October 12, 2006 Columns » IQ

Rancho Colorado is a tiny community 30 miles south of Colorado Springs. Its residents purchased properties"there for rugged beauty and quiet, but a lack of water and a looming Fort Carson buffer zone have made prospects bleak in the eyes of many.

Not all that glitters is real estate 

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Rancho Colorado is a tiny community 30 miles south of Colorado Springs. Its residents purchased properties"there for rugged beauty and quiet, but a lack of water and a looming Fort Carson buffer zone have made prospects bleak in the eyes of many.
click to enlarge Don Wick - Old Colorado City - Bed and breakfast co-owner - Describe day-to-day life without running water. - Itd be too primitive to describe, like camping out - permanently. I cant think of a civilization where large - portions of the population exist that way today. - What would it be like, living in Colorado Springs - circa 1871? A mixture of sheer joy and utter - hardship. Sheer joy because of the weather and beauty - and economic possibilities of that time, with gold about - to come down off the hill and the railroad coming in. But - also pretty primitive, with everything having to be - shipped in. - Do you see water problems in Colorado Springs - future? The entire state has an issue with water, - water rights and water distribution, and its going to get - worse as the population expands. - Whats the longest youve gone without running - water? Maybe a week while camping out. I recall - not particularly enjoying that aspect of it.
  • Don Wick
    Old Colorado City
    Bed and breakfast co-owner
    Describe day-to-day life without running water. Itd be too primitive to describe, like camping out permanently. I cant think of a civilization where large portions of the population exist that way today.
    What would it be like, living in Colorado Springs circa 1871? A mixture of sheer joy and utter hardship. Sheer joy because of the weather and beauty and economic possibilities of that time, with gold about to come down off the hill and the railroad coming in. But also pretty primitive, with everything having to be shipped in.
    Do you see water problems in Colorado Springs future? The entire state has an issue with water, water rights and water distribution, and its going to get worse as the population expands.
    Whats the longest youve gone without running water? Maybe a week while camping out. I recall not particularly enjoying that aspect of it.

click to enlarge Kim Bosick Knob Hill - Conference call operator - Describe life, having to depend on weekly water - shipments. Id have to make more money and have - some sort of vehicle for bringing it in. It would be hard - to cook, stay clean, take care of my garden. - What would it be like, living here in the early 1870s? - A lot more time would be spent in transport. Id be - on horseback a lot. - Do you foresee water problems in this areas future? - Were growing by leaps and bounds. I sure hope - somebodys looking into that. - Whats the longest youve gone without running - water? Maybe 72 hours on camping trips. In my - home, only 24 hours.
  • Kim Bosick Knob Hill
    Conference call operator
    Describe life, having to depend on weekly water shipments. Id have to make more money and have some sort of vehicle for bringing it in. It would be hard to cook, stay clean, take care of my garden.
    What would it be like, living here in the early 1870s? A lot more time would be spent in transport. Id be on horseback a lot.
    Do you foresee water problems in this areas future? Were growing by leaps and bounds. I sure hope somebodys looking into that.
    Whats the longest youve gone without running water? Maybe 72 hours on camping trips. In my home, only 24 hours.

click to enlarge Paul Quast St. Paul, Minn. - Attorney - Could you manage if all your water had to be - shipped in? Itd be tough. Id have to worry about - the reliability of the water source and variations in cost. - Itd be an all-around huge hassle everything from - making coffee to doing the dishes, showering, going to - the bathroom, watering the lawn. - What would it be like living here in 1871? I - imagine it was pretty rugged. Living on the edge of the - wilderness. Having a well out back. Everything you use - having to be shipped in, whether at home or in your - business. - Whats the longest stretch youve endured without - running water? Ive been on two-week camping - trips where water had to be filtered from a stream. Lets - put it this way: It was good to get home.
  • Paul Quast St. Paul, Minn.
    Attorney
    Could you manage if all your water had to be shipped in? Itd be tough. Id have to worry about the reliability of the water source and variations in cost. Itd be an all-around huge hassle everything from making coffee to doing the dishes, showering, going to the bathroom, watering the lawn.
    What would it be like living here in 1871? I imagine it was pretty rugged. Living on the edge of the wilderness. Having a well out back. Everything you use having to be shipped in, whether at home or in your business.
    Whats the longest stretch youve endured without running water? Ive been on two-week camping trips where water had to be filtered from a stream. Lets put it this way: It was good to get home.

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