Colorado Impact

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), lead contamination in water is linked to developmental disabilities and other long-term health problems including anemia, neurological problems, kidney failure and even death.

Since 2012, some areas of Denver have experienced increasing levels of lead in drinking water due to outdated lead pipes. This has prompted a series of tests and ultimately a 15-year plan to replace the old lead service lines.

Sources of Lead in Denver Water

While Denver Water supplies lead-free water to most households and businesses, the water can become contaminated through many old systems that the water passes through. These systems can include lead service lines, copper pipes with lead solder and even faucets containing lead.

Lead pipes in Denver affect 64,000 to 84,000 homes. In addition, every time lead is introduced into a pipe in a home, it has the potential to enter a municipal water system connected to the house.

Denver Lead Service Lines

The service lines throughout Denver are the underground pipes that bring the mainline water from the street to the plumbing in a home. For centuries, lead was a convenient material used in water pipes because its malleability makes it easy to bend and mold to shape. In fact, the word plumbing itself comes from plumbum, the Latin word for lead.

With more information available today on the effects of lead exposure, the focus has shifted from material practicality to water quality and health. Today, Denver Water is conducting tests to identify service lines that need to be replaced.

Denver Water Lead Reduction Program

Denver Water will oversee the implementation of the Denver Lead Water Action Plan for the entire city. The plan consists of testing, surveys, pipe replacements and water filter installation. The lead service line replacement is estimated to take 15 years to fully complete.

As residents wait to have a suspected or confirmed lead pipe replaced, Denver Water will provide a free water filter to them. Denver Water is also taking steps to help customers with regular testing of their water by providing free lead test kits to anyone who requests one. The goal of the program is to reduce the likelihood of lead entering drinking water by bypassing lead pipes installed in the 1900s - which includes water pipes owned by customers. 

What’s in Your Water?

 Many of us are unaware of what’s really in our water or where it comes from. Since some Denver residents will be waiting as long as 15 years for lead pipes to be removed, many will turn to the free filters to remove lead in the short term.

Relying on filters to remove unwanted chemicals helps to reduce lead, asbestos,  and chlorine, but may not eliminate them completely. Filters may also be less than fully effective in removing contaminants such as ammonia, pesticides, trihalomethanes, pharmaceuticals and other unwanted chemicals.

Consequently, it's important to look at what a filter doesn't remove rather than being satisfied with what it does remove.  Also, if filters are not changed regularly, bacteria can reach high levels, and this can be a problem of its own.

Don’t Want to Wait 15 Years?

There is another alternative for getting better water in Denver. Right here in Colorado, there is a natural filter from Mother Earth that continually produces pure, perfect spring water. The artesian springs located in Eldorado Springs, Colorado (just outside Boulder, Colorado) emanate from one of the most unique water sources in the world.

Immense, natural artesian spring pressure forces the water through a layer of sandstone up to the surface in Eldorado Springs, creating a natural filtering system. Eldorado spring water is water in its purest form. It’s purity you can trust and taste. As we always say, “You can’t manufacture natural.”

 If you’re a Denver area resident and have thought about looking for a more natural source for your drinking water, now is a good time to consider spring water delivered right to your doorstep. And if you’re not sure how much water you and your family need, try our water calculator.

Don’t wait for lead in Denver drinking water to be resolved. Take charge of your health by ordering Eldorado Natural Spring Water delivered to your home today.

Currently, Colorado is experiencing severe drought in the southern half of the state, which is resulting in large fires consuming huge swaths of forest. State officials are now concerned about water contamination in watersheds. What exactly should officials be concerned about?

According to the Journal of Pollution Effects and Control, "The chemical water quality problems that may arise following a forest fire may consist of increased production of macronutrients, micronutrients, basic and acidic ions, decreased oxygen level and increased biological demand. Some of these chemicals come from the disturbed and bare ground and others are produced from the burned plant material." In layman's terms, water will contain higher levels of harmful organic material that may be above federal and state safety thresholds. This burned plant material becomes sediment, which ends up in rivers and streams.

