Denver Expected To Relax Water Restrictions

DENVER -- If you're wondering if your green lawn is going to be able to stay green all summer, you will soon find out.

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Denver Water Board members met Thursday to discuss watering restrictions, saying that they expect lower-elevation reservoirs to become full and reservoirs in the high country to stay below capacity.

The board is considering relaxing the strict ban on watering new seed and sod and possibly allowing lawn watering twice a week for 15 minutes in each of eight zones of a yard, 7NEWS reported.

Most of the board believes that this will be enough for most homeowners to keep a healthy lawn and to help struggling landscape businesses, but not everyone agrees.

"I think no matter how much yard you have, if you're restricted to one or two days of watering, it's going to be a problem. Even bushes and trees -- they all need water," said Mark Hepp, of Mile Hi Sprinklers.

Hepp said his sprinkler business has suffered from the drought and hopes the water restrictions are lifted soon. The landscaping industry estimates that some 15,000 jobs will be lost this year if new lawns are banned.

The good news is, thanks to the big storm, Colorado's snowpack and some reservoirs are filling up.

Denver Water said Chatfield Reservoir is full and Marston Reservoir is at 95 percent of capacity. But others reservoirs such as Dillon (48 percent), Eleven-mile (46 percent) and Gross (40 percent) are still less than half full.

Denver's reservoir system is at an average of 43.7 percent of capacity but it is expected to increase with the spring runoff.

If the state has a dry spring, reservoirs should be at about 66 percent by July, the board said. If it's a wet spring, the reservoirs could be 87 percent full.

Denver Water officials will conduct a final vote on watering restrictions Wednesday, and that's good news to some homeowners who are anxious to start helping out their thirsty lawns.

"I hope they'll decide what's right. I know we have to watch water because it's sacred but I also hope that these runoffs will give us enough that we can keep the quality of beauty we like," said Denver resident Marvia Valdez.

Aurora residents will know what's in their watering future Monday night. However, Aurora customers have already been told they cannot put in new sod, and that all planting must be complete by May 3. That is also the date that drought surcharges on water bills kick in.