Ruedi Water and Power Authority (RWAPA), CO
Unified Outdoor Watering Schedule Improves Water Efficiency Efforts in the Roaring Fork Watershed Our Approach Project OutcomesProject Goal
The Ruedi Water and Power Authority is a consortium of local governments operating within the 1,451-square-mile Roaring Fork Watershed – a critical headwater to the Colorado River. The watershed comprises six water providers that serve 32,000 residents across 973 square miles. In response to ongoing water supply challenges—caused by decades of drought, limited upstream water storage, and a forecast of increasingly dry conditions—these providers independently created their own outdoor watering schedules (e.g., time of day and day of week restrictions) to protect water supplies and meet annual water conservation goals. However, these varying schedules resulted in communication and compliance challenges throughout the watershed, especially for many residents, landscape professionals, property managers, and others who live and work in the different jurisdictions of Aspen, Basalt, Carbondale, Glenwood Springs, Snowmass Village, and other unincorporated areas of Eagle and Pitkin Counties.
Our Approach
WaterNow Alliance and Western Resource Advocates partnered with the Ruedi Water and Power Authority—a consortium of local governments in the Roaring Fork Watershed—to develop and implement unified outdoor watering standards across the watershed to create a consistent message, help alleviate confusion, and improve water efficiency practices across the region. The team conducted extensive research and stakeholder engagement to tailor the standards to the needs and desires of the water providers – Aspen, Basalt, Carbondale, Glenwood Springs, Snowmass Village, and Mid-Valley Metropolitan District. Afterward, the team created an implementation roadmap and identified effective messaging and communication strategies for the Authority to consider for successful implementation.
Outcomes
The unified outdoor watering standards, unanimously supported by the Authority board in November 2022, will protect water resources for environmental, recreational, agricultural, and other uses throughout the watershed. By limiting outdoor watering to the coolest parts of the day on specific days of the week (depending on property address), utilities in the watershed can better address emergencies while managing peak water demands. Residential and commercial water users will have an easy-to-follow outdoor watering schedule.
