It's no secret Colorado Springs has rights to water from the Arkansas River, but the problem up to this point has been getting the the water to the city.

Now, as the projected Southern Delivery System pipeline from the Pueblo Reservoir to Colorado Springs moves closer to becoming a reality, one of the towns set to benefit from the project, Pueblo West, has filed a lawsuit. The consequences of it are unclear.

According to a Bureau of Reclamation study and recommended plan, the first 800 feet of pipeline would be used by Pueblo West to get their share of the water. Pueblo West officials say, it also recommends they should not have to take part in a Pueblo County program to put water back into the Arkansas River for a downtown water park. However, the county is insisting they do participate in the program.

"We don't understand why Pueblo County has imposed this unnecessary burden on us, because we don't have water to be able to supply for other uses, other than ours. We should be able to have the right to say we can't participate. And i believe we've proven that through some of the science," says Stephen Harrison, Director of Utilities for the Pueablo West Metropolitan District.

Pueblo West also argues their share of the water comes from west of the great divide, and they should not be required to put water into the Arkansas River because their water rights were never part of the rivers original flows.

Because the pipeline would run on federal land, officials in Pueblo West are unsure who has the final say. They are hoping to negotiate a settlement with the county that would allow them to use the pipeline. Pueblo County officials were unavailable to comment, Tuesday.

The current plan to build the pipeline is the one the Bureau of Reclamation feels would impact the environment the least. However, there are six other options for where to build the pipeline, if this preferred location doesn't work out. Pueblo West would like it to remain attached to the Pueblo Reservoir because it will create jobs, and save them money. Estimates put the cost of running their own pipeline from the reservoir to town at $1 million.

Regardless, the pipeline looks like it will eventually be built. That means Colorado Springs and other municipalities along the pipeline will finally get their long awaited share of water.