NEW STUDY: 23 Colorado Cities At Risk For Contaminated Water

According to a recent survey, 23 communities in Colorado need to spend some money protecting their water supply in 2025. Did you know Grand Junction is one of them?

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Keep reading to scroll through several cities in the Centennial State trying to figure out a way to remove remaining lead pipes that could threaten the local water supply. Federal law says these pipes must be removed by the year 2037.

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Colorado's New Statewide Survey

Twenty-three Colorado cities named in a report by the Colorado Sun have approximately 20,000 aging lead pipes that could contaminate drinking water. The survey also notes that the state still has approximately 170,000 water lines that still need to be examined.

Work Underway in Grand Junction

According to News 11, Grand Junction’s Water Services Manager Mark Ritterbush says the city has spent over one million dollars updating pipes over the past year, so the work is well underway toward meeting the federal deadline.

Who Is Paying For This?

Several Colorado officials knew the EPA would be updating rules for lead pipes and have taken a proactive approach to replacing water lines. The initiative is part of a $2.6 billion national replacement project that is funded through the federal Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. Earlier this year, the Environmental Protection Agency awarded Colorado $32.8 million to support testing and replacing lead pipes.

The gallery below shows all 23 communities that still need pipes replaced before the 2037 deadline.