The reliability of water supplies in the arid and semi-arid Mountain States is a growing concern for the public and the engineering community in the wake of persistent drought and a multiyear downward trend in Colorado River flow and storage. Robust snowpack in early 2023 brought a welcome reprieve, but one good year cannot overcome decades of drought.
Embodied carbon is the carbon dioxide (CO₂) emissions associated with materials and construction processes through the lifecycle of a building or infrastructure.
The 12 alluvial wells that supply the South Adams County Water and Sanitation District’s 66,000 customers produce severely hard water, requiring local homeowners to frequently replace plumbing and water heaters and purchase costly in-home softeners that release corrosive brine waste into the sewer.