FIRESTONE, Colo. — $261,828 — That's how much the Central Weld County Water District (CWCWD) said the Town of Firestone owes the agency.
Denver7 viewers have reached out to us with concerns their water will be shut off because of the money owed, but CWCWD has said it will not do that.
It's been an ongoing dispute and Mayor Don Conyac told Denver7 he wants to be transparent about it.
It all goes back to a 1974 contract agreement between CWCWD and Firestone.
In it, it explains the Town of Firestone will pay the the established water rate schedule or the monthly minimum charge, whichever is greater.
Conyac said the town is being asked to pay both right now.
Denver7 asked CWCWD why. The agency referred us to an evaluation done by NoCo Engineering, looking over a 2009 change of which the water district said it made the town aware.
Money
Outstanding water bill balance in Town of Firestone raises looming concerns
It said in part, "there is a table showing the proposed rates, which include monthly minimum charge calculations, monthly volume charge calculations, AND the total monthly charge. The total monthly charge is the summation of the monthly minimum charge PLUS the monthly volume charge. The total monthly charge is what the Town is billed each month."
The town has been paying this change for years. Conyac said in February of this year, he and other town leaders discovered they were not being charged the way the 1974 agreement lays out.
"Back in 2023 we had sued Central Weld back then ... over payment of tap fees. As part of the settlement, they were to renegotiate a contract, and that's what started this whole thing is, we had our people looking at our contract and looking at our bill, and that's how we came to find out about this," Conyac said.
He also made it clear, the town is paying its bill. The mayor said Firestone is just not paying the amount town leaders don't believe they owe.
Residents like Bobby G. Matthews are over it. He said his water pressure has been lowered in the meantime, and town residents are not getting answers.
"They don't answer," Matthews said. "They’ve told me in an email, they don’t answer questions. You gotta CORA and you gotta be exact."
Matthews did sent in hundreds of requests to read the emails between CWCWD and the Town of Firestone.
Conyac said he is committed to being transparent.
We asked what the end game is.
"Well, unfortunately, I think it's going to go to the courts, which will end up putting us at the table for a new contract. At least that's how I see it. How it's actually going to turn out, I don't know," Conyac said. "The end game is to ... the best for the Town of Firestone residents that we can, and that is the primary motivation that we have every day. Do the best we can."
