Retiring District Manager Reflects on Time with LTWD; shares his thoughts on future water needs

By Katie Harris

the surveyor

Whether we’re rinsing off in the shower, running the sprinklers, or enjoying a cold drink, access to clean water is not only something laypeople expect, but something they value. for granted on a daily basis.

For those bringing water from the ground to our taps, the process is anything but simple. Mike Cook, who will be retiring this month after 25 years with the Little Thompson Water District (LTWD), can attest to the amount of work that goes into ensuring that every resident of Burgdorf gets clean, quality water at home. every time.

As District Manager for the past three years and District Engineer for more than two decades prior, Cook has played an important role in LTWD’s efforts to meet the growing demand for water that accompanies population growth. .

A third-generation Colorado native, Cook moved to Burgdorf in 1988 with his wife and fellow engineer, Marilyn, to raise a family. When he came across the job posting in the Water District, the Colorado School of Mines graduate jumped at the chance to quit his consulting job and work for LTWD.

“It was the perfect time to make a change that would allow me to meet my two daughters at the school bus every day at 3:30 p.m.,” Cook said. He got his start with LTWD in the old Welch Avenue District office, upgrading and improving the system to keep water in the pipes and tackling development needs.

After being named district manager, Cook’s day-to-day responsibilities shifted to overseeing district strategic planning and operations. With nearly three times as many customers as 20 years ago and three times as many employees, it was no small task, but having been in the district for so long, Cook had the experience to help his team to turn lofty visions into reality.

“The construction of the Dry Creek Dam (2004-2007) was the golden nugget of our accomplishments,” he said. “We also merged with Arkins Water Association near Masonville (2000) as well as Town of Mead Water Service (2002), and acquired Windy Gap shares to diversify our water resources (ongoing for 12 years).”

Cook considers the acquisition of new water sources one of the greatest needs LTWD has faced during its tenure in the district, which currently serves three counties in seven cities.

“We’ve had to continually diversify so we’re not totally dependent on the Colorado River, which has far less water than when we based our plans on it, and is shared with surrounding states,” Cuisiner said. “We are doing this in large part through the actions of Handy Ditch and Home Supply Ditch.”

As drought continues to pose water supply challenges, development pressures are increasingly affecting demand.

“Trying to coordinate with land use planning is a big challenge,” Cook explained. “A lot of people want to do development, primarily along the I-25 corridor. Developers have to bring their own water to grow, and that’s a growing challenge. The district always walks the line trying not to promote or inhibit development. We are a public service; a service. Our job is to provide this service to those in our service area who need it. »

Inevitably, when supply decreases and demand increases, costs increase.

“The cost of water shares has driven up the price of water taps drastically — it just keeps going up, and I don’t know if there’s an end in sight,” Cook said. “We don’t set these prices; we just try to follow them.

Cook said the district is focusing on a combination of coordinating land use planning with water planning, resource diversification, increased storage and conservation efforts to ensure smooth operation. things in the not so distant future.

As for Cook’s future, he and his wife Marilyn plan to stay in Burgdorf, where they volunteer for Habitat for Humanity and Cook sits on the board of Burgdorf Fire Protection. They look forward to spending time with their daughters, who have both followed in their parents’ footsteps and are currently working as engineers in Wyoming and Nevada.

Amber Coffman, whom Cook hired to replace him as district engineer when he became district manager three years ago, will again take over to take on the exciting, albeit difficult, job of district manager when Cook will retire on May 28.

Coffman has lived in the district and worked for LTWD for over a decade, helping the district plan before being hired as an employee. Ms Cook said she was familiar with the job at hand and was more than up to the task.

“It’s a tough thing to retire,” Cook said. “It’s hard to leave behind everything I’ve worked on for so long, but it’s also exciting.”

Those wishing to say goodbye to Mike Cook as he retires are invited to an open house hosted by LTWD on May 28 from 2-5 p.m. at the District Offices, 835 E. Hwy. 56, Burgdorf.