Plan Excerpts

Fort Collins Utilities (Utilities) is a community-owned utility operated within the City of Fort Collins (City) government organization that provides water, wastewater, stormwater, and electricity services. Every year, Utilities treats and delivers over 8 billion gallons of high-quality drinking water to about 36,000 water accounts, serving about 80% of the population and 60% of the land area within the Fort Collins, Colorado city limits. Water is an essential resource for all and Utilities has a strong commitment to ensure efficient water use.

Water efficiency is a critical demand management tool to minimize risk of future water shortages and maximize benefits of water use in the community. Since 1977, an active Water Conservation Division has fostered efficiency with a variety of strategies that influence demand through voluntary behaviors, thoughtful regulations, technical and physical infrastructure, and economics. The overall mission is to manage water use in a way that minimizes water shortage risk, while supporting the community’s values. The Water Conservation Division works to foster a water efficient, adaptive, and knowledgeable customer base through education, policies, and cost-effective water efficiency programs.

Although Utilities has a robust, reliable, and diverse water supply, the region’s water resources are finite and experience pressure from increasing temperatures, continued growth, and a legacy of high water-use landscapes. These challenges continue to make water more expensive and can create difficult community trade-offs. Utilities acknowledges these trade-offs and applies a One Water approach to managing water supply resources and water demands. Utilities staff strive to consider the complex intersections of water uses with climate, land use planning, equity, and affordability to make meaningful changes, especially to support the most vulnerable parts of the Fort Collins community.

This Water Efficiency Plan (WEP) guides the work of Utilities and the greater City organization as it pertains to water demand management through long-term efficiency. The WEP sets two goals intended to lower water demand, minimize the frequency and magnitude of future water shortages, and build long-term landscape resilience. These goals reflect community feedback, staff input, and a commitment to act now to prepare for a hotter and more variable climate.

Goal 1: Reach 4% annual reduction in water use by 2040 to reduce risk of shortages

The WEP will set an overall water conservation goal that applies to all treated indoor and outdoor water use within Utilities’ water service area, including both customer and City water use. The objectives of this overall goal are to gradually lower demand to minimize the frequency and magnitude of shortages, expand access to efficiency opportunities, lead by example as a City organization, and offset increasing demands driven by climate change. Staff anticipate this amount of savings could offset increasing demands driven by a temperature increase of about 1°F between now and 2040. Goal 1 incorporates three specific targets, which are discussed in more detail in this document:

• Target 1.1: By 2040, lower overall annual treated water use by 320 million gallons (MG), or 980 acre-feet (AF) below projected water use
  • Every year, take actions to keep total treated water use lower than it is projected to be without active efficiency strategies, ramping up to being 4% lower than projected by 2040. Looking ahead to 2040, a 4% reduction would mean that actual demand was about 320 million gallons (MG), or 980 acre-feet (AF), lower than projected for the year.
  • Interim reduction targets will gradually ramp up annual savings between now and 2040:
    • By 2030: 3% reduction, estimated at 210 MG (640 AF) below projected water use
    • 2035: 3.5% reduction, estimated at 260 MG (800 AF) below projected water use
    • Reductions in treated water demand by Utilities customers, including City water accounts, will contribute to this target
• Target 1.2: Double the volume of savings from efficiency strategies by 2040, relative to 2020-2024 average performance
  • To reach the Target 1.1 savings of 320 MG below projected annual water use by 2040, the Water Conservation Division will increase program offerings and participation to increase savings over the current annual average of 155 MG below projected annual water use. Quantifiable treated water savings from efficiency strategies that serve customers, as well as partnerships with City departments to lower City treated water use, will count toward this target.
• Target 1.3: Lower treated water use at City properties by a total cumulative volume of 5 MG by 2040
  • This target will achieve average annual reductions of 360,000 gallons per year by 2040 for City properties, adding up to 5 MG below projected annual water use in total water savings between 2026-2040.
  • This savings is expected to come from a variety of projects lowering indoor and outdoor treated water demand in City buildings and properties. Strategies with ongoing year-after-year savings, such as plumbing or turf replacement, will be prioritized.

Progress toward Goal 1 will be evaluated based on tracking treated water demand by customer sector, including City properties, as well as Water Conservation Division program participation and savings.

