Denver Water agenda includes $1.59M mall work increase, Proposition 308 endorsement
A July 8 board packet says staff wants to add $1.59 million for 16th Street Mall water-line work and asks commissioners to back Proposition 308, which Denver Water says would direct about $83 million a year to wildfire prevention and watershed health.
Denver Water’s July 8 board packet says staff is seeking approval of an additional $1.59 million for water-line work tied to the 16th Street Mall reconstruction and asking commissioners to endorse a statewide ballot measure the utility says would send about $83 million a year to wildfire prevention and watershed health.
The mall item, listed for consent action, would add $1,591,034.65 to the interagency agreement with the City and County of Denver, bringing the total to $11,850,387.65, according to the board packet. Staff says the original estimate for Denver Water’s work was $5,454,776 and that the agreement was amended in 2024 to $10,259,353.
The packet says the increase reflects higher material and labor costs and unmarked underground conflicts that complicated installation of new water and service lines. The work includes replacing about 4,800 feet of 12-inch and 24-inch pipe with a single 16-inch line, plus about 29 service lines.
Commissioners are also scheduled to consider a resolution supporting ballot initiative 2025-2026 #308. Denver Water says the measure would exempt certain sporting-goods sales tax revenue from TABOR, raise about $175 million a year statewide and dedicate about $83 million annually to wildfire prevention and watershed health.
In the packet, the utility says Colorado faces a $100 million to $200 million annual shortfall for conservation and forest-management work in high wildfire-risk areas and that Proposition 308 would help protect water supplies without raising water rates.
The July 8 meeting notice shows the board was scheduled to meet at 9 a.m. As of July 3, the packet reflected proposed action, not final approval.