HomeMy WebLinkAboutResponse to Constituent Letter - Mail Packet - 07/01/2025 - Letter from Mayor Jeni Arndt to Natural Resources Advisory Board re Water Efficiency Plan (2)
Mayor
City Hall
Fort Collins, CO 80522
970.416.2154
970.224.6107 - fax
fcgov.com
June 26, 2025
Natural Resources Advisory Board
c/o Honore Depew, Staff Liaison
PO Box 580
Fort Collins, CO 80522
Dear Chair Stewart and Board Members:
On behalf of City Council, thank you for providing us with the June 18, 2025 memorandum
regarding updates to the Water Efficiency Plan. We understand the Board supported the Plan but
offered additional items for consideration which would increase regulatory measures and
pollinator habitat, offer on-bill financing for lower-cost equipment replacements, engage HOAs,
develop more educational materials and review programs at various scales.
Thank you for the expertise and perspectives that you bring to the Board and share with City
Council.
Best Regards,
Jeni Arndt
Mayor
/sek
cc: City Council Members
Kelly DiMartino, City Manager
MEMORANDUM
NATURAL RESOURCES ADVISORY BOARD
DATE: June 18, 2025
TO: Mayor and City Council Members
FROM: Natural Resources Advisory Board
SUBJECT: Water Efficiency Plan
Dear Mayor and Councilmembers,
On May 21, 2025, Alice Conovitz (Water Conservation Specialist) presented to the Natural
Resources Advisory Board regarding potential updates to the Water Efficiency Plan. The updated
WEP sets two new goals and includes a number of strategies intended to reduce risk and impact
of water shortages by (1) reaching a 4% annual reduction in water demand by 2040 and 2)
improving water efficiency and building resilience on City-owned landscapes.
The Natural Resources Advisory Board would like to express its support for the proposed Water
Efficiency Plan goals. As a Board dedicated to preserving natural resources for the benefit of
future generations and grounded firmly in science, we are concerned about the future of water
access and availability, not only in Fort Collins, but across the Western United States. We see this
update, which took analysis of historical and projected future water use and efficiency savings
under a range of climate and growth predictions, as being in alignment with the Our Climate
Future Big Move #3 - Climate Resilient Community and City Council Priority #7: Protect
community systems in an integrated way to ensure resilient water resources and healthy
watersheds.
However, we do not believe the menu of strategies go far enough. Items we would like to see
considered include:
● Given the support for regulatory strategies expressed in customer surveys, Utilities
should consider pursuing more regulatory measures.
● Projects for turf-to-xeric conversions on City-owned property should be designed to
maximize co-benefits such as insect and pollinator habitat and native plant restoration;
water savings should not be the only selection/design criterion.
● On-bill financing should not be limited to high-cost projects and multi-year loans, but
rather should be available to income-qualified customers for lower-cost equipment
replacements and landscape/irrigation conversions.
● One survey theme was that it’s critical to engage HOAs, landscaping professionals, and
realtors; Utilities should explore more strategies targeted at these groups.
● Develop more educational materials pertaining to climate-based scenarios in reference to
the “cost of inaction” to elevate the seriousness of water scarcity in the Northern
Colorado landscape.
● Examine recognition programs at various scales (E.g., individual household,
neighborhood, business, etc.) to promote conservation behavior change.
Thank you for your time and consideration of this policy decision that will have long-term
impacts on future community resilience and health.
Very respectfully,
Kelly Stewart
Chair, Natural Resources Advisory Board
cc: Kelly DiMartino, City Manager
Jacob Castillo, Chief Sustainability Officer
Honore Depew, NRAB Staff Liaison and Climate Program Manager
Kelly Ohlson, City Council Liaison to the NRAB