You don’t need to be a meteorologist to know it can be frigid cold or blistering hot in Colorado at any given time. But regardless of the weather, 1.5 million people depend on Denver Water to keep the water flowing.

Whether it’s the crews repairing and replacing water mains or the teams who protect and manage reservoirs and watersheds, Denver Water employees work around the clock, rain or shine, every single day.

“Denver Water is a 24/7/365 operation, so the weather is always a factor,” said Douglass Sandrock, who retired in 2020 from his safety specialist job at Denver Water, where he worked to ensure the utility's employees remained safe on the job.

“When our customers need us, we’re there. We’re out doing whatever we have to do to fix the problem.”

Safety is a primary focus in all of Denver Water’s activities, but challenging weather can bring additional safety concerns, like dehydration.

Crews are taught simple first aid in case one of their teammates gets too hot or too cold, explained Sandrock.

“The biggest thing is to watch out for each other,” said Sandrock. “The only way that we get to go home in really good shape every night is if we all take good care of each other during the day.”

You can meet some of the hundreds of dedicated employees working day and night, in snowdrifts, laboratories and underground pipes, to make sure you always have the water you need via the "Journey of Water."