Changes are underway for the Cherokee Metropolitan District's form of wastewater treatment. The District's current aerated lagoon system is located south of Highways 24/94 and west of Peterson Road. The current facility has a surface water discharge that is directed to the East Fork of Sand Creek. The Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment, Water Quality Control Division's stream standards have continued to become more stringent. As a result, the District's most recent permit renewal contains a compliance schedule that calls for greatly enhanced levels of treatment. Given the nature of the District's existing facility and the forthcoming treatment requirements, a major change of treatment method(s) is required. Given the stricter standards, together with the magnitude of the urbanization that has occurred around the lagoon's ponds, the ongoing concerns expressed by both the Air Force and the Colorado Springs Airport for potential waterfowl conflicts with aircraft, the District has determined that a new location and treatment process is necessary. Additionally, there is a need to make more efficient use of the substantial amount of water resources that are being lost to the District as a result of the current discharge to Sand Creek, which a new location will afford an option not currently available.

The District is currently providing wastewater treatment service to Schriever Air Force Base by means of an interconnecting 14-inch pipeline. This line has been sized such that Cherokee can reverse the flow in the main and pump its untreated wastewater to the east. The District purchased a quarter section of undeveloped land (165 acres), located north of Drennan Road and immediately east of Milne Road for the construction of a new mechanical wastewater treatment facility. The District's compliance schedule established by the State Health Department has been modified to reflect the fact that the District will build a new facility at this location. The new facility has several advantages over the existing facility, such as providing for significantly enhanced levels of treatment; elimination of the incompatibility of the current facility with the urbanized area; elimination of the concerns over waterfowl conflicts; it sets the stage for the District to be able to effectively capitalize on the water resources currently being lost.

To make the project as cost effective as possible, Cherokee has entered into an Intergovernmental Agreement with the Meridian Metropolitan District whereby the Meridian Metro District will be a bulk wastewater user of the treatment facility. The Meridian Metro District will be required to pay a proportionate share in both the capital construction, as well as the operations of the facility. Cherokee will retain ownership of the facility, but the Meridian Metro District will be funding 48% of the costs. This will achieve an economy of scale that will result is lower construction, as well as operating costs to both Districts.

As part of the overall operating plan of the District there is a component of the facility that is also being proposed that will recapture the treated water flow being discharged from the treatment plant and transferring it to a Replacement Facility, located further south of the wastewater treatment facility, yet within the Upper Black Squirrel Creek Drainage Basin. At the location, it will be placed in a series of basins where it will be allowed to naturally infiltrate through the underlying sands and gravels and ultimately recharge the alluvial aquifer. This approach will allow the District to take advantage of not only the natural treatment that will occur as a result of the water migrating through the sands and gravels, but will also replenish the alluvial aquifer itself. This part of the project is considered crucial to insure the long term viability of the District's current source of water in the Upper Black Squirrel aquifer.

The District has received site approval from the Colorado Department of Health for the new wastewater treatment facility, with construction scheduled to begin in the fall of 2007. It is anticipated that the new facility will be operational by the end of 2009, or early 2010. The District has recently received approval from the State Health Department for the Replacement Facility as well. Final design of both facilities is currently underway. The District anticipates that both facilities will be completed at the same time.

The technology being used has been proven in many other communities throughout the Southwest and West coast, but it will be a first in Colorado. This is an exciting time for Cherokee and its constituents as our overall water resources program takes treatment to a much higher level and we position ourselves to more effectively utilize our most valuable resource, water.