Commerce City and South Adams County Water & Sanitation District, CO
A Collaborative Vision for a Sustainable and Waterwise Future Our Approach Project OutcomesProject Goal
Commerce City and South Adams County Water & Sanitation District (SACWSD) are working together to address future water challenges, including rapid growth, rising temperatures, and unpredictable precipitation. SACWSD provides essential water services to more than 68,000 customers, and the City recently updated its landscaping code with new xeriscaping standards and a waterwise plant list. To complement these updates and meet growing community interest, the partners identified residential turf replacement incentives as a high-impact strategy for long-term water resilience and lasting benefits for residents and the local environment.
Our Approach
WaterNow partnered with SACWSD and Commerce City to develop a roadmap for a residential turf replacement program. Together, the team aligned on goals, researched successful models across the West, and engaged residents to shape priorities. The final roadmap provides a phased framework for collaboration, outreach, funding, and metrics that can guide program growth and ensure long-term impact.
Outcomes
Through this project, WaterNow created a framework for collaboration between SACWSD and Commerce City—two entities that often operate separately but can achieve far more by working together. The roadmap equips them to launch joint offerings through Resource Central and lays the groundwork for developing an in-house waterwise landscaping program in future years. By aligning land use and water supply decisions, the framework helps residents transition from non-functional turf to waterwise landscapes, reducing outdoor water use and lowering bills. It also prioritizes bilingual outreach, equitable access, and community engagement, while offering a replicable model for other Colorado communities navigating growth and water challenges.
