Denver Regional Council of Governments Honors The WISE Project With a 2016 Metro Vision Award

DENVER (April 28, 2016) – The South Metro WISE Authority received a 2016 Metro Vision Award from the Denver Regional Council of Governments (DRCOG) for The WISE project. The award was presented by Elise Jones, DRCOG Chair and Chair of the Boulder County Board of Commissioners, at DRCOG’s Annual Awards celebration, held April 27 at the Westin DIA.

The Water Infrastructure and Supply Efficiency Partnership (WISE) is a regional water supply project between Aurora Water, Denver Water and members of the South Metro Water Supply Authority. First conceived in 2008, the partnership combines water supplies and system capacities to create a sustainable new water supply for the region.

According to Rick Marsicek, Director of Engineering for the South Metro Water Supply Authority (SMWSA), “this project is one of the first of its kind in the country and it has broad support from across the State of Colorado. The WISE Partnership will benefit roughly two million people and it will bring a sustainable water supply to south metro communities.” When water deliveries begin in early 2017, some of Colorado’s fastest-growing communities will be able to partially replace non-renewable groundwater.

At the same time, Denver Water will receive a new back-up supply, and Aurora Water will receive funding to help offset costs of its Prairie Waters project and the West Slope will receive new funding for water supply, watershed and water quality projects.

WISE is one part of South Metro Water’s broader plan for a sustainable water future. The plan focuses on three areas: conservation and efficiency; infrastructure investment; and partnership among local and regional water suppliers. The region has made tremendous progress over the past decade, reducing per capita water use by more than 30 percent and making significant investments in water infrastructure.

DRCOG’s Metro Vision awards are presented to individuals and programs who contribute outstanding efforts to the Denver region and its communities, and to DRCOG’s programs and activities. The regional council has been honoring outstanding achievements for more than 30 years.

The Denver Regional Council of Governments is a planning organization where local governments collaborate to establish guidelines, set policy and allocation finding in the areas of:

• Transportation and personal mobility
• Growth and development
• Aging and disability resources