The Town of Frederick has recently received feedback from residents about their drinking water quality. To address your concerns, staff contacted our water source, the Central Weld County Water District (CWCWD), for information.
Water delivered to Frederick's water customers is treated at the Carter Lake Filter Plant in Berthoud. Annually, the CWCWD performs an inspection and maintenance of the St. Vrain Canal by the Northern Colorado Water Conservancy District. The work was conducted in January, requiring the South Plant at the Carter Lake Filter Plant to be taken offline. During this routine inspection, a secondary water source was needed, and this source came from the Dry Creek Reservoir.
Due to the switch in water sources, it is not unusual to notice a change in your drinking water's taste, odor, or color. This switch of water sources has increased disinfectant demand from the Dry Creek source. This increased demand is likely due to the level of organic matter in the water (Dry Creek source). At the treatment facilities, chlorine is added to the water as a disinfectant. During this process, a reaction known as oxidation between the chlorine and the organic matter in the water occurs and may be the cause for the tint in our water that has been observed. However, the Central Weld County Water District has assured the Town that the water is frequently tested and is safe to drink.
As of February 21, the annual maintenance project was completed. As a result, the Town's water source has been switched back to Carter Lake as the primary source, and we expect the tint in the water to clear up in the coming weeks.
Please use our online Submit a Request for additional questions or concerns. Your request will be routed to the appropriate department. Thank you for helping us to serve you better!