DENVER (KDVR) — Aurora will now operate under Stage 1 water availability and expect homeowners to scale back on lawn care. Meanwhile, Denver is not planning any restrictions.
When under Stage 1 restrictions, Aurora property owners should only water lawns twice per week from May 1 to Sept. 30 and never between 10 a.m. and 6 p.m.
Denver Water has permanent restrictions that allow homeowners to water three days a week. Spokesperson Todd Hartman said he does not expect any changes to those rules in the months ahead.
“At this point in early March, our reservoirs are 82% full. If we continue to get more snow, we expect those to fill,” Hartman said.
Despite snowy season, water basins in duress
Aurora has “a reservoir situation a little different than ours right now,” Hartman said. “Aurora pulls a significant amount of water from the Arkansas Basin, which is having a tough year.”
Denver Water gets water from the Colorado River Basin and the South Platte River Basin.
“Half of our supplies comes from the Colorado River Basin, which is doing really well this year,” Hartman said.
Still, climate scientists have found that drought, climate change and overuse have put the Colorado River Basin in a dire situation in the long term. So water cutbacks might not be so far in the future.
Hartman encourages water users to be mindful of water use and not to be wasteful.
“Just because we’ve had a good winter doesn’t mean you can be thoughtless with your water usage,” Hartman said.
“The less you pour the more you store, right?” Hartman said.