Goal 2: Improve water efficiency and build resilience on City-owned landscapes, to benefit the community and environment

For the first time, the WEP will set a goal directed at the City’s outdoor water use, which encompasses both treated and raw water and properties both inside and outside of Utilities’ water service area. Community feedback shows a widespread desire for the City to take responsibility and action related to efficient water use. Beneficial outcomes for actions on City-owned landscapes include contributing to the overall water efficiency (Goal 1) by lowering municipal water use, building resiliency in our public landscapes to prepare for a hotter future, prioritizing water use for spaces that most benefit the community, and creating highly-visible projects that inspire water-saving actions by individuals and businesses in our community. Goal 2 incorporates one specific target:

• Target 2.1: The City will implement at least 1 new water-saving project in each 2-year municipal budget cycle, for at least 7 new projects on City landscapes by 2040.
  • Projects that lower treated or raw water use and/or build landscape resilience on City-owned properties within the Fort Collins growth management area will count toward this target; this approach reflects the City’s intention to lead by example and benefit the entire community regardless of water source or provider.
  • Landscape projects that lower treated water use on City-owned properties that are within Utilities water service area will also count toward Goal 1 targets.

Progress toward Goal 2 will be evaluated based on the number of projects, associated water savings, and total project area completed each year.

Progress toward these goals will be achieved through a variety of efficiency strategies, which include programs and policies that promote long-term reductions in water demand through four core approaches to managing water use - behavioral, regulatory, infrastructure, and economic. In addition to expected water savings, strategies were evaluated for cost, customer reach, co-benefits including equitable and environmental outcomes, feasibility, and acceptance. Additional information, including descriptions of selected strategies and the strategy selection process, is provided in other sections of this WEP.

This WEP updates and builds on past water demand management efforts, replacing past efficiency goals.

The WEP update process incorporated extensive community engagement, an equity evaluation, integration with land use planning, and quantitative modeling to analyze water demand and potential savings. Staff also considered current and future climate and growth predictions. The WEP aims to manage the water customers use by:

• Setting goals to reduce the amount of treated water used within the service area to lower shortage risk and increase resilience of City-owned landscapes to benefit the community and environment
• Developing efficiency strategies to lower water use for Utilities customers and the City organization
• Informing planning decisions and staff activities for the next 7-15 years

The WEP focuses on lowering treated (i.e., potable) water use within Utilities’ water service area. Although adjacent water providers and raw (i.e., non-potable) water use are briefly discussed for context and may be indirectly influenced by the WEP goals and strategies, they are outside the scope of this plan.

The following principles, developed by an interdepartmental team of City staff, guided the WEP update process and decision-making for efficiency goals and strategies:

• Engage marginalized community members and address systems of oppression, while also pursuing broad engagement
• Build and strengthen working relationships within the municipality and across the community, to better implement water efficiency strategies
• Reduce water demand to increase preparedness and resilience for ongoing and uncertain climate, economic, and social risks to water availability
• Commit, as stewards of the City, to be leaders in efficiency
• Create water efficiency strategies based on future supply and demand projections, and decision-making that is data-driven, regionally adaptive, considers the triple bottom line (economic, environmental, and community) and affordability
• Target water efficiency strategies that provide multiple benefits for the community, the environment, and consider the entire water system, including the river

The WEP aligns with the Colorado Water Plan and with multiple City policies, including a City strategic objective to “[s]ustain the health of the Cache la Poudre River and regional watersheds while delivering a resilient, economically responsible and high-quality water supply for all Fort Collins residents”. It also aligns with the Utilities’ mission statement for water, “[w]e are a One Water Utility, providing exceptional water services for our community through integrated, resilient, and equitable practices and systems.”

The updated WEP will be approved and adopted by the Fort Collins City Council in 2025 and replaces previous versions. The content and organization of this plan follow Colorado Water Conservation Board (CWCB) municipal water efficiency plan guidance and were developed to meet or exceed requirements for water efficiency planning outlined in the State of Colorado’s Water Conservation Act of 2004.

Water Efficiency Goals

This Water Efficiency Plan (WEP) sets two water efficiency goals to guide Utilities, City, and customer actions. The goals reflect community feedback, staff input, and a commitment to act now to build resilience and minimize future water shortage risks.

Goal 1: Reach 4% annual reduction in water use by 2040 to reduce risk of shortages

• Applicability
  • Treated water use in the Utilities water service area, including residential, commercial, and City water use
• Objectives
  • Gradually lower demand to minimize the frequency and magnitude of water shortages
  • Offset increasing demands driven by increasing temperatures from climate change; we anticipate this amount of savings would offset increasing demands driven by an average annual temperature increase of over 1°F between now and 2040.
  • Reduce barriers, expand access to efficiency opportunities
• Key Actions
  • Target 1.1: By 2040, lower overall annual treated water use by 320 million gallons (MG), or 980 acre-feet (AF) below projected water use
  • Target 1.2: Double the volume of savings from efficiency strategies by 2040, relative to 2020-2024 average performance
  • Target 1.3: Lower treated water use at City properties by a total cumulative volume of 5 MG by 2040 average performance
• Metrics
  • From 2030-2040, interim annual targets will be tracked, increasing to the 4% reduction goal:
  • 2030: 3% reduction, estimated at 210 MGY (640 AFY)
  • 2035: 3.5% reduction, estimated at 260 MGY (800 AFY)
  • 2040: 4% reduction, estimated at 320 MGY (980 AFY)

