Water Distribution System

There are 69.75 million gallons of potable water storage in Greeley. The water is stored within three covered reservoirs and one elevated tank. The system also has 489 miles of pipeline, 28,902 water meters, and 3,642 fire hydrants.

The water pipes in the distribution system vary in size from 4" to 36." Pipe material is steel, ductile iron, cast iron, or polyvinyl chloride. The age of the pipes varies from the 1890s to new installations.

Treated Water Reservoirs

Greeley currently has three treated water reservoirs: 23rd Avenue, Mosier Hill, and Gold Hill. Another water-treated water storage facility in Greeley is the Gold Hill Elevated Tank.

23rd Avenue Reservoir

Located at 2503 Reservoir Road. It has three concrete reservoirs with floating covers. Each of these reservoirs has a capacity of 7.5 million gallons. In addition, the facility has one 15 million gallon concrete reservoir underground. The 23rd Avenue site serves pressure zone 1 with water from Bellvue and Boyd Treatment Plants.

Mosier Hill Reservoir

Located at 1205 54th Ave. It has one concrete underground reservoir with a capacity of 15 million gallons. The facility pumps water to pressure zones 2 and 3 and receives water from the Bellvue Treatment Plant.

Gold Hill Reservoir

Located south of U.S. 34 and is west of Colo. 257. It has one concrete reservoir with a 15 million gallon capacity. It serves zones 2 and 3. The Gold Hill facility receives water from Mosier Hill and the Boyd Lake Treatment Plant.

Gold Hill Elevated Tank

Located just south of U.S. 34 and the U.S. 34 Bypass, the Gold Hill elevated tank is a new landmark in northern Colorado. The tower will support a steel tank holding 2 million gallons of finished drinking water, 170 feet in the air. The water tower serves pressure zone 4. Greeley is growing to the west, and houses and businesses are being built at higher elevations than Greeley's three existing finished water reservoirs can supply.

Water Meters

We were among the first cities on the Front Range to have all accounts fully metered and to be using computer technology to read the meters. All of the single-family houses and businesses in Greeley have a water meter on them. Multi-family units like apartments, mobile homes, condos, and townhouses have a master meter and tenants pay a portion of the water bill. Greeley began metering in 1983 and was fully metered by 1996.

All new development is required to install a meter to Water Department specifications. The Water Department knows how much water is used by reading the meters every month. The previous reading is subtracted from the current reading to determine the amount of water actually used. If there is an irregularity in the history of the bill, excessive water used or less than historically used, a work order is generated by the billing department. The Meter Shop will then go out to the business or residence and check the meter. The technician can tell if you have a leak by watching the meter when all obvious water has been shut off in and outside the house.

The Water Department routinely checks the water meters for accuracy. Of course if customer water use changes suddenly for no obvious reason (other than more people in the house, away from home for a long trip, or heavy lawn watering), they should report this, so it can be investigated. In most instances, when a water meter is wrong, it reads low rather than high.

Meter Pit Information

• If the surface is not to final grade at the time of installation of the meter, the owner must raise or lower the pit when the surface is graded.
  
• No concrete floor is to be laid in the meter pit.
• No sprinkler system connection may be made in the meter pit. Sprinkler pit shall be 5' downstream from meter measured center to center.
• No major landscaping or structures shall be located within 4' of meter pit.
• Grade changes after meter pit installation shall require that the owner adjust meter pit cover to ½" above final grade.
• If pressure reducing valve is required by plumbing code, it shall be installed inside the building, immediately following the main shut-off valve.
• All sprinkler systems installations require a permit.
• All sprinkler system connections shall have a backflow prevention device that is inspected upon installation and annually thereafter.
• The homeowner is responsible for the pipe from the curb stop downstream through the meter and into the house. The City's responsibility is from the curb stop (located on the property line or easement) upstream to the water main.

Fire Hydrants

When people think about fire hydrants, they usually think about the fire department. It is really the Water Department that installs and maintains them. Flushing them is shared by the Fire and Water Departments.

Fire Hydrants are one of the few parts of a water system that are visible to the public. Hydrants are usually associated with the fire department because fighting fires is the major purpose of the hydrant. The fact is, that hydrants are so seldom used for fighting fires in smaller towns that it is easy to forget how important they are to the water system. The need to keep them well maintained for quick and reliable service when needed is paramount. A hydrant that does not operate when needed can result in a loss of life and property. Each year, about one-third of the fire hydrants get painted and maintained.

Other frequent uses for fire hydrants include:

• Flushing and cleaning water mains.
• Flushing sewers.
• Filling tank truck for street washing, tree spraying, winter watering.
• The City of Greeley provides a temporary water source for construction jobs, such as for mixing mortar and settling dust. Learn more about Fire Hydrant Meter Rentals.

Uses restricted by the Water Department

• Any use of hydrants by non-utility employees is restricted.
• Any use of non-utility employees or firms requires a permit from the Water Department. When the permit is issued, the water utility will verify that the water user is experienced in operating the hydrant.
• Water leaving the hydrant must be metered and paid for.

Landscaping around Fire Hydrants

Homeowners or business owners sometimes like to screen the fire hydrant by planting shrubs around them. This practice is discouraged and prohibited. Disguising your fire hydrant may make it difficult to find in an emergency. It also makes it difficult to service and paint and damage to the landscape plants may result. It is important and required by law to keep a 4-foot buffer area around a hydrant. Likewise, residents may be bothered by Greeley's bright red-orange color. They make take it upon themselves to repaint the one in front of their home to match the color of the surrounding vegetation. Again, this is illegal and may cost them their home or neighbors' homes in an emergency.