The Town’s water treatment facilities suffered damage from the Marshall Fire. Water treatment capabilities have been restored and the system has been flushed throughout the distribution network. Testing of water at the treatment plant and throughout the distribution system continues to indicate that Superior’s water meets all federal and state drinking water standards.

The fire also deposited ash on and near the Town’s raw water storage Terminal Reservoir. This has resulted in taste and odor changes to the water. The Town has received numerous complaints and is tracking the complaints around the community.  The Town is working on several steps to address the taste and odor issues.

• Reservoir Ash Removal: The Town contracted with a firm to remove ash from the banks around the reservoir.  This will prevent the ash deposited on the banks from mixing into the reservoir.  This work should be completed in early April.
• Chlorine Dioxide: The Town installed chlorine dioxide within the water treatment plant operations to aid in the oxidation and breakdown of the compounds that cause taste and odor issues.  Complaints from residents for taste and odor issues continued so the Town discontinued the use of this system.
• Granular Activated Carbon (GAC): The Town has ordered a granular activated carbon (GAC) system to remove compounds that are causing the taste and odor issues.  It will take four to six weeks to get this system delivered and another two weeks for installation.  This is a significant process revision and will require extensive modifications to the plant.  Our team is diligently working, including collaborating with other utilities, on procuring all the equipment required to bring this system online as fast as possible.
• Reservoir Draining: The Town will soon begin releasing water from the reservoir into its irrigation system used for its parks which may help replenish the raw water storage Terminal Reservoir with water free of the smoky taste and odor.

• Water Testing: Since the Marshall Fire, the Town has collected more than 40 Volatile Organic Compounds (VOC) samples from all areas of the distribution system, with the majority of these samples collected at residential homes within the Town of Superior.  Additionally, scientists from CDPHE, CU and CSU have been involved in collecting and analyzing samples from raw water in Terminal Reservoir and treated water throughout the distribution system and at individual residences.  All samples collected over the months of January and February were determined to be non-detectable or just slightly higher than detection, however, still well below the EPA threshold value to be considered a health concern. During the months of January thru March, the Town has maintained consistent pH and chlorine residual throughout the system with the target pH being 8.2 and the chlorine residual being between 1.2 and 1.5 mg/L.  CDPHE requires that our water system maintain a minimum chlorine residual of 0.2 mg/L and a maximum not to exceed 4 mg/L.
• Home Filtration Systems: Home water filtration systems, especially those using activated carbon, may effectively remove taste and odor-causing compounds.  This is the same technology that is currently being planned for implementation at the water treatment plant where it can be monitored daily.  Your water is safe for all uses without the home water filtration system.  Homeowners are responsible for the maintenance and upkeep of any home water filtration system.  Some home filtration systems may remove chlorine and fluoride, which serve to protect public health.