COMPLETED: Rawlins pretreatment plant online

The pretreatement plant was brought online during the summer of 2023 after Rawlins repaired and upgraded it, using $535,000 from the Chokecherry Impact Assistance Fund and funds from the Water Enterprise Fund.

The pretreatment plant is important for Rawlins when relying on water from the North Platte River or reservoirs. The pretreatment plant also provides redundancy for the city's water supply, in the event that water is not available from the springs and wells. While its history has been marked by challenges, recent investments have helped improve this crucial infrastructure.

Repairs and upgrades in 2024

The pretreatment plant still needs work to better work with the water treatment plant. Ongoing adjustments to the plant's chemical and mechanical processes will improve the plant's utility and output.

History of the pretreatment plant

2000	Rawlins built the pretreatment plant in 2000 to effectively treat water from reservoirs and the North Platte River. With the pretreatment plant, the city is able to use more water from the North Platte River.
2002	The pretreatment system was discontinued in 2002 as a result of operational incompatibility with the water treatment plant.
2022	For 20 years, Rawlins had little interest in re-commissioning the pretreatment system because of ample water from the Sage Creek Basin. The city decided to bring the pretreatment plant back online after infrastructure breakdowns in March 2022 caused a water shortage and extended droughts reduced the capacity of underground springs relied on for drinking water.
2023	The city repaired and upgraded the pretreatment plant with $535,000 from the Chokecherry Impact Assistance Fund and funds from the Water Enterprise Fund. The plant was brought online in the summer of 2023.