Supporting Conservation and Reuse

Because Aurora is a large city not located near a major water source, Aurora Water has had to be creative and forward-thinking in its multi-prong approach to meeting the community’s water needs, such as:

  • Conservation: Aurora Water is a national leader in water conservation initiatives.
  • Reuse: Aurora Water has the largest water reuse system in Colorado.
  • Storage: Aurora Water manages complex systems that transport water up to 150 miles and store enough water to supply the city for one year in case of emergency.

While Aurora Water is a national leader in water conservation and reuse, these efforts alone are not enough to sustain emergency water reserves in the long term. The proposed Wild Horse Reservoir Project—in combination with ongoing water conservation and reuse efforts—was deemed to be the best approach to ensuring reliable water delivery for community needs and maintaining emergency water reserves.

Aurora Water is a national leader in water conservation initiatives as we are one of five water departments in the country—and the only one in Colorado—to receive the platinum status from the Alliance for Water Efficiency for excellence in our water conservation programs. Some of these programs include:

  • Non-functional turf ban (prohibits and limits turf for aesthetic purposes only)
  • Incentives and rebates that encourage water conservation
  • Robust education and outreach programs
  • Water use assessments
  • Smart controller installation programs
  • And more!

Learn more about Aurora Water’s conservation initiatives and programs.

Wild Horse Reservoir would allow the city to prioritize the use of its reusable water resources to help meet the community’s future water needs.

Prairie Waters: Aurora has the highest reuse rate in the state thanks to the pioneering Prairie Waters system. Through Prairie Waters, 95% of the city’s water can be reused to the point of extinction. Essentially, this means that the water residents use for washing, laundry, showering, as well as a small percentage of the water from lawn watering, stays in the South Platte River Basin. Since this water is not native to the South Platte basin, we have the right to take an equivalent amount back out of the river to treat and reuse.

Sand Creek Reclamation: Aurora also uses treated water reclaimed from our wastewater system for irrigation in parks, golf courses and other landscaping throughout the city. Learn more about Aurora’s use of reclaimed water.

In the semi-arid west, water reservoirs serve as vital water savings accounts to ensure sustainable and drought-resistant municipal water supplies. The proposed Wild Horse Reservoir project would act as a water savings account by storing extra water in wetter years so that we have enough water in drier years. As drier years become more common, water storage becomes more critical to a sustainable water supply.

In addition, because Aurora is using less water today than in 2000, we need somewhere to store some of the water that we are saving. The Wild Horse Reservoir project would allow Aurora Water to better manage its existing water operations by helping store some the water saved from our nation-leading conservation and reuse efforts.

These approaches are necessary to provide a reliable supply of water in times of drought and system emergencies. While conservation and reuse maximize the use of water, reservoirs serve as water bank accounts. Aurora Reservoir is the city’s closest reservoir and is used like a debit card to meet the community’s daily water needs. Mountain reservoirs—like Wild Horse Reservoir—operate more like a savings account and are used when needed.

AURORA’S CONSERVATION AND REUSE ACHIEVEMENTS

  • The first city in Colorado to limit non-functional turf.
  • Operates Prairie Waters, the largest water reuse system in Colorado.
  • The only city in Colorado to receive the platinum status for conservation efforts by the Alliance for Water Efficiency.
  • An early adopter of using reclaimed water for irrigating parks and golf courses.
  • Among the lowest water use per person per day in Colorado.
  • Conservation and efficiency initiatives have reduced water use in Aurora so that less water is being treated today than in 2000 despite population growth.
About Wild Horse Reservoir
Frequently Asked Questions - Learn More
Why It's Needed - Learn More