Photo: Jeffrey Beall · CC BY-SA 3.0Living in Poncha Springs, CO: what to set up and who to call
The Town of Poncha Springs water system reported one health-based violation to EPA in the last five years: a lead and copper treatment requirement (Lead and Copper Rule), beginning Jan 2024. The nearest library is Salida Public Library (Southern Chaffee County Regional Lib Dist/Salida), 4.3 miles away.
I’m new in town
What to set up in Poncha Springs, and who provides it. Tap an answer for the details and where they come from.
Power, water and internet
Who to call to start service at a new address in Poncha Springs.
Power comes from Xcel Energy
Xcel Energy (Public Service Co. of Colorado), an investor-owned utility, serves all of Poncha Springs. Its homes paid an average of 15.9¢ per kWh in 2025, about $93 a month (its average across Colorado).
Start or move service: xcelenergy.com · (800) 895-4999
Service territory: HIFLD Electric Retail Service Territories (map dated Aug 2023). Prices and customers: EIA-861, 2025.
Water comes from Town of Poncha Springs water system
The Town of Poncha Springs water system supplies Poncha Springs: about 81% of residents live in its service area. About 19% of homes are outside any mapped community water system, most likely on private wells, which EPA doesn’t regulate. It draws ground water and serves 2,118 people in all.
1 health-based violation reported to EPA in the five years to October 2026: a lead and copper treatment requirement (Lead and Copper Rule), beginning Jan 2024. 78% of the 7,966 systems serving 1,001–3,300 people had none.
The latest lead result on file, the 90th percentile of homes sampled in Jan–Jun 2026, was 0.0 ppb, below the 15 ppb action level that applied. The highest in five years was 1.0 ppb. Results below detection are reported as 0, so 0 doesn’t mean no lead at any tap.
The system’s full record: EPA ECHO report
EPA SDWIS via Envirofacts (violations pulled Oct 9, 2026) and ECHO (lead samples, 2026Q3); service area: EPA Community Water System Service Area Boundaries v3.0 (EPA’s estimate). Violations are counted by the start of their compliance period. CO0108650.
4 home internet providers serve Poncha Springs
95% of 785 addresses can get 100/20 Mbps; 37% can get fiber.
| Provider | Technology | Addresses | Fastest (Mbps) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Visionary Broadband | Fixed wireless, Fiber | 100% | 1,000/1,000 |
| Spectrum | Cable, Fiber | 95% | 1,000/1,000 |
| CenturyLink | DSL | 31% | 60/5 |
| Hilltop Broadband | Fixed wireless | 85% | 50/15 |
FCC National Broadband Map, as of December 2025. Availability as providers report it, not speeds people get.
We don’t have Poncha Springs’ trash rules yet
Pickup rules, the dump and recycling in Poncha Springs.
Where your child goes to school
Public school districts and the school path by grade.
Poncha Springs is in Salida School District R-32.
ASchool gradeSee Schools →U.S. Department of Education, NCES Common Core of Data, 2024–25. Enrollment rules and registration are the district’s.
Town hall and registering to vote
Who to call, and how to register.
Election office: FVAP local election office directory, updated Sep 2025; jurisdictions: EAC EAVS 2024. Registration rules and links: vote.gov, updated Nov 18, 2024.
Poncha Springs spans 2 ZIP codes
ZIP codes where Poncha Springs residents live, with the share of the town in each.
| ZIP | Post office name | Share of Poncha Springs | ZIP’s residents in Poncha Springs |
|---|---|---|---|
| 81242 | Poncha Springs, CO | 98% | 88% |
| 81201 | Salida, CO | 2% | 0% |
Census 2020 ZIP Code Tabulation Areas, by census block; post office names: GeoNames (CC BY 4.0). ZIPs created since 2020 are missing.
Getting around, the ER and the library
One line each; the subject pages have the rest.
ER: CMS hospital data. Library: IMLS Public Libraries Survey, FY2024.
Questions about living in Poncha Springs
Who supplies Poncha Springs’ drinking water, and has it had violations?
The Town of Poncha Springs water system (EPA ID CO0108650). It reported 1 health-based violation to EPA in the five years to October 2026: a lead and copper treatment requirement (Lead and Copper Rule). 78% of systems its size had none. Its latest lead 90th percentile was 0.0 ppb (Jan–Jun 2026), against a 15 ppb action level.
Who provides electricity in Poncha Springs?
Xcel Energy (Public Service Co. of Colorado), an investor-owned utility. Its homes paid about 15.9¢ per kWh in 2025 (EIA).
What internet providers serve Poncha Springs?
Visionary Broadband, Spectrum, CenturyLink, Hilltop Broadband (FCC, as of December 2025).
What ZIP codes are in Poncha Springs?
81242 (98%), 81201 (2%), by share of residents. Census 2020 ZIP Code Tabulation Areas.
What school district is Poncha Springs in?
Salida School District R-32.
How do I register to vote in Poncha Springs?
In Colorado you can register online until 8 days before Election Day, in person up to and including Election Day, or by mail (postmarked 8 days before). Elections here are run by the Chaffee County Clerk and Recorder. Check your registration at sos.state.co.us.
Sources & dates
Every answer above names its source. Here they are with their dates.
- Water: EPA SDWIS (Envirofacts, pulled Oct 9, 2026), ECHO SDWA 2026Q3, EPA CWS Service Area Boundaries v3.0.
- Power: HIFLD Electric Retail Service Territories (map Aug 2023); EIA-861 final 2025.
- Trash: OpenStreetMap, Geofabrik extract of Oct 9, 2026. © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL).
- ZIP codes: Census 2020 ZCTA relationship files; GeoNames postal codes (CC BY 4.0).
- Schools: NCES Common Core of Data, 2024–25.
- Registration: vote.gov, updated Nov 18, 2024 (read Oct 10, 2026). Official sites and area codes: Wikidata.
- Election office: FVAP local election office directory (fetched Oct 10, 2026; each record dated), EAC EAVS 2024 jurisdictions; registration and lookup links from vote.gov’s state data, checked Oct 10, 2026.
- Internet: FCC National Broadband Map, as of December 2025.