Colorado Produced Water Consortium completes legislative deliverables; meeting on July 11 to discuss barriers

Denver — Commissioner Mesner briefed the commission July 9 on the Colorado Produced Water Consortium, saying the body completed all legislatively required deliverables under House Bill 23-1242 and will hold a virtual meeting on July 11 to discuss barriers to expanded reuse of produced water for Colorado.

The July 11 virtual meeting (9 a.m.–noon) will address topics the consortium identified in its reports, including potential prohibitions of centralized produced-water storage and treatment facilities and impacts on disproportionately impacted communities. Mesner said the consortium completed 13 reports and studies as required by the legislature between March 1, 2024 and July 1, 2025.

Why it matters: Produced water reuse is a statewide interest in Colorado as operators and local governments look for reuse and disposal pathways. The consortium’s work aims to identify technical, legal and social barriers to reuse and to provide recommendations to increase beneficial reuse while protecting public health and the environment.

Next steps: Mesner encouraged interested parties to join the July 11 virtual meeting and to review the consortium’s reports on the consortium website. He described the completion of deliverables as a “huge lift” and emphasized continued work to remove barriers and ensure reuse projects are informed by local government and community considerations.

Ending: The consortium will continue its work and any interested stakeholders were invited to the July 11 meeting; commissioners and staff said they will schedule internal discussion of how state permitting and local processes should be coordinated.