Leadville sanitation district lays out multi‑year pipe replacements and $16M plant rehab

Joshua Miller, district manager for the Leadville Sanitation District, told the Lake County Board of County Commissioners on Jan. 20 the district has been working this year to repair aging sewer infrastructure that is letting groundwater into the collection system and overwhelming the wastewater plant.

Miller said infiltration and inflow (I&I) from cracked vitrified‑clay pipe and failing manholes is increasing peak flows at the plant from a typical 350,000 gallons per day to as much as 1.5 million gallons per day during spring melt, a volume above the plant’s rated capacity. The district has identified trouble spots and focused construction this year on about 2,000 linear feet of pipe; the whole system has about 200,000 linear feet, Miller said.

The district’s near‑term work is concentrated on alleys and downtown streets where older 6‑ and 8‑inch pipes remain. Miller said slip‑lining has limited value given pipe condition, and in places the district expects to abandon some in‑house alignments and reroute mains into streets. He described a point repair on Toledo Street tied to a fiber line installation that has been leaching for months and that the installer is cooperating and expected to pay the repair costs.

Why it matters: excessive I&I dilutes biological treatment, stresses pumps and digestion processes at the plant, creates odor and operational problems and increases long‑term treatment costs for ratepayers. The district’s strategy is to address the worst leaking blocks first so downstream infrastructure and development connections will be viable.

Money and funding: Miller said collection‑system repairs to date are costing roughly $4.5 million for the construction currently underway. The district drew about $350,000 from its reserves for this work and expects roughly $500,000 may remain in reserves after the current projects. Future repairs will be largely grant dependent, Miller said; the district applied to the Colorado Department of Local Affairs (DOLA) but did not receive a full $1 million award this cycle and will continue to pursue matching funds.

Wastewater treatment plant project: Miller described a separate, districtwide plant rehabilitation that is already under construction. He said the project budget is about $16 million across two loans, with $2 million forgivable; the district also received a $750,000 Environmental Improvement Fund (EIF) grant that will reimburse planning costs at about a 12% match rate. The loans carry favorable terms Miller summarized as 20 years at about 2% interest, producing roughly $650,000 in annual debt service. The district’s annual user fees and tax fees together generate about $220,000 a year in restricted revenue for collection repairs and to service debt. The district currently hauls dewatered solids to the Front Range and is exploring local disposal or composting options once solids classification and facilities are resolved.

Connections to development: Miller said the collection work must be completed before the district can accept additional flows tied to projects such as Gateway Village and a county‑sponsored affordable housing project; those new connections will require either mains to be repaired or new lift stations, depending on site topography. He said Gateway Village is likely to need a lift station unless the developer constructs an independent treatment plant.

Homeowner impacts: Miller warned crews are finding private laterals and multiple houses tied into single service lines; when construction finds private‑side failures, homeowners will be responsible for repairs. He said the district is exploring options to mitigate costs for homeowners but that many private repairs can range into the tens of thousands of dollars.

Operational details and next steps: the district is using camera inspections, third‑party engineering (JVA) and phased construction to sequence work. Miller recommended coordination with county road/bridge to avoid tearing up newly paved streets. He also invited commissioners to tour the plant and the collection system improvements.

Quotes: “When you have old clay pipe… it cracks, breaks and allows groundwater to seep in,” Miller said, describing the hydraulic consequences. He added, “By fixing this issue [in West Park], we actually have one good large chunk of section that’s okay,” referring to areas cleared by this year’s repairs.

Ending note: Miller asked the commission to support continued grant applications and interagency coordination; he said the district will continue to pursue DOLA and other funding sources and will return with progress updates and invitations to facility tours.