Questions?
Contact Jeannine Shaw at 303-628-7017.
New proposals for irrigation efficiency contracts
As a result of the current drought, Denver Water will not accept new proposals for the Irrigation Efficiency Program. We have had to switch from conservation programs that will yield savings in the long term, to drought programs that will yield savings immediately. We will revisit the Irrigation Efficiency Program once we are out of drought. Customers still may participate in our rebate program to upgrade irrigation system components that can help save water.
Information for customers currently in an irrigation efficiency contract
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Will customers in an irrigation efficiency contract be exempt from drought restrictions?
No, customers in an irrigation efficiency contract will not be granted any special exemptions and are subject to the same drought restrictions as all of our customers.
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How will the water savings payment for 2013 be measured and paid?
The water savings measurement and payment for 2013 will not change. Even though Denver Water is requiring customers to water less, we understand that we are in a contract in which we have agreed to pay for water savings. This means that if you effectively respond to drought reductions we are asking for, you will receive an increased payment over a typical year in February 2014 for the savings you achieved during the 2013 irrigation season.
The maximum dollar amounts allowed for each contract (Section 4 of contract), however, will not be increased. This means that you will likely receive the full payment from Denver Water sooner than your original contract term estimated.
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How is Denver Water working with large irrigation customers to allow them to most effectively manage landscape and irrigation during drought?
Denver Water has two drought response options available for large irrigation customers.
- Customers may choose to follow Denver Water’s standard drought restrictions that limit watering with automatic irrigation systems to two assigned days per week, Tuesdays and Fridays.
- Large irrigation customers may enroll in our Water Budget Program. The program allows large properties to be exempt from the two-day-a-week drought watering restriction — as long as they cut their use 35 percent. This provides customers with more flexibility, while still meeting demand reductions. That means that instead of the using 18 gallons of water per square foot of irrigated area typically recommended, customers would be asked to irrigate at 12 gallons of water per square foot. If a customer is not meeting the 35 percent reduction (which Denver Water will monitor), they will be removed from the program and must follow Denver Water’s drought restrictions.