These Impurities Can Make Drinking Water Unsafe

According to research done at the University of Colorado Boulder, “A wildfire will have a tremendous effect on the vegetation that results in the mobilization of material in the form of sediments,” said Fernando Rosario-Ortiz, the study’s lead author. “Ultimately, those sediments become turbidity and drinking water utilities need to remove that turbidity in order to produce water that is safer for consumers to use.” To remove these impurities, municipalities need to use more chemicals to treat the water to make safe. This is costly, and adding more chemicals is not always the best solution for consumers.

Watershed Protection Efforts

Colorado has begun to invest more money in watershed protection in recent years. When the High Park and Waldo Canyon wildfires ripped through Colorado in 2012, the water provider Northern Water worked with the Bureau of Reclamation, the US Forest Service, and the Colorado Forest Service to begin the Colorado-Big Thompson Project. The mission of this project is to restore forest and watershed integrity while still retaining the hydropower facilities that are located in the Big Thompson reservoir. Combined with other investments in the state water system, 21,000 acres of land have undergone fuel treatments to reduce risk of watershed damage from future wildfires.

Fortunately, Not All Groundwater Is Impacted by Wildfires

As Colorado gets drier and wildfires become larger and more frequent, watershed protection becomes extremely important. Municipalities will be forced to continue the fight to keep our water safe. Fortunately, Eldorado Natural Spring Water comes from a very special place. Our spring water originates as rain and snow just east of the Continental Divide. It then enters an aquifer under Eldorado Springs and artesian pressure pushes water through sandstone, creating a natural filtering system.

Lastly, but arguably most important, Eldorado Natural Spring Water has a thick layer of clay just above the sandstone which is impervious to surface water. This is extremely beneficial as contaminants resulting from wildfires are repelled by this line of natural defense. The beloved source of Eldorado water truly is unique and magnificent.

As you probably already know, Eldorado Natural Spring Water’s artesian springs are nestled in the cozy mountain town of Eldorado Springs. Located just a stone’s throw away from Boulder, our tiny hometown actually has lots to do. Come on down for a weekend and enjoy a few of the following world class attractions Eldorado Springs has to offer!

Scenic Attractions. Eldorado Springs is home to the stunning Eldorado Canyon State Park. With 12 total miles of hiking and various trails to explore, you’re sure to find some breathtaking views. One of our favorite things to do is pack a picnic and enjoy a sunny day beneath a tree.

Wildlife. Because Eldorado Springs is still very much untouched by man, spotting wildlife is almost an everyday occurrence for us! Bring along the binoculars and keep an eye out for mule deer, mountain lions, foxes, black bear, golden eagles, and an array of bat species.

Adventure Sports. If adrenaline is your thing, Eldorado Springs is the perfect weekend getaway for you! Eldorado Canyon offers over 500 of the country’s finest rock climbing trails. With names like Cloud Nine and Nightmare Block, the routes will challenge even the most advanced climbers! If you find yourself a little wary of heights, there’s plenty of mountain biking, snowshoeing and fishing to be enjoyed too! Watching those crazy climbers is plenty of entertainment in itself as well!

Eldorado Swimming Pool. Our swimming pool is a little piece of history! In operation since 1905, it has been a hotspot for family getaways and even celebrities ever since opening. It is fed directly by a constant flow from the artesian spring and has such a deep blue hue, some have thought that the water is artificially colored! Come visit what the Denver Post calls one of Colorado’s best pools in and around Denver any time between Memorial weekend to Labor day, open 7 days a week, 10:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m.

Summer has finally arrived and it’s time to take advantage of Colorado’s famous sunshiney days. So pack up the family and head on over to our neck of the woods! Also, don’t forget to stop by and pick up some refreshing water or organic vitamin water. You can mix and match any of our items from 5 gallon bottles to 0.5 liter bottles. There's no need to call ahead, just drop in any time between 8:30 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. Monday - Friday (excluding holidays). See you soon!