The City of Gunnison, Colorado, plans to begin construction on a $4 million raw water intake system by the end of 2025, marking the first phase of its $50 million water treatment plant initiative. The project will be located at VanTuyl Ranch and is part of a long-term strategy to replace the city’s aging groundwater-based water system.
The first phase includes an 18-foot-deep intake structure along the Gunnison River and the drilling of three new wells. The intake will use cylindrical structures extending halfway into the river to improve water supply reliability and drought resilience. The city expects to receive final approval from the Environmental Protection Agency within the next four weeks and finalize the project’s design by fall 2025. Well drilling will continue into 2026.
Funding for the $4 million intake project includes $1.75 million in congressionally directed spending, $1.5 million from the Colorado Water Conservation Board, and four smaller grants totaling $850,000 for design. The City of Gunnison will contribute $25,000.
This water infrastructure overhaul stems from Gunnison’s 2021 water master plan, which found that the city’s existing nine wells—drawing from a single aquifer—pose risks of contamination and inadequate supply during droughts. The new system will provide a redundant supply by tapping the Gunnison River.
The second and third phases of the project—covering a water delivery network and the treatment facility—are in design and expected to cost $2.7 million and $40 million respectively. Gunnison aims to complete design by early 2026 and finish construction by 2029. The city is still evaluating funding options for these later stages.