Colorado Judge Rules Thornton’s Pipeline Can Move Forward

A district judge in Larimer County has ruled in favor of the City of Thornton’s long-disputed water pipeline, a project designed to secure fresh drinking water for the city’s growing population.

“Everybody needs fresh water, and water is becoming hard to get,” said Jay Miller, a Thornton resident who has followed the project’s progress for years. “[We've] been waiting for it to go through. We've been watching it go through the development and everyone paying for it, and batting court battles and everything.”

Thornton originally purchased the land in Larimer County during the 1980s to help secure water for future growth. The 70-mile pipeline will carry that water to Thornton, where development has partly stalled while litigation played out in court.

This month’s ruling upholds the Larimer County Commissioners’ previous approval for the pipeline’s route through the county. The nonprofit Save the Poudre had sued to block the project, arguing that Thornton should instead send the water through the Cache la Poudre River to restore river flows.

“We supported Thornton getting the water. We just wanted them to get the water in a different method,” said Gary Wockner, Save the Poudre’s director. “It was a big opportunity for the people of Fort Collins to have water restored to their river.”

But Thornton city officials said the river route would require costly re-treatment of the water — close to a billion dollars — making it unfeasible. The court ultimately agreed that the County Board had acted within its discretion when it approved the project.

“Argument is not evidence,” the court ruling stated. “Aside from Plaintiff's arguments, there is nothing in the Record to support that the Board abused its discretion by not requiring Thornton to present the Poudre River Option as a reasonable alternative.”

Brett Henry, Executive Director of Utilities and Infrastructure for Thornton, said the decision provides crucial certainty for the city’s development plans.

“It was nice to see the court review all the evidence and confirm that again both Larimer County and the City of Thornton did everything correctly,” Henry said. “And really work with the community to make sure that there was a successful product in the end as well.

The judge’s decision is a key milestone for a project that has faced years of delays, opposition, and shifting political dynamics. Thornton city leaders say the pipeline will officially begin delivering water in 2028, unlocking several projects that have been on hold — including affordable housing developments that could not proceed without a guaranteed water supply.

“We did have projects that were on hold within the city because we simply could not guarantee that there would be water available for them once the units were constructed,” Henry said.

Save the Poudre has indicated it will keep advocating for alternatives to the pipeline, but for now, city officials say they are focused on delivering water security for Thornton’s residents as its population continues to grow.

The project highlights a broader challenge for many Colorado communities: balancing urban growth with water access in a state where water rights are tight and climate impacts are reshaping long-term planning. As legal battles subside, Thornton’s pipeline could become a blueprint for other fast-growing cities navigating the intersection of growth, water security, and environmental stewardship.

Originally reported by Gabriela Vidal in CBS News.