Goal 2: Improve water efficiency and build resilience on City-owned landscapes, to benefit the community and environment

• Applicability
  • City-owned landscapes (not limited by location or water source); projects that lower treated or raw water use and/or build landscape resilience on City-owned properties within the Fort Collins GMA will count toward this target
• Objectives
  • Build resiliency in City-owned landscapes to prepare for a hotter future
  • Prioritize water use for landscapes and places that most benefit the community
  • Create highly visible projects that inspire water-saving actions by individuals and businesses
  • Contribute to the overall WEP Goal 1 by lowering the City’s water use
• Key Actions
  • Target 2.1: The City will implement at least 1 new water saving project in each 2-year municipal budget cycle, for at least 7 new projects on City landscapes by 2040.
• Metrics
  • The number of projects, associated water savings, and total project area will be measured each year.

WEP Goal 1 is focused on lowering Utilities’ annual total treated water demand by 4% by 2040. The intention is to lower overall customer demand by a meaningful amount each year, which lowers the risk of shortages, while sustaining the beneficial uses of water that will continue year-to-year across our service area. This approach acknowledges that overall Utility-wide demand is likely to increase over time due to growth and climate change, even with increased efficiency actions and savings.

The volume of savings associated with the 4% goal is determined based on projected demands for Utilities’ customers under a range of future growth and climate scenarios. Because demands can and do vary year-to-year, for a specific percent reduction target (i.e., 4%) the volume (millions of gallons) of savings would go up or down based on variability in consumption. Staff estimate that a 4% reduction in 2040 demand is estimated to require 280 – 355 MG (860 – 1,090 AF) of efficiency savings which reflects the range of estimated 2040 demands driven by different climate and growth scenarios. This level of savings would be an increase of more than two times over average measured Water Conservation Division savings from 2020 – 2024. To gradually progress to the final 2040 goal, interim annual targets will be tracked from 2030 – 2040.

Water is both essential to life and limited in our region. Water efficiency strategies are cost effective means to manage water use in a way that minimizes water shortage risk, while providing enough water to support the community’s values, including societal and environmental benefits. Some conserved water can be stored for periods of drought, leased for agriculture, and used for beneficial environmental enhancement efforts such as in-stream flow programs.

Increased storage provides a physical location for conserved water and enables Utilities to take full advantage of savings achieved by customers. 

By updating water efficiency goals and strategies, Utilities aims to continue reducing water use to lower the risk of shortages and increase resiliency for its customers. Benefits of water efficiency include:

Building Resilience to Drought and Climate Change
Efficiency efforts can help develop a community and landscape that is more resilient to drought conditions, especially during times of declared water shortage, when water restrictions are enforced. Through support of drought planning and implementation of proactive mitigation efforts, the actions proposed in this plan can help to reduce vulnerability, protect economic health, and ease the effect of drought on individuals, businesses, and landscapes. By increasing water efficiency where it makes sense, like building’s plumbing fixtures and unused high water use grass areas, Utilities can help prioritize water availability for uses deemed high value by the community, such as trees, which mitigate climate impacts and provide numerous environmental benefits; sports fields, which provide social and physical health benefits; as well as other multi-benefit purposes. Utilities could face significant challenges in the years ahead managing both water demands and water supplies. With many uncertainties regarding both water supply and demand, it is prudent to prepare for a wide range of conditions in the future.

Fostering an Efficiency Ethic and Reducing Waste
The success of this plan depends on the cooperation and support of customers. Instilling an efficiency ethic is an important foundation to changing habits and attitudes toward water use. The power of the individual in efficiency makes a big difference in protecting quality of life, including today’s environment and for generations to come.

Demonstrating a Commitment to Sustainability
The City aims to be leaders in this effort. City properties use about 1.8% of all treated water use in Utilities’ service area for buildings, recreational facilities, and landscape irrigation that provide services to residents, businesses, and visitors. The City also uses 978 MG (3,000 AF) of raw water to irrigate parks, golf courses, cemeteries, and other greenbelt areas. This WEP update sets savings targets directed at the City’s water use.

