Erie Among Top Safest Cities

Safewise recently released its annual Safest Cities in Colorado Report for 2023, and Erie ranks 8th safest! Unfortunately, Colorado leads the nation in property crime per capita, with motor vehicle thefts representing 20% of those crimes. Safewise shared that based on survey results, Coloradoans have lower-than-average concerns about experiencing crime. Your police department knows all too well that owner apathy is problematic, especially in Erie, and is asking owners to take simple actions to decrease victimization. 

Recently, in the early morning hours of Wednesday, March 8, there were five vehicles trespassed in various neighborhoods; four had been left unlocked. The fifth’s window was smashed to gain entry; the valuables were in plain sight. Please lock your vehicles and safely store valuables elsewhere.

Easter Egg Hunt – Sunday, April 2

Join the Erie Police Department in an Easter Egg Hunt sponsored by the Optimist Club of Erie. Find eggs filled with candy or the opportunity to redeem tickets for a prize or basket filled with goodies! Hunts will be categorized by age groups. The event starts promptly at 1 p.m. with an opportunity to meet the Easter Bunny at 12:30 p.m. on Sunday, April 2 at Clayton Park.

Erie Earns Top Honors for Financial Reporting

Government Finance Officers Association of the United States and Canada (GFOA) has awarded the Certificate of Achievement for Excellence in Financial Reporting to the Town of Erie for our annual comprehensive financial report for the fiscal year which ended on Dec. 31, 2021. The report was judged by an impartial panel to meet the high standards of the program, which includes demonstrating a constructive "spirit of full disclosure" to clearly communicate our financial story and motivate potential users and user groups to read the report.

The Certificate of Achievement is the highest form of recognition in governmental accounting and financial reporting, and its attainment represents a significant accomplishment by a government and its management. Browse the Finance Department’s reports online.

PFAS Levels in Drinking Water

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) recently announced new drinking water standards related to Perfluoroalkyl and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS) levels. PFAS are a type of chemical used since the 1950s for a variety of purposes, for example, to keep food from sticking to packaging or cookware, make clothes and carpets resistant to stains, and create firefighting foam that is more effective. PFAS have largely been removed from consumer products since the early 2000s, but these long-lasting chemicals are still found in soils, water, and air.

The EPA is planning to lower the enforceable limit for certain PFAS compounds from 70 parts per trillion (PPT) to 4.0 PPT. The great news for Erie residents is that the Town recently participated in a voluntary study with the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment (CDPHE) which found no trace of PFAS in Erie's drinking water. However additional testing of raw water sources did detect small traces in Erie Lake, with a reading of 4.5 PPT. It's important to note that water from Erie Lake is rarely transferred to our drinking water treatment facility, as most of our water comes from high-quality western slope runoff which has little impact from any PFAS producing industry. If there would be a need to use Erie Lake water, our treatment systems will reduce PFAS levels to below 4.0 PPT.

In fact, we have already taken proactive steps to ensure our drinking water continues to remain in compliance with the new EPA requirements. We expect these new EPA regulations to be in place by the end of 2023 and are planning a second round of PFAS testing which will occur later this year.

To reduce levels of PFAS, equipment in half of our Water Treatment Facility utilizes Granular Activated Carbon (GAC), which actively removes PFAS compounds. Our current plant technology can process PFAS at flow rates of up to 5 million gallons per day, if necessary, which is more than double the average winter demand. If necessary, we can install additional GAC technology throughout our entire facility or utilize blending to reduce contaminant levels.

The safety of Town residents is of the utmost importance, and we will continue to provide water that meets all existing and new standards. Rest assured; the Town of Erie is providing the safest drinking water available to our community.

Town of Erie is Hiring

As the Town continues to grow, we have several openings and encourage all qualified candidates to apply. Keep checking the Town of Erie job board for Erie’s latest openings, which currently include:

• Utilities Maintenance Technician 
• Lifeguard
• Personal Trainer

Cone Zones

Each week we list the projects that may have the biggest impact on traffic flow for that week. As always, please sign up for alerts to get more details about these projects and many others. More information and details for how to sign up are at www.erieco.gov/ConeZone. 

• Traffic Lights at WCR 7 & Erie Parkway – The newly installed traffic lights at the intersection of WCR 7 and Erie Parkway are live and working smoothly after final testing and preparation last week. The original static 4-way stop signs were removed, and new locations for these signs are being considered so as not to let available signage go to waste. 119th Street and Jay/Jasper Road is being considered as a possible new installation area. A final decision will be made this week.

Road work is weather-dependent, and timelines may shift. Motorists, cyclists, and pedestrians should always be aware and use caution when in and around work zones. Whenever possible, please avoid the construction areas.