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Water restrictions help firefighting efforts
Castle Rock will continue to impose watering restrictions on residents not so much because those restrictions save water, but because they safeguard supplies for firefighting during the peak demand season, utilities department officials said.
By By: Susan Dage-Ruby
Castle Rock will continue to impose watering restrictions on residents not so much because those restrictions save water, but because they safeguard supplies for firefighting during the peak demand season, utilities department officials said.
Since the mid-1980s, Castle Rock has implemented a watering schedule that allows residents to irrigate their lawns every three days, said Billie Owens, utilities program analyst for the town.
Although the restrictions save water compared with municipalities that have no watering restrictions, they sometimes result in needles watering, said Ron Redd, director of utilities for Castle Rock.
Residents often will water their lawns despite rains the day before, or they will water on high-wind days, because they think they have to water on their watering days.
"Denver and Aurora are just now implementing the [same] watering schedule. They haven't learned what we know," Redd said about people's watering habits.
Denver and Aurora implemented similar schedules last summer.
Nearly 50 percent of the water used during the summer months in Castle Rock goes on lawns, Owens said Thursday in a presentation to the Castle Rock Planning Commission.
The water discussion was part of the utilities department presentation of the first draft of new landscape regulations.
"The regulations are a foundation for the way we want to proceed," Owens said. "This is a dynamic document and will continue to be revised."
The landscape regulations, if approved by the Castle Rock Town Council, will also include a method for certifying landscapers and subcontractors who show they know the town's regulations.
"I like the idea of certifying landscape professionals," said Sandy Vossler, planning commission chairman. "This is exciting. Having all the regulations in one document, what a concept."
To educate the public about the regulations, the utilities department might provide information at garden centers, hardware stores and via the town's planning department, Owens said.
Members of the department who worked on the regulations have already been to some civic groups and plan on presenting the proposed changes to homeowners associations, said Jay Beeton, communications manager for the town.
"During the [Castle Rock] Chamber of Commerce Expo, the town's booth will be dedicated to water conservation," Beeton said.
The Expo is from 1-7 p.m., March 28, and from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., March 29, at the Douglas County Events Center, at 500 Fairgrounds Drive.
Since the mid-1980s, Castle Rock has implemented a watering schedule that allows residents to irrigate their lawns every three days, said Billie Owens, utilities program analyst for the town.
Although the restrictions save water compared with municipalities that have no watering restrictions, they sometimes result in needles watering, said Ron Redd, director of utilities for Castle Rock.
Residents often will water their lawns despite rains the day before, or they will water on high-wind days, because they think they have to water on their watering days.
"Denver and Aurora are just now implementing the [same] watering schedule. They haven't learned what we know," Redd said about people's watering habits.
Denver and Aurora implemented similar schedules last summer.
Nearly 50 percent of the water used during the summer months in Castle Rock goes on lawns, Owens said Thursday in a presentation to the Castle Rock Planning Commission.
The water discussion was part of the utilities department presentation of the first draft of new landscape regulations.
"The regulations are a foundation for the way we want to proceed," Owens said. "This is a dynamic document and will continue to be revised."
The landscape regulations, if approved by the Castle Rock Town Council, will also include a method for certifying landscapers and subcontractors who show they know the town's regulations.
"I like the idea of certifying landscape professionals," said Sandy Vossler, planning commission chairman. "This is exciting. Having all the regulations in one document, what a concept."
To educate the public about the regulations, the utilities department might provide information at garden centers, hardware stores and via the town's planning department, Owens said.
Members of the department who worked on the regulations have already been to some civic groups and plan on presenting the proposed changes to homeowners associations, said Jay Beeton, communications manager for the town.
"During the [Castle Rock] Chamber of Commerce Expo, the town's booth will be dedicated to water conservation," Beeton said.
The Expo is from 1-7 p.m., March 28, and from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., March 29, at the Douglas County Events Center, at 500 Fairgrounds Drive.
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