Erie_WCPlan_50%PR

• Water Efficiency Grant Type: Water Conservation Planning Grant
• Applicant: Town of Erie
• Project Name: Town of Erie Water Conservation Plan
• Title: 50% Progress Report
• Date: 4/9/2007
• County: Weld
• Water Efficiency - Doc Type: Interim Reports

Use of Reclaimed Water for Irrigation
Erie's non-potable water supply consists of raw water and reuse of reclaimed water.
The most significant benefit from a water conservation perspective is the reuse of
reclaimed water3. The reuse of reclaimed water reduces the amount of first-use water
needed to meet irrigation needs. Colorado water law stipulates what type of water
rights may be recaptured and reused. Erie is legally allowed to reuse their Windy
Gap (Table 2-1) return flows4 to exhaustion. This means that Windy Gap water rights
may be reused a repeated number of times. Each time a certain amount of water is
consumed, the remainder is captured for reuse. Through each cycle the amount of
water available for reuse decreases until there is not any water available for reuse,
hence the point of "exhaustion" is reached. All of Erie's remaining water rights are
limited to a one-time use.

Erie currently uses non-potable water for irrigation at the Erie Commons and Vista
Ridge developments. Since 2002, Erie has reduced their irrigation water needs by
reusing an annual average of 220 AFY of reclaimed water on Vista Ridge. Reclaimed
water will also likely be used at Erie Commons in the near future.

Policy on Landscape Design
Erie's 2006 Uniform Development Code (UDC) encourages low water use
landscaping designs. According to the UDC, "landscape improvements shall be
designed with water efficiency as a major goal." The UDC recommends that the
following items be incorporated into landscape designs to facilitate water
conserva tion:

· " Appropriate turf selection to minimize the use of bluegrass;

· Use of mulch to maintain soil moisture and reduce evaporation;

· Zoning of plant materials according to their microclimate needs and water
requirements;

· Improvement of the soil with organic matter is needed;

· Efficient irrigation systems;

· Proper maintenance and irrigation schedules; and

· Recirculation of water for decorative water features" (UDC 2006).

Erie's Standards and Specifications for Parks and Recreation Construction also
addresses water wise landscaping for parks, recreational facilities, and large common
HOA areas. An appropriate amount of organic soil is required for all newly
developed turf and native seeded areas. Mulch application is also required for native
seeding. Both of these practices improve the soil's ability to retain soil moisture,
reducing the amount of needed irrigation.

3 Reclaimed water is treated wastewater. This water is treated to state water quality standards prior to
discharge into streams.
4 Return flows refers to water that drains into the streams following irrigation and water that is delivered
to wastewater treatment plant(s) following use.

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