To ensure that there will be an adequate supply of raw, untreated water available for future growth, the Utilities Division purchases water rights at market value, as they become available, from private individuals who own shares in local ditch companies. When the water represented by these shares is not immediately required by the Utility to serve the residents of Boulder for household use, the water is leased to the farming community for irrigation of farm land or is used to maintain a minimum stream flow in Boulder Creek. The Utilities Division maintains a water portfolio which includes shares in numerous local irrigation ditch companies. As a shareholder, the City becomes a part owner in the ditch company.
Close contact is maintained with the farming community through the ditch companies.
The City can assist in ensuring adequate irrigation water supplies to the farming interests through its water leasing program. When a water right is acquired, the purchaser often wishes to transfer the water represented by the right to some other point or type of use through legal process. Using City and contract legal services, the Utilities Division monitors all local water rights legal cases to ensure that the proposed changes have no detrimental impact on the City's water operations or local ditch company interests. Legal issues arising from City transfers are also litigated, with emphasis given to ensure that ditch company operations are not impacted by the transfers.