03/20/2026
Most of us donât think about our water and sewer systemâand thatâs exactly how it should be. It means your shower turns on when you need it, your dishwasher runs, and your toilet flushes without hesitation. But the moment one of those things doesnât work, youâre reminded just how critical these necessities areâand how much we rely on them daily, and the people who are tasked to keep it running.
Our water and sewer crew is that group of people. And they donât have any quit in them. All four of them.
One of the most difficult and trying repairs Iâve experienced in my career with the City took place in Ewers Alley. Itâs the kind of job that tests everythingâknowledge of the system, physical endurance, problem-solving under pressure, and the ability to keep pushing forward. I left a pair of boots, one sock, and part of my soul in that alley, buried deep in mud! And just last night, that same alley called on us again.
The Hancock side of our water distribution system, which was added later in the Cityâs history, presents its own unique challenges. Much of it was constructed to subpar standards, and we have very limited as-built documentation to rely on. Unlike the rest of our systemâwhere gravity, supported by our water tanks, does most of the delivery workâthis area depends on our Zone 2 pump station to maintain pressure. That difference adds complexity and uncertainty every time we respond to an issue.
By the time the leak was reported yesterday afternoon, the alley was already saturated. Under normal circumstances, we would rely on our old vac truck to safely expose the line, but access into Ewers Alley is limitedâespecially under those conditions. That meant the crew had to adapt and work with what they had.
And they did what they always do.
They went to work.
Hour after hour, well into the morning, they pushed through mud, water, and uncertainty unable to valve down the pressure. They leaned on their experience, relied on each other, and kept moving forward. Around 3:00 a.m., the repair was completed and service was restored. Most of the community never saw it happenâbut they benefited from it all the same.
Recently, we attended the Colorado Rural Water Association Expo in Loveland, CO. where we received training on the most up-to-date challenges facing water and wastewater systems today. Itâs valuable trainingâtraining that prepares us for the realities of this work. But it also serves as a stark reminder that many of the tools, technologies, and equipment available to larger cities are simply out of reach for smaller communities like ours. Despite that, we face the same challengesâand we meet them head-on.
This is the reality for many small cities across the Arkansas Valley. Limited funding and equipment can make already difficult jobs even harder. But that doesnât deter this crew. They donât make excusesâthey find solutions. They take what they have and make it work.
Some may say, âThatâs their job.â And theyâre rightâit is. But thereâs a difference between doing a job and owning it. This crew owns it.
Weâve all seen how quickly things can go wrong when infrastructure fails. What the citizens of Walsenburg are experiencing is a powerful and sobering example. A boil water notice, extended service disruptions, and in some cases going nearly a full week without reliable waterâthis was a catastrophic event for that community. It impacted daily life at the most basic levelâdrinking water, sanitation, cooking, and public health.
That is exactly the kind of situation we work every single day to prevent.
We donât take lightly the responsibility of maintaining this system. We know whatâs at stake. And we thank God that, through the hard work and dedication of this crew, we have been able to stay ahead of those kinds of failures.
This crew is a blessing to this City.
At the same time, every community has its criticsâthe ones who sit back, watch from a distance, and always seem to know how it could have been done better. We hear it. We understand it. But itâs easy to critique when youâre not the one standing in a muddy hole at 2:00 am in the morning, making real-time decisions with limited information and limited resources.
If you believe thereâs a better way, we welcome you to be part of the solution. Come volunteer. Sign a waiver. Step into the work with us and see firsthand what it takes to keep this system running.
And while weâre recognizing that, itâs important to say this clearly: it takes far more than one crew to keep this old city running.
A heartfelt thank you to all of our city employeesâthe Police Department, Fire Department, EMT's, Emergency Dispatchers, Refuse Department, Parks Department, Cemetery staff, Finance, Utility Office, Building Maintenance, Streets Department, the City Clerk, our City Council, all of our volunteers, and our city manager who orchestrates all of this caos day in and day out. Every one of you plays a critical role. Your work may not always be seen, but it is always felt.
It takes all of youâand moreâto keep this little city moving forward.
And for that, we are truly grateful.
Thank you Cody, Mannie, Dominic and Thomas! You are appreciated more than you will ever know. Dry up, rest up, and get ready to do it again!
