Source Water Protection
Safeguarding Our Water Sources
Northern Water delivers water from the Colorado-Big Thompson and Windy Gap projects and will provide future supplies through the Northern Integrated Supply Project (NISP), serving more than 1.1 million residents across Northern Colorado. The quality of this water begins in the high mountain watersheds where it originates. Protecting these source waters is a proactive strategy to maintain water quality by safeguarding the health of these landscapes. Healthy forests and resilient watersheds help reduce risks from wildfire, erosion, and other natural disturbances that can affect drinking water supplies. They also minimize vulnerability to threats such as hazardous material spills, aquatic nuisance species and other contaminants.
Colorado’s Source Water Assessment and Protection (SWAP) Program, established under the Safe Drinking Water Act, promotes local initiatives to safeguard drinking water sources before contamination occurs. While the program provides a valuable framework, our approach emphasizes comprehensive watershed stewardship—supporting forest health, advancing wildfire mitigation and fostering collaborative projects that strengthen the ecosystems surrounding our water sources.
Our approach to source water protection is holistic and forward-looking. We focus on building long-term resilience through investments in watershed and forest health, while also preparing for potential risks that could affect water quality. This includes proactive measures and partnerships to address challenges such as invasive species and accidental contamination. By combining large-scale landscape stewardship with targeted risk management, we help ensure clean, reliable water for both the environment and the communities we serve.