Water Conservation & Outdoor Irrigation Tips
As we leave one of the driest winters on record, and enter into a potential dry spring and summer season, we are asking each of our members to please help us make every drop count and to conserve water usage whenever possible. Did you know …Typically, outside irrigation use accounts for almost 40% of Colorado's municipal water used. Our Fee Structure was initially created to encourage our members to use less water. The use tiers are designated by volume ofwater used, so the tier you fall in is entirely in your control. As your water use increases, so does the per 1,000 gallons of water used cost. A rate change took effect in January 2026, with an increase in the cost of the per 1,000 gallons of water used in 4th tier fee structure. Any water used in the 4th tier will now be billed at $18.00 per 1,000 gallons. A few recommended conservation tips include:
• Review your water bill each month - Familiarize yourself with your average monthly water use. If you notice a change in your monthly consumption, please contact our office as soon as possible. We will dispatch our operators to obtain a 96-day datalog which contains use history from your meter and will help pinpoint any issues that may be occurring.
• Regularly check your toilets - a running toilet and cast up to 200 gallons of water or more each day. If you can’t hear water running but are unsure, a simple and effective step you can it is to put drops of food coloring in your toilet water tank. After letting it sit, if the water in your toilet bowl starts showing a hint of the color from the tank, your toilet is slowly leaking and it may be time for a repair.
• Regularly check hose bibs and frost frees in your yard - at one drip per second, a faucet can leak 3,000 gallons in a year.
• Turn your faucets off when brushing your teeth and save up to 2 gallons of water a minute.
• Learn about 100 Ways to Conserve Water Here
• Learn more about your irrigation system and how to manage it by:
• Learning where your irrigation system controls are located, and how to set or modify your irrigation schedule.
• Watering 2–3 times a week vs daily. Heavily watering, but watering less frequently helps the roots of the grass become stronger by growing deeper. Roots that are saturated by over watering may turn grass yellow.
• adjusting your watering schedule based on the time of year and weather and by not watering when it is windy or raining.
• watering between 10 am and 6 pm and 10am when evaporation is generally the lowest.
• making sure you aren’t wasting water by letting your sprinklers spray concrete sidewalks or driveways.
• Mowing your lawn a day or two after you water. A lawn mowed at 3” is more drought tolerant than a lawn mowed at 2”. Only remove 1/3rd of the grass blade at a time to help minimize stress
• Considering Xeriscaping your yard to reduce the need for irrigation. Install low-volume micro-irrigation for gardens, trees, and shrubs. Plant native grass, flowers and shrubs - follow these links for more ideas:
Flowers for Mountain Communities (PDF) Xeriscaping Perennials and Annual Flowers (PDF)
Irrigation systems need regular maintenance to keep them working efficiently year after year. Damage from lawn equipment or improper winterization can cause leaks and other serious problems that can cost you a significant amount of wasted water. Here are a few checks to perform on a monthly, yearly or periodic basis to make sure you’re maximizing your investment.
Monthly
Adjust sprinkler heads. Remove or correct obstructions that prevent sprinklers from distributing water evenly. Adjust sprinkler head positions and spray patterns to avoid watering sidewalks or structures and to provide necessary clearance over growing plants.
Check the pressure. Pressure can change over time and negatively affect your system’s efficiency. Too high of pressure can result in too much water applied too quickly, causing runoff.
Inspect your system for leaks. Leaks are a huge water waster. A good contractor can perform regular maintenance checks for leaks, broken or clogged spray heads, and other problems. Ask your contractor to show you common problems to watch for between visits.
Annually
Winterize in colder climates. An irrigation contractor with specialized equipment will flush out water that could freeze and crack pipes, valves and sprinklers. It’s easy to overlook this type of maintenance but forgoing it could result in costly damage to your system.
Periodically
Have your system audited. Hire a professional to conduct an irrigation audit and uniformity test to verify areas are being watered evenly and appropriately. Make necessary adjustments.
High-value upgrades
Rain/freeze sensors. These inexpensive sensors can be retrofitted to almost any system and help save water by turning your system off in rainy weather.
“Smart” controllers. Weather- or soil moisture-based controllers evaluate weather or soil moisture conditions and then automatically adjust the irrigation schedule to meet the specific needs of the landscape. These controllers take the guesswork out of watering your landscape, thus saving water over time.
This information was provided by the Irrigation Association's Smart Irrigation Month celebration.
With your help and a proactive approach, it is possible to conserve this precious resource we all depend on, together.