Water conservation still important to supplies

Guest Column

Sam Calkins

Centennial Water and Sanitation District is proud to serve the communities of Highlands Ranch and Solstice. After almost a year of being in Stage 1 drought restrictions, the record precipitation we saw last month has provided a realtime demonstration of how quickly the weather – and water – can change in Colorado.

Last year our reservoir levels were low and water demand was very high, so we asked customers to cut back their water use by 15-20% and limit their outdoor watering to two days per week. e response was overwhelmingly positive! Residential and commercial water users cut back by an average of 15%, and we were able to maintain water levels in our storage reservoirs. Simultaneously, the community learned about the importance of water conservation, the value of water, and the importance of coming together to make a di erence for the long-term. Fast forward to the present, and we removed all drought restrictions at the end of May. While our stor-