Snowmass Water and Sanitation District has been providing clean water to our community since 1968, helping to keep you and your family healthy. Our mission is to provide our customers with high quality water under normal conditions, as well as during emergencies. As shown in this annual report, the water we deliver surpasses the strict regulations of the State of Colorado and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
Snowmass Village relies on four surface water sources, East Snowmass Creek Spring is our primary source of water which is supplemented by East Snowmass Creek when required by demand. The West Fork of Brush Creek is an additional source; Snowmass Creek is the fourth source and is only used when water is in large demand.
Snowmass Village treats your water using filtration and disinfection to remove or reduce harmful contaminants that comes from the source water.
All public systems were required to have a source water protection plan by August 2003. Source Water Assessment and Protection (SWAP) is a prevention approach to protecting the public drinking water; supplies are developed by the State and submitted to the EPA. Final EPA approval of the SWAP program was given in March 2000. Copies of the final version of the plan are available to the general public at the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment website and in the following link:
http://www.colorado.gov/cdphedir/wq/swap/pitkin/149717snowmasswaterwsdsw.pdf
For More Information:
For more information about your drinking water and for opportunities to get more involved, please contact the District office by calling (970)923-2056 or by writing to the Snowmass Water and Sanitation District at P.O. Box 5700, Snowmass Village, CO 81615. Also, you are welcome and encouraged to attend Board Meetings the third Wednesday of each month at 8:30 a.m. at the District office located at 0177 Clubhouse Drive.
All drinking water, including bottled water, may reasonably be expected to contain at least small amounts of some contaminants. The presence of contaminants does not necessarily indicate the water poses a health risk. More information about contaminants and potential health effects can be obtained by calling the EPA's Safe Drinking Water Hotline (800) 426-4791.
The sources of drinking water (both tap water and bottled water) include rivers, lakes, streams, ponds, reservoirs, springs and wells. As water travels over the surface of the land or through the ground, it dissolves naturally occuring minerals and, in some cases, radioactive material, and can pick up substances resulting from the presence of animals or from human activity.
Informing you on the Quality of your water:
The Safe Drinking Water Act - first enacted in 1974 by President Nixon - directs the U.S. EPA to create rules that govern drinking water quality. The Act also requires water agencies to send out reports, like our annual water quality report, telling you how safe your water is and to inform you if EPA rules are violated.
Americans use nearly 170 gallons of water per person per day, on average. Peak water use is from 7:00 a.m. to 8:00 a.m. with a minor peak from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. One-third is used indoors for drinking, washing and flushing toilets. Two-thirds is used outdoors for watering lawns, filling pools and washing cars. Water-efficient toilets cut indoor water use in half.
Bottled water does not have to meet the same strict standards that the U.S. EPA sets for tap water. Instead, the Food and Drug Administration treats bottled water as a food product. No federal agency regulates bottled water produced and sold within the same state.
About 53% of the nation drinks ground water from aquifers beneath the earth's surface with 47% drinking water from rivers, streams, lakes and man-made reservoirs. Of course, the water is treated to high standards first!
There are about 55,000 drinking water systems like this one in the United States. They serve 250 million Americans. Another 20 million people rely on their own wells.
Economic experts say that $1 trillion is needed to construct, repair and operate the nation's 55,000 community drinking water facilities for the next 20 years. That's nearly $50 billion every year.
The United States uses 525,000 gallons of water per person, per year. Canada uses 310,000 gallons per person per year, while China uses 122,000 gallons per person per year.
