September 27, 2019
City Revises Raw Water Policy
On September 24 the Greeley City Council unanimously approved an ordinance revising its raw water requirements for commercial and multi-family developments. Sean Chambers, the City’s Water and Sewer Director explained that the last time the City revised its raw water requirement was 30 years ago.
Chambers said the City did extensive research using existing developments before suggesting the change and met with developers to discuss the proposal. The intent is to “balance simplicity with precision.” The City will base the water requirements for commercial and multi-family on projected use. He predicts the raw water requirements for multi-family projects will increase, but their capital (PIF) fees will decrease. Developers can meet the requirement either by paying a water fee-in-lieu or by purchasing water rights.
Multi-family developments won’t be held to the old three acre-feet per acre standard, which data shows is not enough. Instead, they will be held to the same standards that commercial developments must meet. Developers will be required to meet service commitment agreements to ensure the City receives enough raw water to cover the project and pay a surcharge or additional payments if they do exceed the projected amount. In this way, the City intends to protect its water supply and ensure it is adequate, especially in a time that demand for multi-family developments is increasing.
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