Colorado Springs Utilities' Southern Delivery System (SDS) is managing programs and assets more efficiently to provide water for current and future generations of the region. The SDS project will deliver water from the Arkansas River to Colorado Springs and other local communities by 2016. It involves constructing pipelines, pump stations, and a water treatment plant to ensure a redundant water supply as the population grows. Colorado Springs Utilities developed critical success factors and uses an integrated program management approach to deliver the project on schedule and under budget while prioritizing safety and stakeholder communication.

1. 21 ■ Government Engineering ■ May-June 2013
or the past 20 years, U.S. water
infrastructure has faced many
challenges, including growing
populations and a decreasing water sup-
ply, aging assets, and declining budgets.
Water providers, such as cities, water
districts, and utilities, are being asked to
manage programs and assets more effi-
ciently while maintaining high levels of
service. Some water providers have
identified deficiencies and developed
plans to mitigate and resolve their
issues; however, many have failed to
execute these plans. Colorado Springs
Utilities’ Southern Delivery System
(SDS) is an example of diligent water
resource planning and execution to pro-
vide water for current and future gener-
ations. SDS is a southern Colorado
project that will bring water from the
Arkansas River to residents and busi-
nesses in the City of Colorado Springs,
the City of Fountain, Security Water
District, and Pueblo West Metropolitan
District.
Colorado Springs is located remotely
from any major bodies of water. Since
its incorporation, the city has created a
Securing Water for
the Future
Delivery and asset integration of the
Southern Delivery System Program.
By J. Russell Snow and
Daniel Higgins
F
Figure 1. Components of the SDS.

2. Government Engineering ■ May-June 2013 ■ 22
complex water delivery system includ-
ing three major water delivery pipelines
that were constructed between the
1950s through the 1980s. As the popu-
lation gradually increased, Colorado
Springs water planners initiated a long-
term water planning process to meet
the water needs of Colorado Springs
through 2040. In 1996, the Colorado
Springs City Council passed a resolu-
tion adopting a water resource plan that
included a new system—SDS.
SDS was chosen to provide for a
redundant method of delivery for
Colorado Springs Colorado River Basin
water supply and ensure capacity for the
region’s growth. Phase 1 of this two-
phase project includes all of the compo-
nents necessary to begin delivering
water by April 2016. Components of
Phase 1 include a connection to the
existing North Outlet Works at Pueblo
Dam, about 50 miles of large-diameter
raw and finished water pipelines, three
raw water pump stations, and an
expandable 50-mgd water treatment
plant and finished water pump station.
Phase 2 is anticipated between 2020
and 2025 and includes increasing the
capacities of the water treatment plant
and pump stations and constructing
two new reservoirs. Figure 1 illustrates
the SDS components.
Before detailed design and construc-
tion of the SDS began, Colorado
Springs Utilities’ executive staff devel-
oped a mission statement and a set of
critical success factors (CSF) to help
guide and challenge the SDS team, as
well as support and achieve the mission.
To achieve the CSFs, Colorado
Springs Utilities selected an innovative
program delivery approach that was
proposed by MWH (www.mwhglob-
al.com), the selected program and con-
struction manager for the SDS
Program. It features an integrated pro-
gram management team comprising a
combination of Colorado Springs
Utilities and consultant staff in a co-
located, combined organization. Roles
in the program organization follow a
“right person, right job” methodology
selecting 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 effectively
manage scope, schedule, budget, and
quality requirements.
❒ Assemble a high performing,
collaborative team that is well led,
dedicated, appropriately resourced,
and decisive.
❒ Build and commission best
value assets that integrate with exist-
ing infrastructure and leverage the
core operating talent.
❒ Assure that key decisions are in
the best interest of the customer,
defensible, and well documented.
❒ Identify, evaluate, and manage
risk.

3. 23 ■ Government Engineering ■ May-June 2013
Springs Utilities and consultant organi-
zations. The team works in a collabora-
tive manner to ensure that strategy is
developed and executed properly to
meet overall program objectives; issues
are 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 integrated
program management approach and
maintaining focus on the CSFs, the
SDS has realized significant achieve-
ments to date.
Since the start of construction in
2010, the SDS has realized considerable
accomplishments due to effective plan-
ning, cost control, value and risk man-
agement, and high-performing teams.
Following is a selection of achievements
defining the success of the SDS to date.
❒ Completed and successfully tested
the new connection to Pueblo Dam—a
federal facility.
❒ Installed about 35 miles of
pipeline through March 2013—more
than half the total pipeline for Phase 1.
❒ Commenced construction of the
water treatment plant—one of the
largest and most complex components
of the project.
❒ Achieved significant milestone of
500,000 hours worked with no “lost-
time” safety incidents.
❒ Benefitted the local and regional
economy with more than $317 million
spent on SDS planning and construc-
tion through 2012—nearly $264 mil-
lion has stayed in Colorado, with more
than $200 million spent in the counties
where the SDS project is located.
❒ Engaged more than 300 business-
Colorado Springs Utilities’ Southern Delivery
System is managing programs and assets more
efficiently to provide water for current and
future generations.

4. Government Engineering ■ May-June 2013 ■ 24
es and organizations to support SDS to
date, with almost 170 of those within
the local counties and 98 within other
parts of Colorado.
❒ Advancing the program on sched-
ule to begin operation in April 2016
with forecasted completion about $68
million under the $1.003 billion Phase
1 budget.
Colorado Springs Utilities and MWH
have adopted a unique approach to the
delivery and integration of the SDS.
Although much of the present work is
focused on construction to deliver
water in 2016, early planning for com-
missioning, startup, and asset integra-
tion is well under way. For commission-
ing, startup, and asset integration to be
successful, both the SDS Program
delivery and Colorado Springs Utilities
water operations perspectives must be
considered to effectively manage, main-
tain, and operate the new SDS assets.
With this in mind, four activity streams
were created to accomplish these tasks:
commissioning and startup, asset inte-
gration, training, and warranty. Within
each activity stream, integrated teams
comprised of Colorado Springs Utilities
staff and MWH staff will lead and exe-
cute the work. The activity stream tasks
will range from equipment testing and
systems/tools integration to training
and optimization. Through implemen-
tation of early asset integration plan-
ning, the SDS is on target for successful
on-time delivery and smooth integra-
tion into Colorado Springs Utilities’
existing water system.
Mr. Snow, P.E., is the National
Conveyance Practice Leader at MWH
Global. Mr. Higgins is the Deputy
Program Director, Colorado Springs
Utilities.
GE