighborhood that has water available from the District is required to be a patron whether they use water or not.

First and foremost is that you have a safe and dependable supply of drinking water. Second is that the RWD provides the most economical means of getting that water. If it weren’t for the RWD Board of Directors to manage the Water District, the State of Colorado would assume responsibility for the Water District and hire a for-profit commercial firm to manage the water system, and your water bill would be much more expensive.

This fee helps to pay for capital improvements in the Ridgewood water system according to a Master Plan originally prepared in 2001 to upgrade the aging infrastructure (wells, pipes, storage, pumps, controls, etc.). The money is held in the Capital Account. The RWD Board decides how best to spend the accumulated funds in an effort to avoid a major system failure, such as pump outage or the need to replace a burst water main. The current Board has held the position that capital improvement projects will be initiated once sufficient funds are held in reserve, without jeopardizing the ability to operate and maintain the system.

If there was not a monthly improvement fee to build the Capital Fund, it is probable that all system users would be subject to paying an assessment fee every time there were major repairs.

It is possible that the monthly fee could go away when the Ridgewood water system is fully upgraded, but that is probably not a likely scenario for the near future.

Projects over the last few years include:

• Replacement of the original 10,000 gallon storage tank system with a single 20,000 gallon storage tank in 2009.

• 1,000 feet of water main was replaced on Spruce Road in 2015.

• Addition of radio controls to the wells to keep the storage tank filled (SCDATA) in 2016.

• The outdated DOS based computer system that controlled water pumping was upgraded in 2017.

• Installation of electronic components to enable the usage of portable generators in the event of a power failure.

• Replacement of the well pump and casing for the well at the entrance to Ridgewood in 2018.

• Installation of electronic leak detection meters is in process in 2019.

• Commissioning of district current status and proposed changed to maximize water production & distribution by BBA water Consultants in 2019

• Installation of real-time electronic monitoring of both wells to optimize available water, producing about 20% more water on demand. (2020)

• Attempt to recover 20 feet of shaft depth for Well #3 (near RW entrance) to increase well-output. No increase was achieved. (2020)

• Low water alarm installed in the 20,000-gallon storage tank at the top of Spruce circle. (2020)

• Updated location of water main shut-off valves via GPS coordinates. (2020)

• Updated location of each Patron’s curb stop valve via map and GPS coordinates for all but 15 residences. (2020)

Future anticipated projects:

• Creation of Leak Detection Manual (2021)

• Purchase of metal detector to locate remaining Patron’s curb-stop valves. (2021)

• Installation of new (upgraded) water meters at the property line for each patron, including use of a meter pit with the ability to read meters remotely. (Starting 2021 on-going)

• Grant writing for help with meter upgrades and installations. (2021)

• Drill new well to meet increasing water demand by Patrons. Includes purchasing water rights.

The typical culprit is a toilet that does not shut off after flushing. This may be resolved by replacing internal tank parts or installing a toilet alarm like “Leak Alertor 6000 Toilet Leak Detector”

Link here: https://leakalertor.com/product-info/

Also check to make sure all taps are off including any outside taps.

Yes!! This is very helpful and advantageous. There are times when the district attempts to contact customers to advise them on excessive water usage or provide details in the event of an outage or necessary and/or urgent repairs to the system requiring periods of outages.

You can reach the RWD by phone at 719-687-9718 or by email at ridgewoodh2o@gmail.com.

Board Meetings are typically held on the second Tuesday of each month @ 7:00 PM. Each meeting is open to the public, and this is the forum to bring any issues and/or comments to the Board. Location is posted on website prior to each meeting.

By State Law, side conversations with Board members regarding RWD policy are not allowed outside of the monthly meetings.