Castle Rock is expanding a popular program aimed at conserving
water and saving money.
Town council approved three new ways for residents to benefit
from its water conservation rebate program, a part of the Water
Resource Strategic Master Plan adopted in 2006. In addition to the
existing smart sprinkler controllers, high-efficiency clothes
washers and three-day irrigation timers, Castle Rock officials
decided June 9 to start doling out rain sensors and sprinkler head
rotary nozzles, as well as offering incentives for reducing the
amount of water-guzzling plants and grass in their yard.
Residents can be reimbursed for half the cost of a $50 rain
sensor, an electronic device that determines whether watering is
needed and relays information back to the control system.
Homeowners can earn up to $200 in rebates by installing rotary
nozzles, and commercial customers can receive a return of
$2,000.
“We have asked residents to conserve water, and the town should
support their efforts by offering rebates,” said mayor Randy Reed.
“By incorporating conservation measures, they’ll not only receive a
rebate and conserve water, but they also should see smaller water
bills.”
Town council eliminated the need to increase water rates for
customers this year by trimming back expenditures, including
cutting vacant positions, eliminating pay raises for 2010 and
imposing three mandatory unpaid days for utility employees.
Town manager Mark Stevens said council members were “less than
pleased” when they learned a few months ago about the possible need
to increase rates at the end of 2009 and again in 2010.
“That’s all part of the package to not have a rate increase for
the balance of this year and to moderate the necessary rate
increase for 2010,” Stevens said.
Smartscape renovation rewards residents by offering $1 for every
square foot of high-water-use plants that are removed up to 1,500
square feet. Some residents complained that the plan does not allow
for flexibility in specific low-water-usage landscaping, but
assistant utilities director Rick Wilkey said they will evaluate
concerns on a case-by-case basis.
The strategic master plan asks residents to decrease water use
by 18 percent, from 165 to 135 gallons per capita per day.
Widespread cooperation could result in a savings of about $100
million over the next 50 years. Many municipalities are employing
conservation efforts because of the overall long-term benefits.
“It’s the best investment we’ll make as compared to buying new
water and new water infrastructure,” Wilkey said. “Anything we can
do along those lines is very much of a positive.”
The rebates are funded by the previous year’s residential water
conservation and water restriction violation surcharges, which
earned $191,000 for in 2009 rebates by assessing a fee to customers
who exceeded 30,000 gallons of water per month. The surcharge,
which now has a threshold of 40,000 gallons per month, precludes
the need to raise rates and fees. Rebates are issued on a
first-come, first-served basis while funding is available.
Since its inception, the rebate program has had an overwhelming
response from the community, said Heather Beasley, town water
resource engineer. The high-efficiency washer program has been the
most popular, with almost 2,100 rebates being issued since
2006.
For more information about the rebate program, call the town
utilities department, 720-733-6000.
Rebates