Water Efficiency Plan Update in 2024
Our community is expected to grow and climate change may impact our water supplies. Because water is essential to all of us, Fort Collins Utilities is planning new ways to promote water efficiency, and will set fresh goals to use less citywide.
Water Efficiency Plan#
The 2015-approved Water Efficiency Plan is the current road map for increased efficiency in Fort Collins. The plan outlines a goal of reducing water use to 130 gallons, per capita, per day (GPCD) by the year 2030.
The Water Efficiency Plan is an update to the Water Conservation Plan approved by the Colorado Water Conservation Board in 2010. The State mandates a plan is updated at least every seven years.
The 2010 Plan set a goal of 140 GPCD by the year 2020. The 2015 plan proposed an updated goal of 130 GPCD by 2030. The GPCD in 2014 was 143, a 28 percent decrease from the 2001 level of 198 GPCD. (All numbers normalized to account for weather.)
Read the complete Water Efficiency Plan. Or, click on an Area of Opportunity below for more details on areas we identified as opportunities to increase our community’s water efficiency.
We’re making progress toward the 2030 goal: see our latest update, the Water Conservation Annual Report.
More Details#
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Fort Collins Utilities has a strong commitment to ensure the efficient and responsible use of our natural resources. Our Water Conservation Program is nearly 40 years in the making and has resulted in lower per capita water use, even as population has grown significantly.
The 2010 Plan set a goal of 140 gallons per capita per day (gpcd) by the year 2020. The updated Plan proposes a new goal of 130 gpcd by 2030.
There are many benefits of water conservation for the City and the community, including:- Cultivate a conservation ethic
- Demonstrate a commitment to sustainability
- Delay or avoid significant capital infrastructure costs
- Support economic health
- Enhance resilience during drought periods
- Prepare for potential effects of climate change
- Provide water for other beneficial purposes such as ecosystem services, agriculture, recreation and aesthetics
Our water conservation programs include activities that touch on many different uses and affect the entire community. Programs will be evaluated based on cost-effectiveness, customer preferences, number and type of customers benefited, alignment with other City efforts and availability of staff resources.
Our actions will be guided by the following implementation principles:- Employ transparent and sophisticated data-driven processes and decision-making
- Coordinate and support symbiotic efforts within Utilities and across the City
- Cultivate new and bolster existing community and statewide partnerships
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The content and organization of this Plan was developed using the Colorado Water Conservation Board’s municipal water efficiency plan guidance document. The draft Plan was developed with input from City boards and commissions, community organizations and a technical advisory group that included Utilities staff, City staff and Water Board members.
The timeline for the Plan update:- Nov. 2, 2015-Jan. 15, 2016: public comment period
- February 2016: Review public comments and revise draft Plan
- March 1, 2016: City Council regular session for adoption of revised Plan
- 2016: Budget and program planning
- 2017: Submission to Colorado Water Conservation Board
Areas of Opportunity#
We have identified five key areas of opportunity for greater water efficiency. We believe these areas encompass a promising collection of activities that will benefit our community and support a more sustainable future.
Click on an area of opportunity for more details.
1. Leverage Advanced Meter Fort Collins data and capabilities
Empower customers by connecting them to their water use data to increase awareness and understanding. Utilize the AMFC system to enable previously impossible programs.
Read more.
2. Promote and support greater outdoor water efficiency
Encourage water efficient landscape choices and proper outdoor watering that reflect our semi-arid region. Outdoor watering accounts for nearly 60 percent of total use during peak summer months.
Read more.
3. Encourage greater integration of water efficiency into land use planning and building codes
Expand incentives and increase water efficiency requirements for newly developed and re-developed properties.
Read more.
4. Expand commercial and industrial sector strategies
Cultivate commercial water efficiency projects through tailored outreach and custom incentives.
Read more.
5. Increase community water literacy
Educate the community about where our water comes from and how it is used. Cultivate a community that is knowledgeable about its natural resources and makes choices that support a more sustainable future.
Read more.
Did You Know?
The watersheds where our water comes from drain snowmelt and rainfall to the Cache la Poudre and Big Thompson rivers and Horsetooth Reservoir.
Watering in the early morning or late evening when there's less wind reduces water loss.
Fort Collins Utilities is community-owned. Because of that, our customers benefit from lower rates and revenues that stay here.