CPW’s upgrade to decontamination stations will provide better experience for boaters, better protection for Colorado waters

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE  Joey Livingston
Statewide Public Information Officer
303-345-4658 / [email protected]

DENVER – An upgrade to decontamination systems at 27 CPW facilities will lead to better protection for Colorado’s waters and a better experience for boaters during Aquatic Nuisance Species (ANS) inspections.

The ANS program has been utilizing heated power washers for decontamination since its inception in 2008. Starting in 2018, The ANS program began piloting a transition from heated power washers to tankless water heaters for its decontamination purposes. 

This pilot program was the first of its kind and has proven to be extremely effective. These systems offer significant benefits when compared to heated power washers.

“The science upon which our decontamination procedures are based involves exposing aquatic organisms to consistent water temperatures to achieve mortality. When compared to heated power washers, these tankless water heater based systems produce a much more consistent temperature output making them a more effective tool for decontaminating invasive species.” said CPW ANS Manager Robert Walters. 

Benefits of the tankless water heater-based decontamination systems include:

• consistent temperature output, increasing decontamination efficacy
• silent operation, allowing for better communication with boaters
• no pressure bursts, which can damage boats
• higher flow rates, which increases decontamination efficiency
• easier to maintain and operate, more cost effective to operate

This year, CPW will invest approximately $500,000 to upgrade decontamination facilities across the state to this new and improved technology.

“We are confident these upgrades will make the decontamination process more efficient, effective and pleasant for decontaminators and boaters alike,” said Walters.

About CPW’s ANS Program

In an effort to balance outdoor recreation with mindful conservation, Colorado Parks and Wildlife requires boaters to purchase an ANS Stamp when registering a boat in Colorado to help protect state waters. ​The stamp ​provides approximately half of the funding needed to run the ANS Program operations annually, which includes watercraft inspection and decontamination services, monitoring of state waters and management of existing populations.

To learn more about CPW’s ANS Program, visit https://cpw.state.co.us/aboutus/Pages/ISP-ANS.aspx.