TOPICAL ARTICLES

September 2004

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COLORADO: Enforcement of Water Quality Regulation and Penalties

Home to the Colorado River headwaters and over 100,000 miles of rivers, Colorado maintains a higher standard of water quality than most states. In 2004, the Colorado Department of Public Health and the Environment (CDPHE) reported that 96 percent of assessed rivers and streams and 95 percent of assessed lakes and reservoirs fully supported their designated uses in Colorado. In contrast, in the United States as a whole, only 61 percent of rivers and streams and 54 percent of lakes and reservoirs currently support designated uses, according to the Environmental Protection Agency’s latest assessment. However, Colorado is not without water quality and enforcement challenges. Onsite wastewater treatment plants, feedlots, and mining practices significantly impact the state’s water quality. In response, Colorado is addressing these issues through increased enforcement of its separate statutory and regulatory scheme and through creative innovations.