Electric - The entire county is
served by the La
Plata Electric Association. In 2004, the average
monthly residential bill was $61.04/month; 657kWh,
9.29 cents/kWh.
Natural Gas - Most of the area
is served by Atmos
Energy, Kinder
Morgan and various propane distributors. The Town
of Ignacio owns and operates its own natural gas distribution
system.
Water - Durango and Bayfield have
municipal water systems. Ignacio contracts water through
the Southern
Ute Tribe. Others are served by Rural Water Districts
or have their own wells. The proposed Vallecito Water
District will cover much of the southeastern portion
of the county, including the Florida Mesa and Bayfield
areas. For more information, see Water
Information Program
Wastewater - Durango
and Bayfield
have municipal wastewater treatment systems. Ignacio
contracts wastewater treatment through the Southern
Ute Tribe. Others are served by rural water districts
or have their own septic systems.
Solid Waste - Most of the area
is served by Waste Management (970) 247-1821 and WCA
Transit Waste (970) 749-2802. There are also a variety
of private waste haulers.23
Telephone - La Plata County businesses
and community leaders realized the importance of being
"virtually" connected to the outside world.
As a result, today La Plata County is blessed with
advanced telecommunications. Both traditional landline
telephone service and cellular is readily available
and reliable. Most of the area is served by Qwest,
and the southeast portion of the county, i.e. Ignacio,
is served by CenturyTel.
Internet- Many segments of the La
Plata County are enjoying high-speed connectivity
as it is already linked to an extensive fiber optics
backbone. A variety of providers offer more advanced
services including dial-up, DSL, T-1 and T-3 lines,
with innovative new wireless and satellite technology
providing connectivity to even the most remote areas
of the county.
