Greeley is receiving $13.8 million in grant funding from FEMA to help fund the Gold Hill Pipeline Project west of the city. Completion of the pipeline helps address potential water disruptions from wildfires, floods, and other hazards.
This funding is made available through the Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities national competition. It is funded through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, which will distribute $1.8 billion for resilience projects nationwide.
Greeley relies on two treatment plants to supply water to over 150,000 residents. However, the system is still vulnerable to water shortages and natural disasters.
The Gold Hill Transmission Pipeline Project enables the flow of treated water in two directions. It closes the gap in the transmission network. This connection increases flexibility in water management and reduces pumping costs in the fall and winter. It allows the city to benefit by further diversifying its water supplies. The project addresses a Weld County Hazard Mitigation Action Guide.
“While this project is critical to Greeley, it will further Northern Colorado regional water resiliency tested by recent wildfire events such as the Cameron Peak Fire, and it will protect Greeley and its connected systems from unforeseen future disasters,” said Mayor John Gates, Mayor, City of Greeley. “Further, the new transmission line project will reduce costs of daily operations for the city by reducing reliance on pumping to supply water to customers.”
Colorado U.S. Senator Michael Bennet welcomed the announcement from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.
“From longer and more extreme wildfire seasons to intensifying drought, climate change is affecting Coloradans in every corner of our state,” Bennet said. “This funding from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law will allow Greeley to ensure its water infrastructure can continue serving its residents into the future.”
“The City of Greeley is very pleased to hear that our community will receive financial assistance for the Gold Hill Treated Water Transmission Pipeline Project,” said Sean Chamber, Greeley’s Water and Sewer Director. “This project adds further resiliency to our water system and helps us ensure safe and reliable water for generations in Greeley.”
###