Providing Water for Multiple Beneficial Purposes
Conservation efforts can help provide more water for beneficial uses beyond normal municipal purposes. For example, the area around Fort Collins continues to be a productive agricultural area, which in addition to representing economic activity, also provides significant open space that many residents desire. When possible, making some of Utilities’ surplus water available for farmers and ranchers to rent provides supplemental revenue for Utilities and its customers. The potential environmental benefits of conserved water are also important. These can include providing additional flow for the local stream systems, supporting in-stream flow programs, improving water quality, enhancing aquatic and riparian ecosystems and recreational opportunities, among other benefits.

Minimizing Increases to Customer Costs
While water rates continue to increase, using less water helps minimize these increases. Water efficiency strategies may reduce other costs for a customer when lower water use actions lead to a reduction in energy use, wastewater use, or landscape maintenance.

Reducing Utilities Costs
Decisions about water supplies, treatment/distribution capacity needs, and storage facilities are all made in consideration of projected water demand and peak capacity.

• Reduced or delayed acquiring of water rights: if Utilities need to acquire additional water equivalent to the Goal 1 reduction targets, this would cost significantly more than the cost associated with the Water Conservation Division programs. Based on 2024 costs, staff estimated that acquiring new water rights currently costs about $0.20 per gallon, while Water Conservation Division programming costs less than $0.01 per gallon saved.
• Reduced treatment and distribution costs: Water efficiency can decrease costs by reducing the amount of chemicals and energy used.
• Delay of capital expansion projects: Decreased wastewater flows have delayed the expansions of the Drake Water Reclamation Facility treatment capacity from 2010 to 2028.
• Reduced Halligan Water Supply Storage project size: The original Halligan Reservoir enlargement planned allotment for Fort Collins was 12,000 AF. Among other factors considered in the federal permitting process, the role of efficiency and the downward trend in per-person water use resulted in reducing the enlargement to 8,200 AF, which is approximately a 68% reduction and represents millions of dollars saved.
• Extra Water Treatment Facility capacity: The Water Treatment Facility was last expanded in 1999, prior to the significant increase in efficiency efforts prompted by the 2002-03 drought. The total Water Treatment Facility treatment capacity of 87 MGD is larger than the expected future peak demand. In 2013, the City of Fort Collins Utilities entered into an agreement with Fort Collins-Loveland Water District to sell FCLWD up to 5 MGD in excess water treatment capacity.

Avoiding Cost of Inaction
Insufficient action now could lead to future costs, sometimes called the “cost of inaction.” In the 2023 Colorado Water Plan, the CWCB includes climate change in planning scenarios and notes that climate change creates substantial uncertainty and may increase water demands in all sectors, reduce overall supply, and create resiliency challenges that need to be considered in current planning. Although water efficiency activities require resources for program materials, incentives, and staff, this investment supports long-term adaptation to climate change, builds resilience and avoids potential future climate-driven costs. Although these costs are hard to predict, just one example is to consider potential damage to the City’s public trees in Fort Collins, which have an estimated replacement value of $112 million and support other ecological functions including clean air and heat island mitigation. On the county scale, the CWCB’s Future Avoided Cost Explorer (FACE) calculator estimates that under a medium climate change and moderate growth scenario, Larimer County will experience a cost increase of 5.1 times the current cost due to increased hazards driven by climate change. Total damages for the county could be $9.7 million (or $20 per person), based on livestock, crops, and recreation.

Integrating water and land use planning minimizes risk of future water shortage by considering water needs together with development and growth. In planning for future scenarios, it is critical to consider the relationship between land use and water efficiency. Looking ahead, it is anticipated that Utilities’ water service area will reach build-out near 2040 while adjacent areas will continue to develop. Changes in housing density, landscapes, and conversion of commercial spaces to mixed use or residential are all variables that could influence future water demands but are hard to predict.

Most development activity within Utilities’ water service area is overseen by Planning, Development & Transportation (PDT), the City of Fort Collins’ land use authority. The department plays a central role in managing land use, zoning, and development proposals. Properties served by other water districts in Fort Collins city limits are subject to City land use authority. Larimer County or other municipalities have land use authority over properties outside of Fort Collins’ City limit and may be served by Utilities or one of the other Fort Collins water providers.

Current Strategies

The City and Utilities have prioritized integration of water and land use planning through many long-term and current strategies. These strategies are primarily focused around collaboration and thoughtful policy, through actions such as cross-departmental participation in Sonoran Institute’s Growing Water Smart workshops, basing Water Supply Requirements for new development on business use and landscape needs, and incorporating landscape, irrigation, and soil ordinances into the City’s land use codes.

