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or the past 20 years, U.S. waterinfrastructure has faced manychallenges, including growing

populations and a decreasing water sup-ply, aging assets, and declining budgets.Water providers, such as cities, waterdistricts, and utilities, are being asked tomanage programs and assets more effi-ciently while maintaining high levels ofservice. Some water providers haveidentified deficiencies and developedplans to mitigate and resolve theirissues; however, many have failed toexecute these plans. Colorado Springs

Utilities’ Southern Delivery System(SDS) is an example of diligent waterresource planning and execution to pro-vide water for current and future gener-ations. SDS is a southern Coloradoproject that will bring water from theArkansas River to residents and busi-nesses in the City of Colorado Springs,the City of Fountain, Security WaterDistrict, and Pueblo West MetropolitanDistrict.

Colorado Springs is located remotelyfrom any major bodies of water. Sinceits incorporation, the city has created a

Securing Water forthe FutureDelivery and asset integration of theSouthern Delivery System Program.

By J. Russell Snow andDaniel Higgins

F

Figure 1. Components of the SDS.

Government Engineering ■ May-June 2013 ■ 22

complex water delivery system includ-ing three major water delivery pipelinesthat were constructed between the1950s through the 1980s. As the popu-lation gradually increased, ColoradoSprings water planners initiated a long-term water planning process to meetthe water needs of Colorado Springsthrough 2040. In 1996, the ColoradoSprings City Council passed a resolu-tion adopting a water resource plan thatincluded a new system—SDS.

SDS was chosen to provide for aredundant method of delivery for

Colorado Springs Colorado River Basinwater supply and ensure capacity for theregion’s growth. Phase 1 of this two-phase project includes all of the compo-nents necessary to begin deliveringwater by April 2016. Components ofPhase 1 include a connection to theexisting North Outlet Works at PuebloDam, about 50 miles of large-diameterraw and finished water pipelines, threeraw water pump stations, and anexpandable 50-mgd water treatmentplant and finished water pump station.Phase 2 is anticipated between 2020and 2025 and includes increasing thecapacities of the water treatment plantand pump stations and constructingtwo new reservoirs. Figure 1 illustratesthe SDS components.

Before detailed design and construc-tion of the SDS began, ColoradoSprings Utilities’ executive staff devel-oped a mission statement and a set ofcritical success factors (CSF) to helpguide and challenge the SDS team, aswell as support and achieve the mission.

To achieve the CSFs, ColoradoSprings Utilities selected an innovativeprogram delivery approach that wasproposed by MWH (www.mwhglob-al.com), the selected program and con-struction manager for the SDSProgram. It features an integrated pro-gram management team comprising acombination of Colorado SpringsUtilities and consultant staff in a co-located, combined organization. Rolesin the program organization follow a“right person, right job” methodologyselecting the best staff from Colorado

SDS Critical Success Factors❒ Plan and implement the pro-

gram safely.❒ Develop and implement a com-

prehensive plan.❒ Clearly communicate and keep

commitments to stakeholders.❒ Develop and maintain a pro-

gram controls system to effectivelymanage scope, schedule, budget, andquality requirements.

❒ Assemble a high performing,collaborative team that is well led,dedicated, appropriately resourced,and decisive.

❒ Build and commission bestvalue assets that integrate with exist-ing infrastructure and leverage thecore operating talent.

❒ Assure that key decisions are inthe best interest of the customer,defensible, and well documented.

❒ Identify, evaluate, and managerisk.

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Springs Utilities and consultant organi-zations. The team works in a collabora-tive manner to ensure that strategy isdeveloped and executed properly tomeet overall program objectives; issuesare anticipated, detected, and mitigat-ed; and the broader team of consult-ants, vendors, contractors, and suppli-ers act as one to meet delivery chal-lenges. By adhering to the integratedprogram management approach andmaintaining focus on the CSFs, theSDS has realized significant achieve-ments to date.

Since the start of construction in2010, the SDS has realized considerableaccomplishments due to effective plan-ning, cost control, value and risk man-agement, and high-performing teams.Following is a selection of achievementsdefining the success of the SDS to date.

❒ Completed and successfully testedthe new connection to Pueblo Dam—afederal facility.

❒ Installed about 35 miles ofpipeline through March 2013—morethan half the total pipeline for Phase 1.

❒ Commenced construction of thewater treatment plant—one of thelargest and most complex componentsof the project.

❒ Achieved significant milestone of500,000 hours worked with no “lost-time” safety incidents.

❒ Benefitted the local and regionaleconomy with more than $317 millionspent on SDS planning and construc-tion through 2012—nearly $264 mil-lion has stayed in Colorado, with morethan $200 million spent in the countieswhere the SDS project is located.

❒ Engaged more than 300 business-

Colorado Springs Utilities’ Southern DeliverySystem is managing programs and assets moreefficiently to provide water for current andfuture generations.

Government Engineering ■ May-June 2013 ■ 24

es and organizations to support SDS todate, with almost 170 of those withinthe local counties and 98 within otherparts of Colorado.

❒ Advancing the program on sched-ule to begin operation in April 2016

with forecasted completion about $68million under the $1.003 billion Phase1 budget.

Colorado Springs Utilities and MWHhave adopted a unique approach to thedelivery and integration of the SDS.Although much of the present work isfocused on construction to deliverwater in 2016, early planning for com-missioning, startup, and asset integra-tion is well under way. For commission-ing, startup, and asset integration to besuccessful, both the SDS Programdelivery and Colorado Springs Utilitieswater operations perspectives must beconsidered to effectively manage, main-tain, and operate the new SDS assets.With this in mind, four activity streamswere created to accomplish these tasks:commissioning and startup, asset inte-gration, training, and warranty. Withineach activity stream, integrated teamscomprised of Colorado Springs Utilitiesstaff and MWH staff will lead and exe-cute the work. The activity stream taskswill range from equipment testing andsystems/tools integration to trainingand optimization. Through implemen-tation of early asset integration plan-ning, the SDS is on target for successfulon-time delivery and smooth integra-tion into Colorado Springs Utilities’existing water system.

Mr. Snow, P.E., is the NationalConveyance Practice Leader at MWHGlobal. Mr. Higgins is the DeputyProgram Director, Colorado SpringsUtilities.

GE