Our facility tours are a great way for schools, organizations and individuals to learn about what it takes to provide utilities to our community. Tours can be tailored to fit the specific needs of the school or organization.
Please include in the "special needs" section of the registration form if you are studying or interested in specific topics of the requested plant.
To book a tour, please read our tour and security policy below and then complete the registration form at the end of this page.
Unavailable tour periods
- Martin Drake Power Plant will not be available for tours April 6 through May 8, 2012, October 21 through November 5, 2012 and December 1 through December 8, 2012
Xeriscape Garden Tours
Visit our beautiful Xeriscape Demonstration Garden, where we showcase low-water landscape possibilities. During a tour of the garden, a landscaping expert explains the basic concepts of xeriscape and introduces you to fantastic landscape plants that thrive in our area with less water.
We also will highlight the resources available to help you make a lasting, beautiful and affordable yard that provides an attractive setting for your home but keeps your water bills affordable. See tangible examples of attractive and useable landscaping you can translate into your own yard. By attending this tour, you can begin to learn how to create a beautiful, adapted landscape that suits our climate and saves water.
Tours for Grade School Students
Water Treatment Plant and Wastewater Treatment Plant Tours
Register your class for free tours of one of our Water Treatment Plants, or Wastewater Treatment Plants so that students can see first-hand how Colorado Springs Utilities handles your water resource. Tours to Mesa Water Treatment Plant, or Las Vegas Wastewater Treatment Plant are limited to students in 4th grade and up, with a maximum group size of 30.
Water Conservation and Xeriscape Garden Field Trip
Bring your class to our Conservation and Environmental Center at 2855 Mesa Road for a custom water conservation and Xeriscape Garden field trip. This two hour trip teaches students about where their water comes from, why our water supply is so precious, how plants have adapted to our semi-arid environment, and how people can save water for the future. Students play interactive games, see a slide show, and go on a scavenger hunt in the Xeriscape Garden. This tour is best scheduled between April and October when the Xeriscape Garden is in bloom, and can accommodate groups of approximately 60 students at a time.
Tour policy
- Our policy is to ensure the safety of employees, visitors and facilities. Each tour takes approximately one and a half hours. Please read the following information carefully.
We offer tours to Colorado educational institutions and organizations (i.e. schools, colleges, boy/girl scout troops) and individual customers.
- Public tours of Mesa Water Treatment Plant are offered on Thursdays between 9 and 11 a.m. and 1 and 3 p.m. For safety, these tours are limited to 30 people.
- Las Vegas Wastewater Treatment Plant public tours are offered on Wednesdays between 9 and 11 a.m. and 1 and 3 p.m. For safety, these tours are limited to 30 people.
- Tours of Martin Drake Power Plant, Front Range Power Plant and Ray D. Nixon Power Plant are offered to the public on Tuesdays between 9 and 11 am. and 1 and 3 pm. Due to safety concerns, power plant tours are limited to 20 people.
- Facility tours are not offered during weeks in which we observe holidays.
- Public tours are booked on a first request basis and require a minimum of three weeks advance notice.
- Minimum age is nine years old or currently enrolled in fourth grade for all tours.
- Schools must provide one adult chaperone for every 10 children (minimum).
- Organizations requesting a tour must provide a list of names of all tour attendees five working days prior to the tour. All adults (whether with a school group, other organization, or individually) must provide their home address and phone number. Adults (over the age of 18) must also provide government issued photo identification (i.e. driver's license, military ID) upon arrival. If visitors show up for a tour and their names are not on the list or they do not have appropriate identification, they will not be permitted to tour the facility.
- No backpacks, briefcases, cameras, cell phones, video recording devices, etc. are allowed in any facility.
- Appropriate dress, which includes long pants, closed-toed walking shoes, and clothing/accessories for expected weather, is mandatory for all tours. Due to safety concerns, visitors with inappropriate dress will not be able to tour the entire operational facility. We provide additional safety equipment, when required, to tour a facility (i.e. hard hats, safety glasses, ear protection).
- All tour participants must remain under the control and guidance of the tour guide. Any person or group deviating from the guided tour will be escorted from the facility.
- Tour participants must adhere to all safety and site-specific requirements of each facility. Failure to follow safety requirements will terminate the tour.
- Special requests are considered on an individual basis, including persons with physical disabilities and requests to visit facilities other than those listed above. Tours outside the designated hours will not be considered during winter months.
- We reserve the right to cancel and/or deny any request.
Security policy
We have implemented a Security Threat Management Plan that aligns with the National Homeland Security Advisory System. Our mission is to provide a secure environment for our community and employees by ensuring utility infrastructure is protected through effective security planning. When the security threat level for the nation, the community of Colorado Springs and/or Colorado Springs Utilities is raised to Security Threat Level Orange or Red, we will cancel all tours until the threat level is lowered to yellow or below.