Creating a beautiful outdoor space that thrives in our high elevation climate while conserving water is both achievable and rewarding. By adopting water-efficient landscaping practices, you can enhance your property's beauty, support local ecosystems, and contribute to our community's water security and conservation goals.
Efficient Outdoor Water Use
Outdoor water use accounts for a significant portion of residential consumption. Roughly 80% of outdoor water use through irrigation does not return directly to a local stream or river. The biggest opportunity to save water (and money) is in reducing your outdoor water use.
There is ample opportunity to use water more wisely:
- Irrigation Scheduling: Follow the outdoor water use schedule (below) based on the last digit of your street address to ensure compliance with water use regulations.
- Use Shutoff Nozzles: Equip hoses with shutoff nozzles to prevent unnecessary water waste. If you are a customer, call Customer Service for your free shutoff hose nozzle.
- No waste: Flagrant runoff or other waste is a violation of the Rules & Regulations and may result in citations and/or fines.
- Pool Maintenance: Limit swimming pool fills to once per year unless necessary for repairs.
- Water Features: Outdoor private water features, such as fountains and artificial ponds, are prohibited in new construction and redevelopment projects.
Responsible Landscaping: Doing More with Less
Maintaining a vibrant, attractive landscape doesn't require high water use. You can have a gorgeous yard full of native, low-water plants that will benefit your property, pollinators, water savings, and your community. Here are some tips for responsible landscaping:
- Optimize Irrigation: Ensure your irrigation system is properly timed and adjusted for the seasons to meet the specific needs of your plants.
- Upgrade Your System: Consider an irrigation evaluation or audit to identify improvements, and upgrade to more efficient technologies like smart controllers.
- Choose Low-Water, Native Plants: Incorporate native, drought-tolerant perennials and vegetation that are well-suited to your property's environment and Colorado's high elevation climate, reducing the need for supplemental watering.
Customer Resources for Success
Take advantage of available resources to enhance your water-efficient landscaping:
- Smart Irrigation for High Elevation: Learn more about seasonal irrigation system care and water saving recommendations tailored for your high elevation neighborhood on our High Elevation Irrigation page.
- Landscape Transformation Incentives: ERWSD no longer administers a landscape transformation rebate program directly. Instead, we collaborate with our partners at the Beyond Lawn Program with the Eagle County Conservation District. Customers interested in rebates for lawn or turf removal can contact Beyond Lawn at [email protected] for more information.
- CSU Native Plant Guides: Explore guides such as "Colorado Mountain Gardening Basics" and "Flowers for Mountain Communities" for plant selection ideas.
By implementing these practices, you can create a sustainable, beautiful outdoor space that reflects your commitment to protecting and conserving our vital water resources.