Goals
- Responsible Use: To reduce per capita total water use in Golden by at least 15% by 2030.
- Drought Planning: To develop a resiliency plan by 2020 to prepare for at time where Golden’s and Colorado’s climate may be substantially warmer and drier than it is today.
- Resource Recovery: To develop and implement a plan by 2020 where Golden’s surplus water is used effectively not only to manage the cost of water and sewer services, but to enhance the environment in Golden and elsewhere in our watershed. And to recover resources from the city’s wastewater by 2030.
How is Golden achieving these goals?
The City of Golden is dedicated to raising awareness of the importance of water conservation and helping its residents use water more efficiently.
There are many simple ways that you can increase your water savings by using water more efficiently in your home and yard. One of the easiest ways is to sign up for AquaHawk Alerting, a free daily monitoring service for City of Golden water customers that allows you to understand your water usage and more effectively manage it.
Please refer to the Water Conservation and Efficiency story map for additional resources.
Annual City-Wide Water Use Metrics
The City of Golden runs a yearly audit of the water distribution system using the American Water Works Association water audit software. View the metrics relating the efficiency of the system in the annual audit reports.
Waste of Water Ordinance (WOW)
Golden, along with the rest of Colorado, is vulnerable to climate change, aridification, and drought conditions that may adversely impact our water supply.
The Waste of Water Ordinance, adopted by City Council in April 2023, outlines ways residents and businesses can prevent wasting water and lists allowable and prohibited outdoor uses.
This ordinance is one of several ways the City hopes to meet the water saving goal adopted by the Community Sustainability Advisory Board (CSAB) and Council in 2019 to reduce per capita water use in Golden by at least 15% by 2030.
Enforcement of the new rules will begin May 1, 2024, and is expected to include financial penalties for violations. Until enforcement begins, the Water Department and city staff will provide support and education to the community about the new rules including emails, letters and door hangers when water wastage is observed.
Allowable Outdoor Irrigation Uses
- Outdoor irrigation is allowed anytime between October 1 & April 30.
- Hand watering of gardens, annual, and perennial plants using an automatic shut off valve is allowed anytime.
- Drip irrigation of gardens, annual, and perennial plants (except turfgrass) is allowed at any time.
- Automatic sprinkler irrigation is allowed up to three (3) days per week between the hours of 6 p.m. and 10 a.m.
- Hand watering of gardens, annual, and perennial plants using an automatic shut off valve is allowed anytime.
- Drip irrigation of gardens, annual, and perennial plants (except turfgrass) is allowed at any time.
Prohibited Activities
- Allowing city irrigation water to pool or run off into the stormwater collection and conveyance system, regardless of month or time of day.
- Irrigating turfgrass, gardens, annuals, or perennial species using an automated or manual sprinkler between May 1 and September 30, more than three days a week, or between the hours of 10 a.m. and 6 p.m.
- Failing to repair leaks, including leaks on irrigation systems, as required by the Golden Municipal Code.
Outdoor Watering Best Practices
- Fine tune irrigation systems by eliminating overspray onto cement and the street.
- Wait to start watering until May. Leave lawn dormant a little longer than usual and hand water trees if necessary. Brown spots on the grass are okay!
- Let your grass grow longer between mowings.
- Use the cycle and soak method to irrigate and adjust watering time each month. You can watch a short video about how to implement cycle and soak.
- Check sprinkler system at the beginning of each month and adjust the time.
- Avoid watering during high winds and after rain.
- Repair sprinkler system leaks and breaks, or turn off system.
- Sign up for AquaHawk Alerting and monitor your account for leaks, breaks and unusual use.
- Utilize City water conservation programs such as Garden In A Box, free irrigation audits (Slow the Flow), and our annual water-wise landscaping seminars.
Water Conservation Programs
Creating a Water Conscious Yard is Easier than You Think!
