Efficient Water Use

Be a Good Steward of Water Resources

As Northern Colorado continues to grow, it is essential that we use the region’s water resources wisely. Our Water Efficiency Program supports allottees by helping them maximize the value and effective use of the water we deliver—doing so in a collaborative, cost-effective and practical way.

Our goal is simple: to help our communities do more with less water, ensuring this vital resource is available for both current and future generations.

Dandelion in the foreground with people in the background conducting an irrigation audit.

Responsible Water Stewardship

  1. Efficiency at the Core

    Northern Water considers water efficiency a core component of its long-term management strategy. We plan with the future in mind, encouraging responsible water stewardship across the region. The supplemental water we provide through the Colorado-Big Thompson and Windy Gap projects is diverted from the Colorado River—a system facing well-documented pressures. Because of this, it is critical that we use this resource as efficiently as possible while strengthening regional resilience through water-wise practices, including drought-tolerant landscaping.

  2. Supporting a Broad Audience

    Developed in collaboration with our allottees and stakeholders, the Water Efficiency Program is designed to educate and support a broad audience—including Northern Water allottees, the public, municipalities and green industry professionals. We place particular emphasis on the commercial sector by supporting large-scale landscapes, such as homeowners associations, parks, cities and businesses. At the same time, we provide resources and guidance to residential customers to improve their landscape and irrigation practices.

Water Efficiency Program Areas

Aerial image of Conservation Gardens with various demonstrations.
Man conducting an irrigation efficiency cup test on a lawn.
Water-wise plants along a walkway going up to a house front door.
Flower in forefront with people standing in background reviewing grant project.
Water efficiency sprinkler heads spraying water on grass.
Modern Adaptive 3D rendering
Yellow flowers that are on dainty stems.
Water efficiency training conducted at Northern Water campus.
 
Logo for WaterSense Sustained Excellence award.

Northern Water Honored With EPA WaterSense Awards

Northern Water was honored by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency with WaterSense Sustained Excellence Awards for five consecutive years, most recently in 2024, recognizing its leadership in promoting WaterSense and advancing water efficiency. Over this period, Northern Water carried out a wide range of impactful initiatives. These included developing six residential water-efficient landscape plans to assist homeowners rebuilding after the December 2021 Marshall Fire, hosting Irrigation Association certification classes, collaborating with WaterSense to provide expert recommendations, and awarding hundreds of thousands of dollars in grants through the Water Efficiency Landscape Program.

 

Water Use Efficiency Planning

The Water Conservation Act of 2004 requires that retail water providers that sell more than 2,000 acre-feet of water annually have a state approved water use efficiency plan. The links below provide helpful information for those writing or revising a plan.

Women in yellow shirt typing on a computer.
Water dripping from a faucet.
Stack of papers in a three ring binder.