Supply & Infrastructure

South Metro Water Supply Authority and its members have invested in water infrastructure projects that are essential to the region’s secure water future.

Water Infrastructure and Supply Efficiency (WISE) Project

The WISE project is a first-of-its-kind partnership where South Metro Water Supply Authority, Denver Water and Aurora Water share water supplies and infrastructure, reducing the region’s reliance on nonrenewable groundwater, bolstering water supplies to South Metro communities, and maximizing existing water assets in Denver and Aurora.

Stacked blue pipes viewed from one end, creating a circular pattern.

WISE provides significant benefits to all three partners:

  • Ten South Metro Water members receive significant quantities of new renewable water supply

  • Denver receives a new backup water supply

  • Aurora benefits from partners who share in the cost of its Prairie Waters Project

The West Slope also benefits because it receives new funding for forest restoration in Grand and Summit counties and for water supply, watershed and water quality projects.

In early 2016, the WISE project received the Metro Vision Award from the Denver Regional Council of Governments for outstanding effort in the Denver Region.

Additional Storage Opportunities

Storage is an essential component to the region’s secure water future. In our semi-arid climate, we must capture snowmelt and rainfall when it happens so it is available when we need it. Projects such as Chatfield, Aquifer Storage and Recovery (ASR), and the Colorado Water Plan are making big strides towards providing storage for our region, but as identified in our 2016 Master Plan Update, additional storage will be critical to help firm existing and future supplies. South Metro Water continues to explore new storage opportunities.