Water
Please see below for the 2026 irrigation notices for the Valley Floor and Sky Legend, including fees, gallon usage by tier, and other relevant information:
We would like to help you better understand how our Cotton Ranch Raw water system operates. The water user fees cover the overall cost of operating and maintaining the system. When the pumphouses are turned on (irrigation season is April – October, we usually shut down the systems Mid - end of October based on climatic conditions), the irrigation water system is charged, and costs begin to accrue regardless of whether water is delivered immediately. As such, all constituents connected to the system within Cotton Ranch and Sky Legend are billed for irrigation water for six months each year. The funds collected are used to pay for the operation and maintenance of the ditches that deliver water to the two pump houses, the costs of operating the pumps, the electric bills, the operations manager, the District's management company, attorneys, and repairs and maintenance expenses. The fee is broken down into a base fee, which covers all fixed expenses, and an incremental user fee to cover costs in excess of the fixed expenses
A few comments for you to reflect on:
1. Please be aware that the Metropolitan District Board can levy property taxes up to 30 mills per year on your assessed value. The Board only levies the amount “needed” by the District and therefore has been giving property tax mill levy credits each year. For property taxes paid in 2026, the District’s mill levy credit was 4.819 mills, which results in a tax savings of $270 per year on a typical home in Cotton Ranch (valued at $900,000). It is extremely rare for a taxing entity to grant a tax credit.
2. The District has long-term debt, which the Board refinanced in 2021 at a very favorable rate of 2.39%, resulting in savings of $1,276,000 to the District’s constituents over the next 15 years.
3. We are very fortunate to have very old and senior water rights from Gypsum Creek, which gives us raw water at a very low cost compared to our neighboring communities. Ask anyone living in Eagle Ranch or the Town of Gypsum how this compares to their irrigation water user fees.
All District Board members have always kept property taxes, user fees and operating costs to a minimum for the benefit of all constituents living in our community.
If you have further questions, please reach back out to us.
Regards,
Cotton Ranch Metropolitan District
Drought Information - Town of Gypsum (external link)
Residents who wish to dispute a raw water bill must submit their request via email to Magdalena@mwcpaa.com. The Metro Board will review each dispute on a case-by-case basis and may grant a one-time forgiveness. Disputes are limited to two consecutive monthly billings.
Metro Raw Water System:
The Metro District operates and maintains the two pump houses in Cotton Ranch and Sky legend. Including operation of the metro main lines and first gate valve off the main line onto each property in the District. Metro also takes care of the diversions off Gypsum Creek and associated ditches. All water within Cotton Ranch and Sky Legend is shared with the Golf Course / Town of Gypsum.
The irrigation raw water system is owned and operated by the Metro District and American Conservation & Billing Solutions, Inc. (AmCoBi) processes the billings sent to all constituents. Your raw water bill can be paid through AmCoBi at https://www.amcobi.com/pay-online. If you are not receiving your water bill from AmCoBi, please contact Magdalena@mwcpaa.com.
Upper pump house: Raw water Filter system installed on 3/2019 and is operating properly
Lower pump house: Raw water filter system installed 3/2020 and is operating properly
Ditches And Head Gates:
Our Chatfield Bartholomew ditch flows by the middle school on Grundell Way and travels down Timberwolf and Whitetail , feeds Red Fox Ponds and empties into our west bar ditch. Our Grundell Brothers and AF Grundell ditch flows through holes # 3 and #4 on the golf course then empties into our west bar ditch which then fills pond #1 by our Lower Pump house. New Parshall Flume installed on Chatfield Bartholomew lateral 4/2021 and is operating properly. Metro and Town of Gypsum drained Pond #1 and replaced old Morning Glory vault and head gate 3/2021 and is operating properly
Please make sure your Meter boxes are cleaned out for our Meter reader.
If you have questions regarding the use and operation of the Raw water irrigation system please contact the Metro District at 970-926-6060 extension #107