By Justin George
Camera Staff Writer

LAFAYETTE — More than 100 residents turned out Tuesday as the City Council imposed drought-plagued Colorado's strictest municipal water restrictions to date.

The council unanimously approved an ordinance that would force residents and businesses to reduce outdoor water use by 75 percent.

Restrictions: Households and businesses are assigned a single day each week to water lawns for two hours, with no more than half an inch of water. Goal: Cut water use by 75 percent. Watering zones: Fridays — Addresses ending in odd numbers northwest of Baseline Road and U.S. 287 Sundays — Addresses ending in even numbers northwest of Baseline Road and U.S. 287 Fridays — Addresses ending in odd numbers northeast of Baseline Road and U.S. 287 Saturdays — Addresses ending in even numbers northeast of Baseline Road and U.S. 287 Wednesdays — Addresses ending in odd numbers southeast of Baseline Road and U.S. 287 Thursdays — Addresses ending in even numbers southeast of Baseline Road and U.S. 287 Mondays — Addresses ending in odd numbers southwest of Baseline Road and U.S. 287 Tuesdays — Addresses ending in even numbers southwest of Baseline Road and U.S. 287 Saturdays — Addresses outside city limits Rate increases: The plan also raises the price of water for most customers. Costs will triple for those on the highest end, while those with medium to heavy usage will see their prices double. Violators: Face municipal ordinance citation and fines of $250 for first offense and $500 for a second offense. Also the city may install flow restrictions on pipes leading into households or businesses of repeat offenders. • Drought and fire coverage GRAPHICS: • Lafayette watering zones • Watering schedules

"We're going to have to bite it," Councilman Tom Hogue said. "I think we have to be tough here."

A draft of the measure called for watering lawns only a half-inch each week, or no more than two hours per week, based on a watering schedule that corresponds with home addresses.

Fines for violating the schedule start at $250, and repeat offenders could have "flow restrictors" put in their homes.

Lafayette is one of the first cities in Colorado to impose mandatory restrictions on water use. In Boulder County, Boulder and Louisville have also passed mandatory water restrictions.

Among other rules: Water cannot spill onto pavement while watering; hoses can't be used to wash cars and boats; hoses should be equipped with an automatic shut-off valve; restaurants cannot serve glasses of water unless customers request them; leaking plumbing must be fixed as soon as leaks are discovered and outdoor pools cannot be filled.

Mountain snowpack that feeds into the Boulder Creek basin — the source of Lafayette's water — is dangerously low, and the amount of spring run-off could be at its lowest levels in at least 97 years, city officials said.

According to Public Works Director Doug Short, Lafayette owns 11,300 acre-feet of water rights. The city typically uses about 5,000 acre-feet per year. This year spring run-off for those rights is expected to be 2,595 acre-feet. An acre foot is 326,000 gallons.

If the city doesn't cut back water-use drastically, officials said, Lafayette will run out of water by November.

Many residents who turned out Tuesday were outraged by the city's proposal after they found out that their lawns would face a rough summer while most of the city-owned Indian Peaks Golf Course would be exempt from the watering rules, according to a first draft of the city's ordinance.

The watering schedule may be brutal on ever-thirsty bluegrass — the most common grass used in suburban yards — but city officials say the grasses will survive the schedule, which could force lawns to go "dormant" and was formulated with the help of a Colorado State University professor.

City officials will require the golf course to follow the same restrictions.

Some residents said they wanted options on rationing their own water.

Others were upset that the city did not communicate the crisis sooner.

One man called the regulations "draconian," and described the effort as a "war on grass" before storming out.

Some water rates in Lafayette will also climb. Homes and businesses that use up to 15,000 gallons a month would not experience increases. But households that use 15,001 gallons to 20,000 gallons would pay double the current rate of $3.02 per thousand gallons. Rates for users who use more than 20,000 gallons would triple, from $4.10 per thousand gallons now to $12.30.

A typical Lafayette resident uses about 18,000 gallons during a summer month, city officials said.

"Why are we in a cutback and other cities are coping?"asked Alan Heath. "I've lost my trust in the city."

Lafayette officials say they are doing their part and will begin shopping for more dependable water rights and build at least two more pipelines that will carry water into the city, one of which could irrigate the Indian Peaks Golf Course with undrinkable "gray water," or water downstream of a waste-water plant.

The city will begin blitzing residents with information on the new water rules, using the June city newsletter, public Channel 16, their Web site: www.cityoflafayette.com, and through a phone hotline being set up.

Residents can contact the city about water issues by e-mailing h2omatters@cityoflafayette.com.

Contact Justin George at (303) 473-1359 or georgej@thedailycamera.com.

May 22, 2002

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