Like water, wastewater treatment is often taken for granted. Everything is OK as long as sinks drain and toilets flush. However, to keep that system going, rates could soon increase for many people.There are two wastewater treatment plants serving the rapidly growing subdivisions in Falcon. While the capacity of these plants is sufficient for predicted growth, one of them is currently not in compliance with Colorado law.Woodmen Hills Metropolitan District operates a wastewater treatment plant that went into operation in 2019 at the intersection of Stapleton Road and Meridian Ranch Boulevard. Cherokee Metropolitan District operates a plant that went into operation in 2010, about 20 miles east of Cimarron Hills. David Pelser, general manger of Meridian Service Metropolitan District that serves Meridian Ranch, said a small portion of the subdivision’s wastewater is treated by the Woodmen Hills’ wastewater treatment plant. But the vast majority of the subdivision’s wastewater is treated by Cherokee Metropolitan District’s wastewater treatment plant. Meridian Ranch owns 45.8 percent of the capacity of the Cherokee plant.The plant is currently serving 2,300 homes in Meridian Ranch. Pelser said this is a small amount of the 45.8 percent capacity that Meridian Ranch owns. Meridian Ranch is only at half-build-out. ìWe have enough capacity for the entire build-out,î he said. There are 4,500 homes planned for Meridian Ranch. Pelser said he is confident that Meridian Ranch’s share of the Cherokee plant will handle the residential growth plus anticipated commercial growth.Wastewater billing at Meridian Ranch is a flat monthly fee. In 2019, the fee was $45.50. In 2020, it was increased to $46.90. According to their website, Cherokee Metropolitan District’s wastewater treatment facility has a capacity of 4.8 million gallons per day and presently receives a total of 1.5 MGD. In addition to Cherokee, which produces an average of 1.2 MGD, the plant also serves Meridian Ranch, with an average flow of 0.18 MGD, and Schriever Air Force Base, with an average flow of 0.13 MGD.The Cherokee website states that the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment water quality standards have continually become more stringent. As a result, Cherokee’s most recent renewal contains a compliance schedule that calls for greatly enhanced levels of treatment.Cherokee determined that a new treatment plant is necessary, and they have purchased 165 acres of land north of Drennan Road and immediately east of Milne Road for the new plant, according to the website. The compliance schedule allows the current plant to operate while the new facility is being built. The website also states it is Cherokee’s position that Meridian Ranch should be required to pay 45.8 percent of the cost of the new plant since Meridian Ranch owns that percentage of the capacity of the plant. However, it is Meridian Ranch’s position, per the website, that the noncompliance is caused by design and construction defects that Cherokee caused or allowed to occur; and Meridian Ranch should not have to pay. Meridian Ranch is in the beginning phase of arbitration with Cherokee.Several attempts by The New Falcon Herald to reach Cherokee officials by telephone and email for further comment were unsuccessful.According to general manger Jerry Jacobson of Woodmen Hills, his wastewater treatment plant serves, in addition to Woodmen Hills, Paint Brush Hills and Falcon Highlands, and also treats a small portion of Meridian Ranch’s wastewater. The Woodmen Hills plant serves about 4,000 customers. Jacobson said the current capacity of the plant is 1.3 MGD. That capacity could be expanded. The plant is currently operated at 65 percent of capacity, and Jacobson said the plant could handle an additional 2,000 customers.Woodmen Hills’ wastewater treatment rates are based on the projected cost of operating the treatment plant. Each metropolitan district that uses the treatment plant pays the same amount for wastewater treatment. However, the cost of conveying wastewater to the treatment plant is different from district to district and that difference is reflected in each district’s rates. Woodmen Hills’ cost about $1.5 million to build and was financed with bonds.
