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Why Water Planning Matters
Water planning is not an abstract policy discussion. In a growing community like Timnath, water decisions directly affect housing affordability, monthly utility bills, development pacing, and long-term financial stability.
Because Fort Collins–Loveland Water District and East Larimer County Water District serve most of Timnath, responsible planning requires disciplined coordination between the Town’s development approvals and the District’s verified supply and infrastructure capacity. The Town does not set water rates, but it does control growth, the comprehensive plan and land use and zoning. That means approvals must align with realistic capacity and capital timelines.
My focus is on synchronization, financial transparency and protecting residents from avoidable cost burdens.
Growth should move at a pace that matches verified supply and infrastructure readiness. Development decisions should be informed by current capacity letters, capital improvement schedules, and realistic demand projections. When growth outpaces readiness, residents often absorb the costs of catching up later through higher tap fees or sudden rate increases.
The Financial Reality
Water insfrastructure is capital intensive. Treatment capacity, storage, expansion, distribution upgrades, system resilliency require long-term financing.
Recent rate adjustments, including an increase of approximately 30% in 2025 followed by an additional 10% adjustment for 2026, illustrate how infrastructure expansion and capital financing decisions directly affect household budgets.
While investment in water systems is necessary, the scale and timing of those increases matter. When adjustments occur in sharp increments rather than through steady, well-coordinated planning, residents feel the impact immediately.
What Responsible Water Planning Requires
What Responsible Water Planning Requires
What Responsible Water Planning Requires
Alignment
Alignment
Development pacing, infrastructure readiness, and long-term financial modeling must be aligned before major growth commitments are made.
Financial Clarity
Financial Clarity
Major infrastructure expansions carry long-term obligations. Before expansion decisions are made, the full lifecycle costs and financing structure should be clearly understood. Residents deserve to know how today’s decisions affect tomorrow’s bills.
Prevention Over Reaction
Prevention Over Reaction
Planning should aim to smooth costs over time and prevent avoidable financial pressure on households rather than respond to cost shocks after the fact.
Discipline in Growth
Discipline in Growth
Responsible water planning is not about promising growth or resisting it. It is about ensuring growth never gets ahead of infrastructure, data, and financial responsibility.
How Water Planning Works in Timnath
Town of Timnath
• Controls land use
• Approves development
• Determines growth pacing
• Coordinates infrastructure readiness
Understanding Roles is Critical
Fort Collins–Loveland Water District, East Larimer County Water District and North Weld Water County Water District
• Manages supply and rights
• Operates treatment and storage
• Sets tap fees and rates
• Plans capital expansion
From Development to Rates
My Approach
Responsible water planning is not about promising growth or resisting it. It is about ensuring growth never gets ahead of infrastructure, data, and financial responsibility.
Timnath can continue to grow responsibly. With disciplined coordination, measurable data, and transparent financial planning, we can protect long-term sustainability while safeguarding residents’ purchasing power.
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