Power cut to North Shore Marina at Lake Pueblo to protect public from electrocution
Colorado Parks and Wildlife has shut off power to the North Shore Marina at Lake Pueblo State Park after a report by an independent electrician found the marina was “dangerously out of compliance with National Electrical Code,” which governs electrical wiring standards across the country.
CPW announced Wednesday in a news release it had cut power to the marina to protect the public.
“We recognize this is a huge inconvenience for the vendor and the customers of the North Shore Marina, but we can’t risk anyone being electrocuted,” Joe Stadterman, Lake Pueblo park manager, said in the release.
“The electrician alerted us that there is an imminent threat of electrocution to boat owners, their guests and park visitors in the water near the marina due to the lack of Ground Fault Circuit Interrupter protection on some of the marina’s electrical circuits.”
Bill Vogrin, spokesperson for CPW’s southeast region, said the lease of the marina’s current contracted vendor, Colorado Marine and Boat Works, expires in December and CPW is currently in “competitive negotiations with potential vendors.”
As part of the bidding process, CPW has been inspecting the infrastructure of the marina to “tell the vendors what they might be getting,” Vogrin said, which led to the revelation of the marina’s dangerous electrical situation.
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On a Facebook page for the North Shore Marina, CPW issued a statement addressing its future at Lake Pueblo State Park.
“CPW's contract with the current vendor expires at the end of 2022,” the statement said. “CPW put out a request for proposals, as is standard procedure when contracts expire. The agency currently is in competitive negotiations regarding the marina contract, but there is nothing to announce. Meanwhile, the agency is considering all its options regarding the marina. CPW can make no further comment.”
Whether the necessary safety upgrades will be performed and paid for by Colorado Marine and Boat Works or the vendor that succeeds it at Lake Pueblo is currently unclear. North Shore Marina owner Connie Jack did not immediately respond to the Chieftain’s request for comment Thursday.
Vogrin said while the ongoing situation is the vendor’s responsibility, not CPW’s, its rangers have been on site at the marina to monitor developments.
Cutting the power, CPW said, not only impacts the marina’s fueling station, bathrooms, wastewater systems and store but also the approximately 700 boats stored in slips rented from the vendor.
CPW said it is urging all boat owners to immediately contact the vendor to get more information about the status of their boats.
Ground fault circuit interrupter outlets are required anywhere electric outlets are near a water source, such as in a kitchen or bathroom, according to CPW.
The interrupters immediately disconnect power; for example, if a hair dryer was dropped into a bathtub full of water, they would prevent severe electric shock or death by electrocution.
The interrupters are also required in marinas to protect against the mixing of electricity on boats connected to a marina or dock power supply with water in a lake, CPW said. They protect people swimming nearby, for example, from electric shock drowning.
“There are a number of boats that connect to the marina’s power supply while docked,” Stadterman said. “Before the review by the electrician, we were unaware of the lack of circuit interrupters in the electric circuits at the marina. Now that we know, we must act in the interest of protecting human health and safety.”
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Chieftain editor Zach Hillstrom can be reached at zhillstrom@gannett.com or on Twitter @ZachHillstrom
This article originally appeared on The Pueblo Chieftain: Lake Pueblo marina power cut amid 'imminent threat of electrocution'
