The City of Westminster worked with the cities of Northglenn and Thornton to update the Intergovernmental Agreement (IGA) regarding the care and use of Standley Lake, a drinking water source for more than 300,000 people in the north metro area.

According to the amended IGA:

• All three cities will share liability for any impacts to future water quality caused by recreation on the lake. In exchange, Northglenn and Thornton will have increased oversight.
• All three cities will equally fund a security audit of the lake. The audit will identify any threats to water quality at Standley Lake. The intent of the audit is to make sure the cities are doing their best to protect the water supply.
• A committee that was formed in 1995, and is comprised of staff from the three cities, will continue to meet, review, and agree upon what recreational uses will be allowed at Standley Lake following the guidelines of what’s allowed in the amended IGA.
• There will be no motorized and/or trailered boating of any type allowed by the public on Standley Lake, with exceptions for water quality testing and ranger/emergency rescue operations. The ban on this type of boating was first implemented more than a year ago to prevent the risk of a zebra and quagga mussel infestation. Visit www.westminsterco.gov/Boating for details.

As the primary owners of water rights in Standley Lake, the cities of Westminster, Thornton and Northglenn have long been and continue to be close partners in the operation of this key asset.

“Westminster and Northglenn both rely on the lake as their sole drinking water supply, and it represents a significant portion of Thornton’s water supply,” said City Manager Don Tripp. “This important agreement will ensure that hundreds of thousands of people in our community continue to have a reliable, healthy water supply while also maximizing allowed recreational opportunities at this regional-park and wildlife refuge.”

The amended IGA was approved by City Council on Monday, Nov. 9. It was approved by Northglenn City Council on Oct. 26. The amended IGA will be considered by Thornton’s City Council for final approval later this month.