Where Does Cheyenne’s Water Come From?
Cheyenne City officials are highlighting the city's drinking water this week in observance of National Drinking Water Week (May 6-12).
Cheyenne Mayor Marian Orr has proclaimed the week in the city, and Board of Public Utilities spokeswoman Dena Egenhoff says the proclamation offers a good chance to let people know about the city's water and where it comes from.
Egenhoff says the story of Cheyenne's water supply starts west of the continental divide, where the BOPU collects water from mountain streams. That water is then shipped underground through a mountain tunnel to Hog Park Reservoir, which is located in the Sierra Madre Mountain Range near the Wyoming-Colorado state line.
Egenhoff says the reason the water is traded rather than shipped directly is that it would require pumping to ship the water from the more distant Hog Park Reservoir, while the water from Rob Roy can be shipped without water pumps.
Egenhoff says the water from Rob Roy, which ultimately comes from high mountain streams, accounts for about 75 percent of the city water supply. The remaining 25 percent comes from four well water fields located just west of Interstate 25 in Laramie County.
After the water is treated it is then shipped to homes and businesses in Laramie County. Egenhoff says the local water supply is of especially high quality, adding "To know it is to love it."