New Strategies

Utilities and PDT have reviewed and considered all strategies in the Colorado Water Conservation Board's Best Practices for Implementing Water Conservation and Demand Management Through Land Use Planning Efforts and have plans to develop the new land use-focused strategies.

Numerous City and State efforts support equity in water planning. The City of Fort Collins Office of Equity and Inclusion promotes a people-centered, community-focused approach so that persons of all identities can fully participate in City services and experience equitable community outcomes. The Office of Equity and Inclusion defines equity as both a process and an outcome: “A process by which policies, programs and tools are developed to ensure the elimination of existing disparities and includes inclusive engagement that leverages diversity. It becomes an outcome once a person's identity or identities no longer impacts their ability to experience equality and access to services.” For water efficiency, Utilities and the City can impact equity through processes, like updating this WEP, and through outcomes, like efficiency program and policy strategies.

Staff applied an "equity lens" throughout the WEP update process. This helped create an inclusive engagement process that placed importance on hearing from disproportionately impacted community members, and in turn elevated efficiency strategies that resulted in more equitable outcomes.

An important guiding principle for the WEP update is to develop inclusive community-driven water efficiency goals and strategies through broad engagement, as well as connecting with and elevating input from disproportionately impacted community members. This includes community members who might have the greatest negative impacts from water bill costs or climate change and community members who have lower historic efficiency participation rates. They may also face barriers to both participating in and benefitting from water efficiency programs and strategies. Together, Utilities refers to these as “disproportionately impacted groups” in this WEP, which includes the 14 historically underrepresented groups identified in the City’s Our Climate Future initiative, as well as renters, new residents, and English as a second language customers.

Equity in Engagement

WEP engagement included paid community consultants, input from the City’s Climate Equity Committee, meetings with community members who identify with one or more Equity Priority Groups, equity one-on-one interviews, an equity question in the broad survey, and reducing barriers to participation in WEP engagement (Spanish translations, survey paper format and tabling in public spaces, providing food, childcare, and efficiency giveaways at meetings). Participants provided feedback that informed current and future communications and marketing, educational and incentive offerings, policy development, equity evaluations, and outcome metrics. Themes observed from engagement included key equity-related challenges for the community: affordability, renter autonomy, accessibility to programs and services, and the need for long-term relationship and trust building between the community and City organization.

Equity in Outcomes - Strategy Selection and Implementation Planning

To apply an equity lens to efficiency strategy selection, Utilities developed a two-step equity evaluation tool to analyze, revise, and prioritize potential WEP strategies. To ensure community input shaped how equity was defined and assessed in the equity evaluation tool, the project team conducted a series of informational interviews with community leaders and with City staff who have been involved in equity efforts.

The tool was designed to identify barriers and improve the accessibility of each strategy evaluated. The evaluation consisted of two steps:

1. Barrier and Burden Assessment
   Initial check of whether the strategy has obvious equity issues, based on staff knowledge of the burden of compliance, unintended consequences, and barriers to participation. This assessment was applied “midstream” in the efficiency strategy selection process to inform both final selection of the short list of proposed strategies, as well as to identify which strategies might need refinement to improve equitable access and positive outcomes. The following key questions guided the red flags assessment:
   • Does the strategy have any fundamental barriers that prevent participation by disproportionately impacted groups? (e.g., Internet or cell phone access, travel requirements, home ownership, access to private outdoor space, expertise)
   • Is this strategy a reimbursement program, where an upfront purchase is required to participate?
   • Could this strategy disproportionately place the burden of compliance on a disproportionately impacted group?
   • Could this strategy have negative unintended consequences that disproportionately impact equity-priority groups? (e.g., Non-functional turf may not account for informal uses of green space, rate increases passed on to renters rather than building owners reducing consumption)
2. Potential to Support Positive Equitable Outcomes Evaluation
   For the final list of proposed efficiency strategies, assess the extent to which each strategy can support equitable outcomes for equity-priority groups. A range of questions were applied to each strategy to assess whether the strategy was likely to have a high, medium, or low support of the following desired equity outcomes:
   • Preserving water for now and for future generations, including disproportionately impacted community members
   • Accessible participation for all, including disproportionately impacted community members
   • Investment in and partnership with disproportionately impacted community members
   • Affordable water bills
   • Minimizing financial water burden

The equity evaluation tool is designed for ongoing use, including before, during or after a water efficiency activity is in place. Staff are considering how to incorporate it into annual project planning and reviews, as well as regular learning opportunities with the community. The equity work conducted for the WEP update is just a starting point. Staff will continue applying these tools to improve access, participation, and efficiency benefits across the community.

