Water Conservation

The city partners with Resource Central to offer community members water conservation program elements, including turf removal, Garden-in-a-Box kits, WaterWise Seminars and irrigation audits to help manage outdoor water use. This partnership enables the city to offer its water customers discounts on Resource Central's programs. For more information visit resourcecentral.org.

Nearly one trillion gallons of water are wasted each year in U.S. homes in preventable ways. The average household leaks almost 10,000 gallons of water per year, or the amount of water it takes to wash 300 loads of laundry.

Many common household leaks are quick to find and easy to fix. In just 10 minutes, you can search your home for leaks that lead to water waste.

The City of Boulder is currently updating the Water Efficiency Plan (WEP). This plan provides guidance for implementing the city’s Water Conservation Program in a way that is compatible with the city’s water supply system, the Colorado Water Plan, adopted water conservation goals, water resources management strategy, and community values.

Be Engaged!
In April 2023, we launched an engagement campaign to gather information on how community members use water, value water and where the city should focus its efforts around water conservation. While the questionnaire has closed, we'll be back later this year with what we learned and the updated Water Efficiency Plan.

There are many ways to reduce outdoor water use, such as landscaping with plants that don't require much water, creating pollinator habitat and limiting the use of pollutants. Follow these water conservation tips.

Are you prone to setting your irrigation system at the beginning of each season and then 'forget' about it until it's time to blow it out in the fall? Don't Set It And Forget It!

The city utilizes water budgets for determining how much water each user account is allotted per year for irrigation. Click on the link below the image for more information.

Click to learn how to Understand your water bill

In June 2022, the Colorado General Assembly passed House Bill 1151 to encourage landscapes that use plants with lower water needs, and to create a program to incentivize the voluntary replacement of irrigated turf.

The next update on the program is expected in July 2023. Learn more on the state's website.

• When and How to Water Your Yard fact sheet from GreenCO explains how to water your yard the right amount
• How Your Sprinkler System Can Save Water fact sheet from GreenCO explains how you can program your irrigation system to be more water efficient and maintain a healthy landscape
• Yard and Garden Tips on Colorado State University Extension's website has great tips and resources for any type of landscape.
• Choose the Right Lawn on Northern Water's website can guide you in identifying what is the best seed for where your lawn is located and how it's used.

• Rain Barrels are now legal in Colorado as of August 10, 2016. This House Bill 16-1005, was signed into law by Governor John Hickenlooper on May 12, 2016 and outlines the following key requirements:

  • Maximum of two rain barrels with a combined capacity of 110 gallons.
  • Permitted on single family or small multifamily (less than 4 units) properties.
  • Use sealable lid and screens to help prevent mosquito breeding and address water quality concerns.
  • Water collected from roofs can only be used for outdoor purposes.
  • Untreated rainwater is not safe to drink. Monthly draining is recommended.
• Resource Central Waterwise Gardens in a Box: these kits take the guesswork out of selecting which plants work well together and we even include plant by number maps to help design your new xeriscape. When you remove unused areas of thirsty lawn and replace them with our waterwise gardens you can ultimately reduce the amount of water used on your landscape!

• Restaurants should only serve water when asked.
• Have your system checked for leaks and get them repaired.
• Teach water awareness to employees.
• Use one glass per employee per day to cut down on dirty dishes.
• Install toilet dams or displacement devices to cut down on the amount of water needed for each flush. Put an inch or two of sand or pebbles in the bottom of a quart or larger container and fill the rest of the container with water. Put the cap on and place the bottle in your toilet tank, safely away from the operating mechanism. The container will save on each flush without impairing the efficiency of the toilet.
• Check your toilets for leaks. Put a few drops of food coloring in the tank. If the coloring begins to appear in the bowl without flushing, you have a leak that should be repaired immediately. Even a small leak can waste thousands of gallons.
• Install low-flow shower heads in shower facilities.
• Use high-efficiency equipment and appliances.
• Don't use or install ornamental water features unless they recycle water.
• Start a conservation program.
• Know where your water gets used. It is important to know how much water is being used for each of your firm's industrial processes and/or domestic needs. Monitor your water bills to see how you're doing.
• Get your business PACE certified! PACE (Partners for a Clean Environment) recognizes businesses that implement conservation methods.