On average, 42% of residential water consumption in Town is attributed to outdoor use. To help customers use water outdoors more efficiently during warmer months, Castle Rock Water uses watering schedules May 1 through Sept. 30.
The watering schedules apply to all customers. Residential customers follow an every-third-day schedule according to their address number. Residents can irrigate before 8 a.m. or after 8 p.m. on their watering day. Non-residential customers on the west side of Interstate 25 can irrigate Monday, Wednesday and Friday between midnight and 8 a.m. Those east of I-25 can irrigate on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday. Town parks follow a slightly different schedule to accommodate programmed events and park users.
The Town has had watering schedules in place since the 1980s. The purpose is to help spread out the peak demand of water use so Castle Rock Water can maintain positive pressures throughout the water system, ensure appropriate fire flows and allocate time for water reservoir recovery.
An added benefit of watering schedules is increased awareness of water use in the landscape with 20% conservation seen since the first years of implementation. Another benefit is with a good soaking, and then drying out, plant roots tend to dig deeper into the moist soil creating healthier and more drought-tolerant plants.
Irrigation during the cooler times of the evening, when there is less wind and more humidity, helps prevent water waste from evaporation. Additionally, plants are more adept at accepting water during these less stressful times.
Watering schedules aren’t about restricting water, but about being more efficient with water. With cooler temperatures in May, every-third-day irrigation may not yet be necessary. It is recommended to start the irrigation system in mid to late May to avoid potential freezing temperatures. However, now is a good time to set up systems to check for broken or misaligned equipment.
Watering schedules were mailed to all Castle Rock Water customers in April and they can also be found at CRconserve.com/WaterSchedule or by calling Castle Rock Water at 720-733-6000.
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