Could there be 3 Thornton pipelines in Larimer County in the future? Here's what we know

The city of Thornton won approval from the Larimer County commissioners to build a water pipeline through the county, but some of those opposed to the pipeline worry there could be more construction in the future to build additional pipelines.

Karen Wagner of No Pipe Dream told the Coloradoan she believes that commissioners could have rejected the application by Thornton because it was incomplete, asserting it didn't include plans for three pipelines that the Colorado water court decreed the city could have.

Some of the community members who made public comment at hearings before the Larimer County Board of Commissioners also questioned how many pipelines were part of Thornton's plans.

Thornton officials clarified that this particular 1041 application is for one pipeline only.

But Wagner said an open records request showed the water court decision in 1996 allowed for two 48-inch pipelines and one 54-inch return pipeline.

She said the county's land use code requires that applications be submitted in totality, and not in phases, so because Thornton's application didn't include for a future pipeline, it was incomplete.

"If they have as many building applications on hold — thousands, they say, they're not going to be happy with one pipeline when they have the ability to add another pipeline to Thornton," Wagner said.

She believes that the approval of one pipeline opens the door for permission of two more.

Thornton officials say they aren't planning for more pipelines

Todd Barnes, Thornton's communications director, told the Coloradoan the city has a 40-year planning horizon, and there are no other pipelines in those plans.

He said the water court decision allowed options for additional pipelines, including for return flows, but it is not a mandate for more.

"That’s what we've been trying to tell people all along," he said.

Larimer staff says more review and approval would be needed

Rebecca Everette, community development director for Larimer County, said any additional infrastructure for Thornton would require another county review and approvals.

She said depending on the details of what Thornton proposed, it might require an amendment to the current permit or an entirely new 1041 permit. Both would require commissioner approval.

Alternatively, a location and extent review would require approval by the planning commission, and there could also be new processes in place in the future that could dictate other requirements, Everette said.

About the approved pipeline

Thornton’s pipeline through Larimer County will be 10.4 miles long and 42 inches in diameter and include a pumphouse. It will carry up to 14,000 acre-feet of water per year to Thornton’s treatment plant.

The city's entire pipeline will be 70 miles long and traverse through Weld and Adams counties, as well.

Opposition to the pipeline in Larimer County has lasted through two applications over seven years, coming from community members and two advocacy groups, No Pipe Dream and Save The Poudre. Their fight went to court in 2019, but the commissioners' decision was upheld.

They have asked Thornton to route the water through the Poudre River rather than constructing a pipeline that will disrupt property owners and the environment. They contend Thornton's pipeline application should show demonstrated benefits to Larimer County and running the water in the river through Fort Collins would benefit river health by increasing stream flows.

Thornton officials say there is no requirement that the city heal and restore the river at the expense of the health of Thornton residents. They have said doing so would degrade the quality of water meant for drinking, require more chemicals to treat it, require more storage and cost more money.

After rejecting Thornton's first application, the county updated its 1041 application standards.

Instead of appealing the decision to the Colorado Supreme Court, Thornton opted to conduct new engagement and submit a new application that identified a shorter, different route. After public hearings before the planning commission and the board of commissioners, both panels approved it.