Utilities is committed to thoughtful planning and public participation in government, and community input was vital in shaping the WEP and its associated efficiency goals and strategies. Engagement strategies drew on the One Water integrated and collaborative planning approach, with tactics to broadly engage all water customers while focusing resources on connecting with disproportionally impacted communities. This resulted in the development of inclusive and community-driven water efficiency goals and strategies.

From 2023 through June 2024, engagement captured over 5,000 touchpoints via:

• Survey (1,319 community responses)
• Our City web page
• Advertisements
• In-person meetings hosted by community consultants
• Focus groups and meetings with targeted water users including City departments, HOAs and small businesses
• Meetings with community members who identify with one or more disproportionately impacted groups
• Consultant-led one-on-one interviews
• Input from the City’s Climate Equity Committee

Incorporating Feedback into Goals and Strategies

After evaluating raw data from community feedback, staff incorporated feedback from City departments to create guiding themes for goal and strategy development. These themes were critical to developing the WEP goals described in Section 3.2 and the strategy selection process described in Section 4.

The overarching community and staff engagement themes that guided efficiency goal and strategy development were:

• Community values that inform efficiency goals
  • Concerns about water scarcity and providing for future generations
  • Willingness to take action
  • Want all community members to take responsibility and action
  • Support for landscape change away from turf grass
• Characteristics of efficiency strategies that are generally supported by the community
  • Strategies should show impact by lowering demand at multiple water use levels: individuals, highest users, and municipal.
  • Support upgrades to water-efficient fixtures for both indoor (e.g., plumbing) and outdoor (e.g., irrigation) uses by making them free or inexpensive, and providing installation support.
  • Reduce existing turf and encourage water-efficient landscapes
  • Support customers with leak issues
  • Use regulations to manage some water uses, including new growth, non-functional turf, commercial users, and the highest water users
  • Provide inexpensive actions that save money
  • Provide more education for everyone, specifically:
    • Target HOAs, landscapers, homeowners, and disproportionately impacted communities with resources specific to them
    • Remove barriers by coming to people in places and ways where they are already gathering and comfortable

The Water Conservation Division will continue to build on existing efficiency strategies and will develop new strategies to meet efficiency goals and improve equitable outcomes. Strategies can impact the entire service area, and the overall intent of strategy selection is to identify a diverse and balanced set of cost-effective strategies that are expected to lower risk and meet the efficiency goals. Other strategies are intended to cultivate a water efficient, adaptive, and knowledgeable customer base through education and outreach.

By updating water efficiency goals and strategies, Utilities aims to promote long-term reductions in water demand through a variety of approaches to manage water use - behavioral, regulatory, infrastructure, and economic.

With input from customers and staff, Utilities identified key themes that informed strategy selection, as described in Section 3.5. By continuing effective strategies and gradually implementing new strategies, Utilities is developing a portfolio of strategies that are expected to:

• Increase water savings and landscape resilience to lower risk and meet the WEP goals
• Provide opportunities for all customers, including disproportionately impacted groups and those who have had low historical participation rates
• Reflect best practices and provide customized strategies to meet high-use and unique customer sector needs
• Continue doing what works well and is liked by customers
• Lower City water use and implement projects to lead by example as a City
• Continue integration of water and land use planning

Utilities has a robust water efficiency approach with several efficiency activities that have been implemented for years. Staff intend to continue many of these effective and liked activities within their current portfolio of strategies. The efficiency strategies outlined in this WEP are likely to evolve over the years and the exact specifics of each are subject to change as a result of changing state legislation, regulations, technology, customer preferences, funding availability, appliance/fixture saturation rate, and Utilities/City priorities. Water efficiency strategies are intended to be implemented, monitored and refined over time to best serve Utilities customers.

In support of Goal 1, customer efficiency strategies are directed toward lowering customer treated water demand while supporting equitable outcomes. Staff conducted a tiered selection process using the following steps:

1. Identify strategies: Compile “long list” of all current and potential new strategies
2. Qualitative screening: Eliminate infeasible strategies based on staff input
3. Criteria-based screening: Screen remaining strategies based on selection criteria
4. Prioritize: Prioritize the highest-scoring strategies based on offering a diverse portfolio of efficiency options with broad reach across customer sectors and a variety of approaches to impact demand

For City actions associated with lowering the City’s treated water use (supporting Goal 1) and advancing efficiency and resilience on City-owned landscapes (supporting Goal 2), strategy identification and selection was conducted through collaborative engagement and decision-making meetings with cross-departmental staff. The focus was on identifying efficiency and resilience actions that integrate with land use planning and align with existing plans, policies, practices, and available funding.

