Colorado Springs city council has voted to restrict outdoor watering to two days a week, starting April 1. As KRCC's Liz Ruskin reports, they also adopted new drought water rates intended to persuade customers to reduce usage.
Colorado springs Utilities CEO Jerry Forte told council members now is the time to act. The area is experiencing an unprecedented water shortage, and Forte says the utility needs more tools to encourage conservation.
"If we don't do the right things this year, it could potentially put next year in serious jeopardy. And then we won't be talking about lawns that are brown, we’ll be talking about vegetation that can't be watered at all outside."
Under the new rules, Residential customers with even numbered house addresses can water Sunday and Wednesday, or Tuesday and Saturday if it’s an odd number. The restrictions apply to sprinklers, but drip irrigation and hand watering is allowed any time. The price of water will also temporarily double for residential use over 2,000 cubic feet. Utilities officials say 75 percent of customers typically fall below that level.
First violations would draw a warning, while a second violation could incur a $300 fine.
