Home / Disasters and Accidents / Colorado Town Abandons Government Over Water Crisis
Colorado Town Abandons Government Over Water Crisis
31 Jul
Summary
- Hartman, Colorado, with 30 residents, was officially abandoned by state order.
- Years of neglect left the town's water system with bacteria and structural issues.
- The entire town government resigned, preventing access to critical repair funds.
The small Colorado town of Hartman, with approximately 30 residents, has been officially abandoned by state order. This drastic measure was enacted on Tuesday, July 29, 2026, following a prolonged water crisis and the resignation of its entire government. The town's water system has been neglected for years, leading to a persistent boil order since October 2025 and the discovery of animal waste bacteria.
A 2019 inspection had already flagged the water tower's poor condition due to holes and corrosion. Compounding these issues, the town's Board of Trustees resigned in January 2026, and the previous mayor, Catherine Fernandez, had resigned in October 2025, citing neighborly infighting. This governmental vacuum prevented Hartman from accessing over $1 million in state grants allocated for water system improvements.
Hartman resident Jessie Simmons initiated the abandonment process by submitting an application to the Secretary of State on June 17, 2026, detailing the lack of town leadership and the dire state of the water. A public hearing on July 13, 2026, further highlighted the town's decrepit condition, with claims of a lack of chlorine and foul-smelling, non-potable water.
Despite some residents opposing the abandonment, citing systemic failures rather than town failure, the state Deputy Secretary of State Andrew J. Kline determined that abandoning Hartman was the only legal path to providing residents with clean water. Prowers County is set to assume control of Hartman's infrastructure, with plans to transfer the water system to a new operator. The abandonment order can be appealed until late August 2026.