Many Golden residents have already made the switch from water-thirsty turf lawns to beautiful, pollinator-friendly, xeric gardens. These turf replacement projects can be done by anyone with the right resources and know-how– without needing to spend thousands of dollars to hire a professional. Check out how the Golden Neighborhood Transformation program helped a 2019 participant transform a portion of their lawn into a thriving Xeriscape garden.
Resource Central’s latest effort to promote conservation within our communities can be found at WaterwiseYards.org. This DIY, community hub is brimming with local resources and inspiration from local people transforming their landscapes from lawns to low-water gardens.
Lawn Replacement Program
Golden is offering a discounted rate to its water customers who replace their irrigated lawns with waterwise gardens through our water conservation program partner, Resource Central.
About the Program
- Discount good for up to $500 per project
- Discount may be applied toward having your irrigated turf removed by Resource Central AND/OR toward Resource Central waterwise Garden In A Box kits. Or you may remove the turf yourself and use the discount towards Resource Centrals waterwise Garden In A Box kits.
- Discounts are available on a first-come, first-served basis
Program Requirements
- A minimum of 200 square feet of irrigated turfgrass to be removed is required to participate in the program
- An application is required to be accepted as a participant in the program (join the Interest List to be notified when the application opens)
- Spring application has a priority deadline of April 1, 2024
- Late summer application has a priority deadline of June 14, 2024
- “Before” pictures need to be included with submission of the application and “after” pictures must be submitted to demonstrate project completion.
- If the turf is removed BEFORE applying and being accepted to the program, the property WILL NOT qualify for a discount.
Please follow these Erosion Control Measures during the landscape conversion.
For more information or to be added to the interest list, please visit resourcecentral.org/lawn.
Slow the Flow – Free Sprinkler System Inspections
What is Slow the Flow Colorado?
- Online: Complete the request form online.
- Phone: 303-999-3824
- Email: water@resourcecentral.org
A limited number of inspections are available – sign up early!
3. Schedule an Inspection
Upon receipt of your request you will be contacted to set up an individual 1-hour appointment with a trained water auditor at your home.
Garden In A Box
Big lawns are out, and beautiful low-water perennials are in; join the waterwise movement! Every spring, the City of Golden and Resource Central offer an easy, fun and affordable way to create beautiful, water-conserving gardens through the purchase of a Garden In A Box kit.
Kits go on sale each March.
The City of Golden offers a limited number of $25 discounts to their customers. Gardens start at $79 and are competitively priced. Find the perfect garden for your unique space. For more inspiration, go to waterwiseyards.org.
Garden In A Box, a selection of professionally designed, perennial gardens that use Xeric (low water) plants, offers residents a simple approach to an eye-catching yard. These affordable, do-it-yourself garden kits come with starter plants, a Plant and Care Guide, and plant-by-number maps. Gardens are offered by City of Golden in partnership with Resource Central in support of our community’s commitment to water conservation.
Xeriscape (ZEER-i-scape) is not one particular style, but an attractive, sustainable and water-efficient landscape based on seven water-saving principles.
Why Xeriscape?
Located in a semi-arid region, Xeriscape is important to Golden. About 50 percent of our water is used for watering gardens and lawns, but a well-planned Xeriscape reduces water use by up to 60 percent.
Garden Design
Golden’s Xeriscape demonstration garden features plants with a variety of colors and seasonal interest. The demonstration gardens were created with garden kits from Resource Central’s Garden in a Box program.
Learn more about the program and specific information about each garden by viewing a Demonstration Garden Story Map, showcasing the different Garden In A Box kits available.
City of Golden Parks Xeriscape Demonstration Garden
Xeriscape (ZEER-i-scape) is not one particular style, but an attractive, sustainable and water-efficient landscape based on seven water-saving principles.
Why Xeriscape?
Located in a semi-arid region, Xeriscape is important to Golden. About 50 percent of our water is used for watering gardens and lawns, but a well-planned Xeriscape reduces water use by up to 60 percent.
Garden Design
Golden’s Xeriscape demonstration garden features plants with a variety of colors and seasonal interest. The demonstration gardens were created with garden kits from Resource Central’s Garden in a Box program.
