Water availability- what do Springs residents think (transplants, sale)

[DrDog]

So do residents think we have enough water or we need to cut back? Is there a shortage?
I know the area is considered high desert, but there is significantly more precipitation here than in Arizona and Southern California.
The reason I ask is that I see most homes have lawns front and rear, and many common areas are covered with grass. What's more, it seems like that grass is very over watered.
So, I would think people should be conservative with water, but I see no evidence of that.
Of course people here are better than Arizona which has minimal rainfall and heavily watered golf courses everywhere.

[mtngigi]

We just had a good rainfall over here on the westside - but the automatic sprinklers on some properties turn on anyway. This makes me crazy.

I agree we should conserve when and wherever possible. Yes we get more rain that AZ, but it's still pretty dry here. Planting Kentucky Bluegrass makes no sense. My house had small red rocks in the front yard when I bought it, and that's still what I have. I have planters for flowers here and there, but I am not interested in trying to grow what is not meant to grow in this region.

[orngkat]

Many neighbors in my little hood have private wells and water their lawns daily. Seems nuts to me but then I came from a place where water restrictions were enforced - drought or not.

[otowi]

Short term we're okay but long term we never are so we should always be conserving.

[Vision67]

All that bluegrass is an opportunity to reduce water demand hugely.

We could pay people to remove it, as Las Vegas did, or make it illegal, like Tucson, or jut keep raising water rates (the current plan) until people get fed up with those super high bills and remove it and do xeriscaping.

Developers use bluegrass because it gives an instant green carpet and it is relatively cheap to install. That makes a quick sale and that is all they care about.

[LHS79]

And just like conserving electricity the more you save (or use) the rates will need to be raised to maintain the utility companies profit margins, which are set by the State.

The more everyone saves, the higher the utility bills will be.

What a country!!

[TCHP]

IMO, we should always be mindful and cut back wherever possible. I've been reducing my lawn size gradually over the last 20 years and it is easily half of what it was when I first bought my home. However, I believe we have so many transplants from other areas that love the low COL, that water rates to maintain such a swath of grass are inconsequential to a large % of people. To see the contrast of that, spend some time driving around east of Circle Dr or Union Blvd in the central and southern parts of town were $$ is a bigger concern and you will see yard after yard of dirt and weeds.

We need some grass. Parks and common areas in larger, newer developments do need it. But I believe that even if these systems are installed with rain meters wired into irrigation systems, it will be only the occasional storm that dumps enough water to shut off the system. The sun and dryness in between storms is sufficient to override such controls more often than not. For personal yards, I'd bet most over watered areas are where owners simply don't know how to measure adequate water methods and set their system and forget it. Some wholesale education could gain a lot of mileage here, but again, if the family has a six figure income, I bet they don't spend much thought about it and simple chug forward.

The Southern Delivery System was implemented with the thought of supporting 2% population growth in the county through 2030. The team that manages that is also searching to diversify the water portfolio for growth beyond that i.e. they are trying to buy up water rights from other areas. In many cases, the western slope of Colorado but also renegotiation of rights downstream in Kansas and Oklahoma and Texas.

Drilling wells isn't the answer either. All that underground water can be depleted as well and water levels are dropping and some older, shallower wells are now dry. Plus, the size of the aquifers underneath us mean we are taping into the same water sources as Douglas County and other points north and east, which are growing as well.

Want to become rich, become a water attorney.

[Vision67]

Originally Posted by LHS79

And just like conserving electricity the more you save (or use) the rates will need to be raised to maintain the utility companies profit margins, which are set by the State.

The more everyone saves, the higher the utility bills will be.

What a country!!

It's why they're called "futility bills".

[colobill]

Originally Posted by LHS79

And just like conserving electricity the more you save (or use) the rates will need to be raised to maintain the utility companies profit margins, which are set by the State.

The more everyone saves, the higher the utility bills will be.

What a country!!

Add to that, the hoa's that require grass and don't allow xeriscape! Reminds me of the hoa's in Mountain Shadows area that were requiring wood shake shingles on the roof. It took the fire marshal to pass an ordinance banning wood shake shingles to stop them. Why is it that several minds working together seem to get dumber?

[LHS79]

Agree 100%!

I am very happy I xeriscaped during the drought in 2001-2003 and my water bills have been pretty low, but with the rate increases I see less and less of a benefit. I do have to spend more time pruning and weeding but I enjoy the different blooms each month and if you stick to native plants you can turn off the drip system once everything is well established.

Colorado actually passed laws during that drought because HOA's were mandating grass when many wanted to switch to xeriscape. Now HOA's have to allow it:

New Homeowners Association (HOA) Laws in Colorado | Nolo.com