Water 2025 FAQs

Water 2025 is a long-term planning project to replace the City of Westminster’s aging Semper Water Treatment Facility. Our water distribution system requires continuous maintenance and planned upgrades to ensure high-quality drinking water now and in the future.

As Westminster’s current drinking water treatment system continues to age it becomes more expensive to maintain. It also becomes increasingly vulnerable to threats posed by drought and wildfire. We need to responsibly plan for the needs of future generations so our children can enjoy the same quality of life we do today.

The current siting and facility studies phase of Water 2025 is fully funded through the existing public works budget. The Council-approved budget for siting and facility studies is $610,000. The ultimate total cost for design and construction will vary depending on the location selected for Westminster’s new drinking water treatment facility. As the process moves forward, all potential funding sources for future design and construction phases will be considered. This includes potential debt or bond issuances and water rates. Building a new treatment plant is estimated to be more efficient and more cost-effective for our customers than upgrades to existing facilities.

Building a new treatment plant will be more efficient and more cost-effective for our customers than upgrades to existing facilities. A new drinking water facility using advanced technology will provide:

• Greater resiliency in times of challenging treatment, such as a wildfire in our watershed.
• Greater flexibility to adapt to changing regulatory standards.
• Greater security to address future shortages in our water supply.
• Greater opportunities for environmental sustainability and resource stewardship.

Water 2025 is in its beginning stages to identify the best location for our new drinking water facility. Through the site selection effort, the project team will work closely with the community to consider the benefits and tradeoffs associated with potential sites. We aim to identify a location that is consistent with the shared values and priorities of our residents.

The goal of the first phase of Water 2025 is to identify the best location for a new facility using a review process that incorporates technical and operational requirements as well as significant community engagement. Environmental factors and resource stewardship will be thoroughly considered throughout the entire project.

The first step of the Water 2025 project is to identify where our new drinking water facility will be built. Only once a site is selected, can design for this new infrastructure begin. Construction is expected no sooner than 2020.

The City of Westminster’s Water 2025 team understands the importance of community feedback in locating a site for our new drinking water facility. Your input and ideas will be gathered throughout the process through a series of community events and workshops, digital surveys, online updates and more. Get in touch with the project team and sign up for updates.