Western Slope
Sharing Colorado's Water Quality
Water is probably one of the most important resources that we have as human beings for a healthy, active life. Having a safe water source is really important for growth, for community development and for all of the things that we do as human beings.
The wellbeing of the people in our great state is important to us, and in terms of wellbeing, we believe that nothing is more vital than clean drinking water. Which is why we’ve formed a partnership with the people on the Western Slope, so ourneighbors can have access to a thorough database showcasing the water quality within their region.
We established a partnership with the Delta County Health Department and created a program specifically focused on water sanitation, called Safe Watch: Safe Water for Community Health. The program provides kits to our neighbors, the people in Delta, Montrose, San Miguel, Ouray, Hinsdale and Gunnison counties, to test their water quality. After collecting water samples, the Coloradans in these counties send the samples to a lab, where the water is analyzed for sanitation. CU Boulder’s Environmental Laboratory stepped in to help ensure the data points and mapping provided accessible information to the entire public.
“Drinking water is the building block of life, and without a healthy drinking water source you cannot have a healthy community,” says Ken Nordstrom, the environmental health director for the Delta County Health Department. “CU Boulder has helped us develop this resource for individual homeowners to ensure that they have a healthy drinking water supply.”
Transparency is at our core, and with this new collaboration, we Coloradans can make informed decisions that can impact our health and wellbeing.
Colorado Connections
At CU Boulder, we are deeply connected withcommunities acrossColorado. Webelieve that community shapes our personal potential, helping us to develop our sense of self, establish camaraderie and live the lives we envision. Through our various outreach programs, wework side by sidewithpeople across our state who are fulfilling their own potentialandbuilding uptheir hometown communities. The following stories originated from our partnerships around the state and exemplify the many ways in whichwe connect withpeople in Colorado to impact humanity and helpgood ideastake root everywhere.