The Colorado city of Durango is famed for year-round recreation and a popular tourist train. But when it comes to upgrading municipal infrastructure, both of those assets pose major challenges.Durango has risen to the occasion, though. As the city embarked on a comprehensive rehabilitation of its systems five years ago, it also moved from reactive maintenance to a preventive approach.“It’s paid big dividends,” says Steve Salka, Durango’s utilities director. “Our maintenance costs have been cut in half. Our operational costs have been cut 25 percent.”Nestled in the southwest corner of Colorado amid the Rocky Mountains’ San Juan and La Plata