Learn more about the program and specific information about each garden by viewing a Demonstration Garden Story Map, showcasing the different Garden In A Box kits available.
Public Fruit Orchard
On August 2, 2012, student volunteers from local schools and foreign exchange students from Prague, Czech Republic, planted fruit trees and water conserving shrubs as part of a water-wise educational area at the Golden Public Works Building. A local chapter of CISV International, which focuses on bringing students from around the globe together to focus on sustainability and being good stewards of the earth, provided the volunteer teens.
Fourteen youths, ages 13 to 15, including Bell Middle School student and Golden resident, Noah Ewers, helped to plant plum, cherry, apricot, and apple trees along a pathway from the Golden Community Center to the Community Garden. The area also features other native, xeric, or low-water shrubs and grasses and water-efficient non-potable drip irrigation. The fruit trees are available to the public for picking fruit when ripe. Residents are encouraged to stroll through the area and learn about climate-wise landscapes in Golden.
Native Revegetation
Native grasses honor our local landscape. They are adapted to our natural conditions and don’t require additional irrigation, fertilizer or maintenance once established. Care should be used when shopping for grass and wildflower seed. The seed mixes found at many stores contain introduced species, many of which are aggressive and can displace native vegetation. Make sure all species are listed and do not contain invasive species.
Local Seed Sources
- Applewood Seed Company – 303-431-7333
- Pawnee Buttes Seed, Inc. – 1-800-782-5947
- Western Native Seed – 719-942-3935
Xeriscape Gardening
We live in a semi-arid climate, with extreme temperatures, intense sunshine, high winds, and an annual average rainfall of approximately 16 inches. Despite these challenges, it is possible to have a beautiful and inspired landscape.
Over the past several years, “Xeriscape” has become a popular word. It is derived from the Greek word “xeros”, meaning “dry” and combined with landscape, to mean water efficient landscape design and practice. This gardening strategy allows you to create and maintain a varied and colorful landscape plan that uses drought tolerant and adapted plants. The term is often used to describe water efficient, water wise, or water conservative landscaping, but should not be misunderstood as “zeroscaping.”
The goal of using less water in your landscape is accomplished by tailoring a design to match your needs with the environmental conditions of your yard. Following a water conservative design leaves water available for other beneficial uses, in addition to reflecting significant savings on your water bill. Maybe it’s time to try something new!
The “Keep it Simple” Landscaping Basics
There are seven basic steps to successful water efficient landscaping. If you are planning on doing the work yourself, remember to keep things simple and set realistic goals for yourself.
1. Develop an overall practical design.
Incorporate rocks, drift wood, paths and high and low areas for variety. Think about what you want and why. How do you use your yard? What special features does it have? The time you put into this step will save you time later.
2. Be aware of your soil types and amend if necessary.
Native plant materials do not require rich soil but adding organic matter to soil boosts its capacity to hold moisture. This is a great place to put your compost to work.
3. Determine turf areas and most appropriate turf types for your design.
Try mixing miniature bulbs in your buffalo grass areas for early spring color.
4. Choose drought resistant plant materials.
There are hundreds of options including many native and non-native species that thrive in our semi-arid climate.
5. Choose what irrigation option is most efficient for your plan.
Many irrigation options exist, including drip lines, soaker hoses, etc.
6. Mulch heavily to maximize moisture retention and minimize weed invasion.
Organic mulch such as wood chips is preferable. Weed barriers may be used but do interrupt the natural processes that occur in soil. Rock mulch may be used but holds heat and evaporates the moisture we are trying to keep in the soil for our plants’ root systems.
7. Follow through with the necessary maintenance.
The time required here will be determined by your design.
Additional Resources
- Low-Water Native Plants for Colorado Gardens: Front Range & Foothills
- Information on water conservation and water quality in Colorado
- Colorado State University Extension
- Green Industries of Colorado Drought Resources
- AquaHawk Alerting website
- Center for Resource Conservation
- Clear Creek water gauge
The following brochures offer tips and ideas to help you in your water conservation efforts.