Selection Process and Criteria

Strategy Identification
In addition to a review of existing activities, staff researched new and innovative activities to develop an initial comprehensive “long list” of water efficiency strategies to consider. Potential activities were identified from several sources including the Colorado Water Conservation Board's technical resources, the Colorado WaterWise Guidebook of Best Practices for Municipal Water Conservation in Colorado, a broad literature review, exploration of other utility case studies, and input from the community and City staff.

Qualitative Screening
Water Conservation staff performed an initial qualitative screen to narrow down the initial comprehensive list of potential new strategies by identifying and eliminating infeasible, duplicate, and low-impact strategies. Staff qualitatively considered whether the new strategy concepts were likely to significantly contribute to water savings, could feasibly be implemented with reasonable time and resources, were likely to receive public acceptance, and were likely to improve equity by increasing accessibility to efficiency programs.

For the new strategy concepts retained following this qualitative evaluation, staff developed brief high-level program plans to develop scope, objectives, implementation requirements, and resource needs.

Criteria-based Screening
Current efficiency strategies and the potential new strategies that passed the qualitative screen were scored based on six criteria, which were selected through a collaborative cross-departmental staff process and informed by the WEP guiding principles. Staff developed a modified version of the spreadsheet-based Alliance for Water Efficiency (AWE) Water Conservation Tracking tool to perform the criteria-based screening process and tabulate a combined score for each existing and potential new strategy evaluated.

The following screening criteria were evaluated to develop total numeric scores, based on weighted averages of the following scores:

• Water savings potential: How effective is the activities in terms of gallons of water saved per program dollar spent? The default AWE tool calculation method was used, informed by actual or projected water savings and cost data.
• Cost: What are likely initial and ongoing program costs?
• Ease of implementation: How labor- and time-intensive is the program? Does Utilities have the staff resources to properly support, monitor and evaluate the program?
• Staff assigned a high, medium, or low score based on past project experience
• and the preliminary program descriptions developed for potential new strategies.
• Acceptance: Does this activity meet the needs and wants of Utilities water customers? Does this activity support the social and economic health of customers? Staff assigned a high, medium, or low score based on community engagement and past project experience.
• Co-benefits: Staff identified potential environmental (e.g., promote short-term drought responses, lower greenhouse gas emissions) and social (e.g., improve water literacy, foster positive interactions with government) co-benefits.
• Reach: How many customers could be impacted by this program? What types of customers does it reach? Is it likely to reach previously unengaged customers? The default AWE tool calculation method was used, informed by actual or projected participation information.

A subset of strategies were carried forward to final prioritization but were not evaluated in the criteria-based screen because they were either required or an identified high priority:

• Existing strategies that were considered necessary to continue into the future due to external requirements. These include required actions to support State requirements, like the Water Loss Audit.
• Municipal strategies to lower the City’s treated water use in support of Goal 1. These were developed through collaborative discussions to align with existing needs, practices, and objectives.

Prioritization Process

The existing and new strategies that were retained following the criteria-based screen were all practical strategies to implement and the results of the process described here will be saved for future reference and consideration. However, it is expected that not all of the strategies are necessary to attain the 4% reduction identified in Goal 1, and it is not possible for the Water Conservation team to implement all of these strategies in the near future. As a final step, staff prioritized the highest-ranking existing and potential new strategies to create a cost-effective and balanced strategy portfolio that provides a mix of behavioral, regulatory, infrastructure, and economic activities. Staff also sought a mix of programs that are broadly available to all customers as well as those that are tailored to high water uses or disproportionately impacted customers.

The portfolio of water efficiency strategies selected to lower treated water demand in support of Goal 1 are summarized below. Once fully implemented, Utilities estimates that these strategies will lower treated water demand by over 300 MG per year. 

Strategies are organized according to the primary approaches, or “levers,” of impact: behavioral, infrastructure, economic, and regulatory. Conservation activities that integrate closely with land use are indicated, as well as the corresponding Statewide Water Supply Initiative (SWSI) levels. The range of annual water savings for recent years is presented for those programs that have tracked quantitative savings; however, many of the other programs listed have likely also lowered overall community water use but are difficult to quantify (e.g., educational activities). 

