The Pueblo Board of Water Works on Friday will begin a 45-day effort to line up potential sellers on the Bessemer Ditch. At the end of the period, March 31, the water board hopes to determine whether it will be possible to obtain a controlling interest in Pueblo County’s largest ditch. Letters to shareholders are being mailed today. “We don’t have any intention of convincing people who want to continue farming to sell their shares of Bessemer Ditch,” Nick Gradisar, water board president, told Pueblo City Council Monday. Gradisar and Alan Hamel, water board executive director, outlined the reasons why the water board, along with Pueblo West, have decided to make the offer at this time. It was the first time the water board has formally met with council on the plan since it was unveiled in October. Hamel said the Bessemer Ditch plan is part of a 100-year water resource development plan that also includes improving storage, conservation, securing more water rights and better using existing rights. The plan is to develop new resources while putting most of the burden of costs on future ratepayers, rather than existing customers.

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