Administration
The Utilities Division coordinates internal and external business for all six Utilities Programs.
- Provides personnel and financial management for Utilities Programs.
- Performs billing and collection for the Utility Services provided for the Tribe and the town of Ignacio.
- Coordinates the application process for customers desiring utility services.
- Processes all purchase orders, requisitions, check requests, invoices for the 5 Utilities Programs.
- Oversees Utilities accounts payable.
- Supports field personnel in the other five Utilities Programs.
- Coordinates with Tribal Finance on internal and external business transactions.
Hauled Water Program
The Hauled Water Program hauls water twice per week to approximately 60 Tribal members with cisterns. This Program also makes special water deliveries for the Tribal Youth Camp, Sundance dust control, and fire suppression.
Water Program
The Water Treatment Plant is located three miles south of Bayfield at 981 County Road 518. The Water Programs performs the following services:
- Provides safe drinking water for Tribal and non-Tribal customers, including the town of Ignacio.
- Operates the four million gallons per day Water Treatment Plant, the associated 19 miles of the water distribution system, and the Van Den Berg Subdivision.
- Maintains the two coin-operated Water Delivery Stations and the Commercial Water Truck Water Station located on HWY 172 south of Ignacio.
- Monitors and provides water quality reports to the Environmental Protection Agency as required.
2023 Annual Drinking Water Quality Report
2022 Annual Drinking Water Quality Report
2021 Annual Drinking Water Quality Report
2020 Annual Drinking Water Quality Report
2019 Annual Drinking Water Quality Report
2018 Annual Drinking Water Quality Report
Trash Program
The Southern Ute Utilities Division transfer station policies have changed. Please read about the Solid Waste Program.
The Utilities Division will allocate two passes per tribal member household to be issued and the registration of vehicles disposing of trash will be required annually. Availability of these passes will commence on March 1st, 2016 at the Utilities Administration office and will become effective at the Transfer Station on April 1st, 2016.
Your cooperation with these requirements will ensure that ONLY Tribal Members and Tribal Departments will be utilizing the Transfer Station as it was intended.
If you have any questions, please call the Utilities office at 970-563-5500.
Trash services to the Tribe are contracted out to professional trash companies. Utilities Administration takes care of the billing and collection for the program and coordinates the services to Tribal members and Tribal businesses. The Utilities Division also provides a trash transfer station to accept trash from Tribal businesses and members. The transfer station is located just south of the town of Ignacio.
Trash services to the Tribe include the following:
- 90-gallon polycarts or dumpsters
- Dumpsters from 2 yard to 8 yard
- Roll-off containers 20, 30, or 40 yard
- Special Waste Disposal
- Special Event Trash Collection and Disposal
- Free trash disposal for Tribal members at the transfer station
- Free trash disposal for Tribal employees at the Bondad Landfill
Natural Gas Program
The Natural Gas Program delivers gas to Tribal, non-Tribal residential customers and commercial businesses including the town of Ignacio.
- The Tribe constructed a new gas delivery system in 1991. The system consists of 13 miles of pipeline.
- The system begins at the north end at the Rainbow Meadows Subdivision and extends south of Ignacio and west to Cedar Point.
- The Gas Program purchases processed gas from Red Willow Production Company. The delivery point to the Gas Program is at a facility known as the Iron Horse Border Station.
The Gas Program is responsible for
- Odorizing the gas and monitoring the gas volumes passing through the delivery system;
- Overseeing or performing all new taps or line extensions;
- Providing oversight on any new line extensions in the system; and
- Repairing any leaks in the system.
Wastewater Program
The treatment plant is located just south of the Town of Ignacio after crossing Rock Creek on State Hwy 172.
- The wastewater system consists of an 800,000 gallon per day treatment plant and 13 miles of collection system.
- The treatment plant was constructed in 1999.
- The type of treatment system at the plant is referred to as activated sludge. The wastewater collection system extends from the Rainbow Meadows subdivision just north of the Motor Pool to County Road 318 south of Ignacio.
The responsibilities of the Wastewater Program are as follows:
- Treating daily wastewater;
- Maintaining the treatment plant and collection system;
- Providing oversight of all new taps and line extensions; and
- Keeping the effluent from the plant within EPA required limits.