The Southern Delivery System (SDS) is a regional project that will bring water from the Arkansas River to Colorado Springs, Fountain, Security and Pueblo West. The project will transport water from Pueblo Reservoir through a 62-mile underground pipeline. The SDS partners own the rights to the water.

Phase I of the project is projected to cost $880 million (in 2009 dollars). Water users in Colorado Springs, Security, Fountain and Pueblo West who benefit from SDS will pay for it.

Components of Phase I include the connection to Pueblo Dam, three pump stations, the pipeline, and a water treatment plant. Construction began in 2010 with water delivery scheduled to begin in 2016.

As proposed, SDS will use water stored in Pueblo Reservoir. The reservoir is part of the Fryingpan-Arkansas Project, built and managed by the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation, which means the Bureau was required under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) to prepare an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) assessing the environmental impacts of SDS. The Bureau of Reclamation completed its review of the project with the issuance of a Record of Decision in March 2009.

General factsheet on SDS project. PDF document.

Factsheet on SDS construction in El Paso County. PDF document.

Factsheet on SDS permits and approvals. PDF document

Other SDS-related factsheets are available by going to the Newsroom | Documents page of this Web site.