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COLORADO / CLEAR CREEK COUNTY

Empire

Ran dryRestored April 7, 2022
Empire, Colorado
Xnatedawgx, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Population (2020)
345
Water cut
March 20, 2022
Cause
infrastructure
Where
39.76°N, 105.68°W

What happened, and when

Every dated water event the register holds for Empire, newest first, each with the sources that document it.

  1. Restored

    Restored

    Leaks on private lines were found and repaired, the treatment system again exceeded demand with the tanks full, and the state rescinded the boil notice.

  2. Ran dryon the card

    Ran dry: what happened

    Empire's main well had been shut down in 2021 for high zinc and manganese, leaving the town on its backup source, Madd Creek, whose flow was low in a cold, dry March. A large leak in the distribution system that crews could not locate then drained the system, and by March 20, 2022 residents reported no running water; the state issued a boil order that day and the county set up tankers and buckets at the park. Most residents were still without water five days later, and the trustees approved an emergency proclamation on March 29 to seek state and federal help.

    • Denver Gazette: Low water flow levels, potential leak impact residents of Empire (March 21, 2022)
    • CBS Colorado: Entire town of Empire without water, crews rush to get fix installed (March 21, 2022)
    • Denver7: Town of Empire adopts proclamation of emergency as water woes continue (March 29, 2022)
    • WaterWorld: Empire, Colorado, under boil water order (March 24, 2022)