Las Animas County, Colorado — public water systems

How does Las Animas County compare with other Colorado counties?

Las Animas County has the 33rd-most active public water systems among the 113 counties listed for active Colorado systems in EPA records; among the 65 with 3 or more systems, the median has 18. Its systems report 14,877 people served in total, the 36th-largest county figure in the state and 0.2% of the statewide total. The average system here reports serving 827 people, well below the Colorado average of 3,400. Population figures are what each system reports; people served by more than one system, such as a wholesaler and the town that buys from it, are counted by each.

Where does Las Animas County's drinking water come from?

By primary water source, Las Animas County's active systems draw on purchased surface water (10, 56%), groundwater (4, 22%), groundwater under influence of surface water (2, 11%) and surface water (2, 11%). Overall, 33% rely mainly on groundwater (including purchased groundwater) and 67% on surface water, compared with 74% and 26% across Colorado. Purchased surface water means the system buys surface water from another public water system rather than drawing its own. The county's largest system, City of Trinidad, draws primarily on surface water.

What kinds of water systems operate in Las Animas County?

Las Animas County's active systems break down as 14 community systems (78%) and 4 transient non-community systems (22%). A community water system serves at least 15 connections used by year-round residents, or regularly serves at least 25 year-round residents. Homes, apartments and mobile-home parks are served by these. A transient non-community water system serves places where people do not stay long, such as gas stations and campgrounds, and regularly serves at least 25 people a day for at least 60 days a year. EPA lists their owner types as local government (67%), private (28%) and federal government (5.6%).