Northern Colorado city asks for voluntary water conservation, "We don't do this very often"

For the first time since 2021, the City of Fort Collins is asking Northern Colorado residents to begin conserving water. The city's manager started the month of May by asking residents to voluntarily restrict how much water they use on their lawns.

"Starting today, the city manager has issued a voluntary water shortage watch," said Alice Conovitz, water conservation specialist for Fort Collins Utilities.

The voluntary restrictions include asking residents to only water their lawns twice a week, specifically in the mornings or evenings. They also ask residents to install devices on the ends of their water hoses that shut off the water unless needed at that moment.

"It's important," Conovitz said. "We don't do this very often."

The last time the city requested a voluntary restriction was in 2021 following the state's largest wildfire, the Cameron Peak Fire. That fire was contaminating the water, reducing the city's access to clean river water.

However, in 2026, the city is making the request again following a dry winter season.

"It is an extra dry year," Conovitz said.

While the city hopes residents will reduce their water use, it also notes that its current supply might be enough to get the city through 2026 without mandatory restrictions.

"We are really fortunate. We have senior water rights on the Poudre River. We also have ample supply of Colorado River water that is stored at Horsetooth Reservoir," Conovitz said. "We are really lucky because that gives us a lot of resiliency even in dry years."

Conovitz said the city is making adjustments now in an effort to make sure its resources are still available in 2027.

"We know a lot about our snowpack, we know a lot about streamflow projections, and we know how much Colorado water we will have access to. So, we have a pretty good grasp about how much water supply we will have," Conovitz said.

By voluntarily reducing water usage this year, residents may not only help avoid mandatory restrictions in 2026 but also restrictions in 2027.

"You don't want to be surprised; you always want to plan ahead," Conovitz said. "We are hoping our community rises to the occasion and voluntarily keeps those demands lower."

Conovitz admitted, in 2021, residents largely continued to use water at their normal rates even amid the voluntary restrictions. However, she said she believed that was because residents knew it was a water clarity issue, not an availability issue.

After a dry winter, she said she believes residents are more cognizant of the real availability threat, leading her to hope more people will be proactive.

While right now the restrictions are voluntary, Conovitz said it is possible that they could change this year.

"It is Colorado, things can always change. If we get some moisture and things change for the better, the voluntary watch could be lifted. But if things worsen or if there is something unexpected like a wildfire this year, we may need to move into some mandatory restrictions," Conovitz said.