Feb. 12, 2024

Participant Spotlight: City and County of Broomfield

The City and County of Broomfield is the largest participants in the Chimney Hollow Reservoir Project with almost one-third of the available storage, or 26,464 acre-feet. This project is a critical element of Broomfield’s long-range planning to meet the growing water demands of its community. 

"Developing reservoir storage to make water consistently available from year to year is known as ‘firming.’ Once firmed, Broomfield’s Windy Gap water will help support new development and improve the resiliency of its system to drought, climate change and water system emergencies,” said Broomfield Water Resources Manager Brennan Middleton.

In addition to more water storage, Broomfield has been actively working to reduce water demand. Broomfield’s primary water conservation goal is a 10 percent reduction in total system demand by 2040. To achieve this goal, the city is developing programs and activities that incentivize water efficiency for current water customers, promoting water efficiency in new developments and improving public awareness. Since irrigation makes up roughly two-thirds of the city’s total water use, considerable investments and improvements are being put in place, including limiting the installation of turfgrass and promoting more water-efficient landscaping and irrigation practices in new development. 

Welcome to Broomfield sign.

As irrigation makes up the majority of Broomfield’s water use, the city also continues to develop a non-potable water reuse system that supplies water to approximately 940 acres of parks and an additional 1,500 acres of non-city owned landscaped areas. This system greatly reduces the amount of treated water needed and allows more than one use of the water that will be stored in Chimney Hollow Reservoir. 

“Broomfield is excited to be part of a project with so many benefits across the state of Colorado. In addition to firming water supplies for nine cities, two water districts and a power provider, the reservoir (and the 3,500 acres of open space west of the reservoir) will provide numerous recreational opportunities including hiking, horseback riding, fishing and non-motorized boating,” said Middleton.