Compared to the rest of the United States, the level of precipitation in Colorado is meager (Planning for Drought, Colorado Water Conservation Board, May 2000). According to a recent study done for Pitkin County (Kolm et. al., Development of GIS-Based Ground Water Resources Evaluation of the Upper and Middle Roaring Fork Valley Area, Pitkin County, 2005), precipitation in Pitkin County ranges from 13 inches in the valley floor to 55 inches of precipitation near Maroon Peak.

For comparison, many places in the eastern U.S. get more than 100 inches of annual precipitation and parts of Oregon and Washington receive more than 160 inches annually (USDA-Natural Resource Conservation Service website, updated 2005).

There are many things that we can do on a daily basis to conserve water, leaving more in our streams and rivers for recreation, wildlife and the overall health of our environment. Click Here for simple water saving suggestions. 

Low Volume Appliances

Older and inefficient appliances account for most of the water use in a house. Replacing or repairing old or leaky appliances will save water and money for homeowners. New construction and remodels in Pitkin County are required to accumulate a certain number of "building efficiency points" for resource conservation.

Please see the Pitkin County Building Department for details on this program. Voluntary upgrades are always welcome and questions should be directed to Jim Austin by calling 970-920-5359.

Wells & Septic Systems

Even if you are drawing your water from a well, you can save money by conserving water. The water in the ground may not come with a monthly bill, but the more water you use, the more gas or electricity it takes to pump and heat that water. If you are treating your water, your treatment system will last longer if you are running less water through it. By withdrawing less water from the ground, you are returning less dirty water into your onsite wastewater treatment system and ultimately less into the natural environment. The more times you use an inefficient toilet, the more quickly your septic system fills and the more frequently you have to pump it clean.

Go to the American Water Works Association Water Wiser webpage for many great tools to make your home more efficient and your water related bills (i.e., gas, electric, septic system pumping) lower.

Xeriscape Landscaping

In addition to water efficient appliances, there is a lot you can do on the exterior of your house to save water and earn "building efficiency points" toward your required total for new construction and remodels in Pitkin County.

Landscape watering represents a significant portion of consumed treated water in the summer months. Xeriscaping reduces home water use dramatically, provides a low-maintenance landscape and reduces the grass-clipping impact on local landfills. Most landscape contractors are capable of xeriscaping and irrigation. For a list of drought-tolerant plantings refer to The Rocky Mountain Plant Guide, available at most nurseries. This guide is not intended to be exhaustive or necessarily specific to all areas and climates. Consultation from a landscape architect, nursery and/or a landscape professional is recommended.

Jim Austin in the Pitkin County Building Department, can assist you with your questions related to Xeriscape ideas and options. He can be reached at 970-920-5359. For general information on county guidelines please see the Building Department page.

The State of Colorado has produced a drought planning document with statistics on water use.