The towns of Nucla and Naturita together have been holding Source Water Protection Plan meetings, a process that has included the community, local leaders, area agencies and West End municipalities. The process is about identifying and assessing risks to the local watershed, establishing a proactive approach, and the work makes a state grant possible for West End governments too.
Gabriel Matta, of the Colorado Rural Water Association, has been leading most of the meetings, along with other experts. He ended up cancelling the meeting scheduled for Nov. 7 at the Nucla Community Center, however. That was a result of inclement weather, heavy snow and sketchy road conditions, and poor internet connectivity for those Zooming in.
That meeting, the fourth in the series, will now happen on Jan. 15, which is a Wednesday.
“Please join the towns of Nucla and Naturita in our fourth Source Water Protection Plan workshop,” Matta shared with community leaders in a news release after the rescheduling. “We will finalize our possible sources of contamination discussion with PFAS, and we will also begin our best management practices discussion.”
The PFAS, often referred to as “forever chemicals,” are synthetic substances that fail to break down in the environment. They’re often found in firefighting foam, but other materials too.
The first three source water meetings in the West End were about reviewing the San Miguel River watershed boundary, looking at possible sources of contamination and also assessing mining and wildfire risk, respectively.
Matta said best management practices (BMPs), coming up next, are crucial for stakeholder involvement in source water protection for several reasons.
He said it’s about enhanced communication, “because (the practices) provide a framework that facilitates clear communication among stakeholders, ensuring everyone understands their roles and responsibilities in protecting source water.”
Additionally, he said it’s important to make informed decisions, and the practices “offer guidance based on scientific research and proven strategies.” He said it’s important to help stakeholders make informed, effective and sustainable decisions.
And, Matta said risk reduction is key, and establishing BMPs “minimizes risks to water sources by addressing potential contamination and degradation proactively,” essentially making sure drinking water is safe and of good quality.
Community engagement is another factor, and it’s important for stakeholders to come together with agency and industry representatives. In this way, water protection becomes a shared responsibility.
Regarding regulatory compliance, according to Matta, the practices often sync up with regulatory requirements, which helps stakeholders to follow the law and support the environment too.
“Efficient resource use” is also an aspect, and the practices provide strategies for resources to be used efficiently, so waste and costs are reduced.
Finally, Matta said the practices are about continuous improvement, and they lend themselves to “adaptive management.” Stakeholders can assess and upgrade strategies, depending on input from stakeholders and how the conditions change.
“Best management practices help unify efforts, guide actions and optimize outcomes for all stakeholders involved in source water protection,” Matta said last week. “I look forward to seeing everyone, and thanks for your participation.”
