U.S. Water News Online
DENVER -- Landscaper Eric Schultz pleaded with city water officials to consider the impact on jobs and business if they limited outdoor watering again this year for more than 1 million homes and businesses.
``It's putting a lot of people out of business,'' Schultz, owner of Schultz Industries, said at a packed meeting of Denver Water Board commissioners.
Commissioners said they understood, but with reservoirs at 44 percent capacity, about the same as a year ago, they voted to restrict outdoor watering to two hours twice a week.
Residents who use excess water face surcharges. The rules take effect May 1.
Schultz told commissioners his income declined $1 million last year from $6.5 million, forcing him to lay off 30 workers. The restrictions may prompt more layoffs, he said.
Schultz and other landscapers said the restrictions effectively prohibit new sod or lawn seeding.
Commissioners said the March blizzard that dumped up to 8 feet of snow in many areas was a tremendous boost, but it wasn't enough.
``We went from a question of whether there would be lawn watering to how many times a week,'' said Marc Waage, the board's water resources engineer. ``It made a huge difference for all our customers.''
Other cities along the Front Range have imposed restrictions similar to Denver's.
In Aurora, where reservoir levels are about 25 percent of capacity, residents will be allowed to water twice a week, one hour a day. Planting trees and shrubs is prohibited.
In Colorado Springs, residents will be allowed to water twice a week, up to three hours a day. Pueblo adopted voluntary restrictions, thanks to a near-normal snowpack.
Waage said Denver reservoir levels could increase to 79 percent by July 1 with the runoff from the snowpack, if spring precipitation is average. The estimate is 66 percent if the spring is dry, he said.
Under the new rules, industrial companies, other commercial users and city parks must reduce water consumption to 70 percent of their 2001 use. Golf courses must cut water consumption in half.
The board increased surcharges for violators. The surcharge will range from 25 cents to 75 cents per 1,000 gallons in excess of an allotted amount. That amount depends on the size of the household and the severity of the drought.
Commissioners said they would reassess the situation in May.
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