‘Waste of Water’ ordinance goes into effect May 1 in Golden
GOLDEN, Colo. (KDVR) — A new ordinance to crack down on water usage in the city of Golden is set to take effect on May 1.
While there are potential penalties for wasting water, the goal of the city’s “Waste of Water” ordinance is to conserve water and prepare for the threat of wildfires.
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It’s been years in the making, according to Ward 3 City Councilman Don Cameron.
“We want to make sure that people are using water efficiently, so ‘Waste of Water’ deals with things like spray heads that are turned backward or spray heads that are watering the sidewalk and not the grass,” Cameron said. “It also deals with something that’s critical which is watering during the midpoint in the day.”
Enforcement begins May 1 and will include financial penalties for violation, which Cameron said he hopes will incentivize people to use less. It’s also about efficiency and sustainability, with the knowledge of how vulnerable Colorado can be to drought conditions and fire that can impact water supply.
“It’s not meant to be punitive, it’s meant to be instructive to better water practices,” Cameron said.
The city is using a new technology called Aquahawk, a water management tool that residents can use to remotely see their water usage and get tips on how to be more efficient.
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Cameron said there has been slight pushback from some residents saying this will be too large of a change to their lifestyle, but he says that’s simply not their goal.
“The studies show that people often overwater and they don’t even know that they’re doing it. So, it’s really not taking away their lifestyle, it’s really just being smarter and allowing them to understand that there is better ways to do things,” Cameron said.
The city will monitor excess usage and send out warnings when needed before sending out penalties to residents.
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