SMWSA is committed to fostering conservation, development, and protection of Colorado's water for present and future generations. Internally, SMWSA is nearing its goal of increasing water reuse and recycling to nearly 90 percent.  By following the benchmarks set by the 2007 Regional Water Master Plan, SMWSA is shooting to more than double its recycled water usage by 2030 – from 11,900 acre-feet to 24,000 acre-feet annually.

DCWRA’s Pilot Sprinkler Retrofit Program

In July 2010, the Douglas County Water Resource Authority (DCWRA) embarked on a pilot study to retrofit sprinkler heads with water saving devices. The program hired three students from Douglas County to work under two supervisors to educate homeowners and retrofit their sprinkler system for greater water efficiency. The sprinkler heads chosen are anticipated to be 30 percent more efficient than the standard.

In August 2010, the students returned to school after completing work retrofitting the sprinkler systems of over 40 yards in Douglas County. At the September 2010 meeting of the Colorado Water Conservation Board (CWCB), DCWRA was awarded a $250,000 grant to retrofit 1,000 yards with the water saving sprinkler heads in 20111.

Town of Castle Rock’s Renewable
Water Project Underway

The Town of Castle Rock wants to establish a renewable, sustainable water supply that meets 75 percent of the annual demand when built-out. With this objective in mind, the Town has kicked off preliminary designs for its Renewable Water Project. The goal is to capture its available water rights locally (tributary surface water, re-useable effluent and lawn irrigation flows) from East and West Plum Creek.

At the heart of this project is the proposed Plum Creek Water Purification Facility (WPF). This new surface-water treatment plant will provide advanced treatment utilizing a low-pressure membrane system to meet current and future regulatory requirements and the Town's water quality goals. Initially, the WPF will be equipped to treat four million gallons per day. As the Town grows and available reusable return flows increase, the WPF may be expanded up to 10 million gallons per day.

The source water for the WPF will likely be from alluvial well fields located along East Plum Creek from the south end of town, all the way north to just downstream of the Plum Creek Wastewater Authority's wastewater treatment plant discharge. The water will then be pumped to the WPF for treatment and distribution. The Renewable Water Project is slated to be online ahead of the irrigation season in 2013 and will take the Town's water supply from 100 percent nonrenewable to 60 percent nonrenewable and 40 percent renewable.

Castle Pines North Metropolitan District
Gets Serious About Conservation

In 2006, the Castle Pines North Metropolitan District completed a Water Conservation Plan with the help of a $30,000 grant from the Colorado Water Conservation Board. The District relies on 10 wells that pump groundwater from the Denver Basin. The District established a four-tiered water rate structure that charges customers more when allotted usages are exceeded. It also offered rebates for water conservation items, both indoors and outdoors.

In 2007, the District purchased a Centralized Irrigation Flow Management System for controlling the precise amount of water to be applied to large grass areas, such as parks. The system also detects leaks and automatically shuts off the water zones. Also that year, a leak detection system was established for the District’s main water and raw water lines.

In 2009, a home-audit program was established. Also removing blue grass and installing xeriscaping plant materials, helped to renovate several medians. All of these efforts led to stabilizing water usage, more educated customers and fewer customers paying Tier-4 water rates. In 2009, the District paid out more that $20,000 in rebates.