FOR RELEASE: North Taft Avenue reopens after critical water and stormwater improvements

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

North Taft Avenue reopens after critical water and stormwater improvements

LOVELAND, Colo. – June 4, 2026 – The City of Loveland is celebrating the North Taft Avenue Water and Storm Improvements Project completion of all water line improvements and much of the project’s stormwater infrastructure. Since work began in December 2025, crews have made major strides in strengthening critical underground utilities. Final stormwater work is planned for this winter, when lower Lake Loveland water levels make the remaining improvements possible.

“This project represents an important investment in the City’s Water Capital Improvement Program and long-term resilience,” said Water Engineering Manager John Faulkner. “By upgrading aging water lines and improving stormwater systems, we are enhancing service reliability and helping reduce the risk of future disruptions. We appreciate the community’s patience as we completed another critical infrastructure project to improve our water utility.”

Water line improvements

The water line portion of the project was completed ahead of schedule in March. Crews replaced aging 12-inch cast-iron pipes with a new 16-inch water line along north Taft Avenue, extending from just north of 18th Street to north of west 29th Street. In addition, a new 20-inch PVC water line was installed west along 29th Street to move infrastructure out of the intersection, and a 24-inch PVC line was installed east of the intersection on 29th Street.

These water system upgrades improve water distribution to support future growth in accordance with the City’s Water Master Plan, increase system reliability, and reduce the risk of water main breaks, service outages, and disruptions to the traveling public. The new system is designed to serve the community for decades to come.

Stormwater improvements and remaining work

The current phase of stormwater improvements is complete. Crews replaced aging pipes and constructed new outlets to Lake Loveland to improve drainage and reduce flood risk. These upgrades were designed to help prevent street and property flooding, protect water quality in Lake Loveland and strengthen the system’s ability to handle heavy rainfall.

Work on the east side of Taft Avenue along the west bank of Lake Loveland has been delayed due to higher-than-normal water levels. Lake Loveland water levels are being monitored. If water levels are low enough to allow for safe construction, stormwater work will proceed this winter. Any future traffic impacts will be shared before the project begins.

Final stormwater work is expected to take about one month and will include removing and replacing large rocks and adding erosion control measures to stabilize the shoreline.

In addition, concrete repairs to curb and gutters and new asphalt and striping were completed along Taft Avenue between 18th and 29th streets over the past two weeks.

For current or past work, visit letstalkloveland.org/taft-ave-water-storm-improvements. To contact the project team, call 970-783-7188 or email UtilitiesInfo@cityofloveland.org.

CONTACT: Emily Shockley, Acting PR and Media Specialist
970-962-3275, Emily.Shockley@cityofloveland.org