Current efficiency strategies supporting Goal 1

Behavioral 

• Community education programs
• Garden Party community event
• Xeriscape Demonstration Garden
• Conservation equipment giveaways
• Student (K-12) education programs
• Fix a Leak Week campaign
• Irrigation assessments – residential
• Irrigation assessments – commercial and HOA
• Indoor assessments –commercial
• Indoor assessments and direct installation – residential
• Direct installation for small businesses and multi-unit housing
• Water reports – residential and commercial
• Saving water hotline
• Imagine a Day without water campaign
• NoCo Bloom articles and advertisements
• Waterwise professionals network and support
• Residential water budgets
• Water use estimator for development
• Showerhead swap
• Water Conservation programs annual report

Infrastructure

• Advanced metering for all accounts
• Monthly billing with rate codes that align with tiered rates and customer type
  
• Customer data portal
• Continuous consumption program (a.k.a. leak alerts)

Economic

• Conservation-oriented and seasonal rate structures
• Conservation-oriented water supply requirement fee for commercial water taps
• Commercial allotments and excess water use surcharge
• Indoor product rebates – residential
• Indoor product rebates –commercial
• Xeriscape incentive program rebates – residential
• Xeriscape incentive program rebates – commercial
• Custom rebates – commercial
• Irrigation equipment rebates – residential
• Irrigation equipment rebates – commercial
• Garden in a Box discounts
• Xeriscape grants

Regulatory

• Wasting water ordinance
• Building codes and plumbing standards
• Landscape, irrigation and soil preparation codes
• Development Review includes Water Conservation review of irrigation plans
• Parkway landscaping regulations
• Restrictive covenants ordinance
• Water Shortage Action Plan
• Stormwater Criteria Manual, including Low Impact Development criteria
• Graywater for limited water reuse ordinance
• Water Adequacy Determination regulations

Planned Efficiency Strategies for Supporting Goal 1 and Lowering Treated Water Demand

Behavioral

• High Bill Evaluations - Residential
• Plumbing Assistance
• Wrap-around Support for Water Efficiency in Community Greenspaces or HOA and Large Turf Areas
• Design Assistance for New Development and Redevelopment
• Rental Tenants and Owners/ Managers Efficiency Outreach & Giveaways
• Commercial Water Use Benchmarking
• Comprehensive Communications and Marketing Plan for Conservation Promotion

Economic

• Regular Evaluation of Conservation-oriented Rate Structures with Regular Evaluation with Water Conservation Involvement
• On-bill financing for efficiency upgrades

Regulatory 

• Daily Sprinkler Watering Window
• Examine existing land use regulations for barriers, conflicts to water efficiency

The City organization will focus on continuing and improving current best practices and seeking new opportunities to improve water efficiency and build resilience on City-owned landscapes, in support of Goal 2. In some cases, these actions will also yield treated water savings that contribute to Goal 1 targets and will support integrated land use and water planning and One Water integration across Utilities and the City organization.

Current Activities Supporting Efficiency and Resilience on City-Owned Properties

City departments currently implement numerous best practices and operations which address distribution and treatment inefficiencies, lower treated water use, lower raw water irrigation use, improve landscape resilience, or a combination of these. These practices are summarized in Table 6. Note that Table 6 provides several examples but is not fully comprehensive of the many day-to-day best practices, departmental policies, and operational decisions that guide City water use and landscape maintenance.

Current City of Fort Collins activities and best practices for managing water use on City-owned properties and facilities

• Water loss auditing
• Water distribution line survey and leak repair
• Track water use data for City buildings and properties
• Municipal Sustainability Adaptation Plan
• City Administrative Policies include water efficiency
• Irrigation application rates based on evapotranspiration and irrigation audits
• Prioritize raw water sources for irrigation of City landscapes
• Landscape designs follow xeriscape principles and best irrigation practices
• Growing Water Smart Workshop participation

New Opportunities for City Water Conservation, Landscape Resilience, and Land Use Planning/Development

New strategies to lower the City’s treated water use (in support of Goal 1) and improve landscape resilience (in support of Goal 2) were developed through collaborative discussions to align with existing needs, practices, and objectives.

New strategy opportunities for managing water use on City-owned properties and facilities

• Technical & Financial Support for City Efficiency Projects within Utilities service area from Water Conservation Division
• Look for Opportunities to Expand Water Conservation Division's role in Development Process
• Establish regular contact and information sharing between Water providers and Planning staff
• Integrate Water into Strategic Plans and Policies
• Support One Water efforts and integrated demand management approach
• Prioritize dedicated irrigation to trees
• Align, track and publicly display water supply and demand data, including municipal uses
• Use City properties to pilot efficiency activities
• Increase pace of Plumbing Retrofits in Municipal Buildings
• Increased Pace of Distribution Line Leak Repair
• Targeted Irrigation Efficiency Upgrades on City-Owned Properties
• Targeted turf-to-xeric conversions on City-Owned Properties