HomeMy WebLinkAboutResponse to Constituent Letter - Mail Packet - 08/05/2025 - Letter from Mayor Jeni Arndt to Parks and Recreation Board re letter received July 28, 2025 re the Water Efficiency Plan (WEP)
Mayor
City Hall
Fort Collins, CO 80522
970.416.2154
970.224.6107 - fax
fcgov.com
July 31, 2025
Parks and Recreation Board
c/o LeAnn Williams, Staff Liaison
PO Box 580
Fort Collins, CO 80522
Dear Chair Armstrong and Board Members:
On behalf of City Council, thank you for providing us with the letter received July 28, 2025 re:
the Water Efficiency Plan (WEP). We appreciate your comments about leading by example and
increasing partnerships with other water providers in the region to ensure water resilience for
everyone.
As you know, City Council will consider adoption of the Fort Collins Utilities Water Efficiency
Plan 2025 on Tuesday, September 2. We invite you to view the Council meeting that night in
person at City Hall at 6:00 p.m., online on fcgov.com/fctv or via cable TV.
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
Dear City Leaders and City Council,
The Parks and Recreation Advisory Board is pleased to offer our support for the adoption of the 2025
Water Efficiency Plan (WEP).
We believe water efficiency is both a right and a shared responsibility for every neighbor of Fort Collins.
The 2025 WEP outlines a thoughtful, community-driven strategy for managing long-term water use in the
face of climate change and population growth. It establishes two central goals: (1) to reduce overall
annual treated water demand by 4% by 2040, and (2) to improve water efficiency and landscape resilience
across all City-owned properties. These goals had firm foundations established through comprehensive
community engagement and represent a proactive approach to reducing the risk of shortages, managing
costs, and promoting equitable, climate-resilient outcomes.
City operations account for just 1.8% of treated water use and the WEP reinforces that the City’s role is
both operational and transformational. The opportunity for Fort Collins to set the example and provide
updated programmatic support for residential, commercial, and institutional users is clear.
As much of Fort Collins’ future growth will occur outside the City’s water utility service area, tighter
partnerships and programmatic integrations with service providers such as East Larimer County Water
District (ELCO) and Fort Collins-Loveland Water District (FCLWD) are essential to achieving the
WEP’s goals. Without alignment across providers, new development risks falling short of the water
efficiency standards Fort Collins has committed to. These challenges are both well-known and well-
documented.
We support the WEP’s call for programmatic updates that enable more cohesive, collaborative water
strategies—especially in sharing data, tracking progress, and engaging partners like HOAs, schools, and
commercial users. True water resilience will be within reach when efficiency programs are seamless and
inclusive, regardless of a neighbor’s water provider.
As stewards of public parks and recreation spaces, we recognize the opportunity and responsibility to
model water-wise practices. The WEP provides a clear framework for continued innovation from parks to
medians to alleyways to open space, ensuring each investment supports our broader environmental and
public health goals. We commend City staff for their forward-thinking work and leadership in these areas.
We particularly appreciate the WEP’s emphasis on making efficiency both visible and accessible,
ensuring that City lands and buildings demonstrate best practices for the broader community. We look
forward to supporting the plan’s implementation through continued planning, education, and collaborative
stewardship of Fort Collins’ valued outdoor and indoor spaces.
With our thanks to Alice Conovitz, Madeline Duke, staff from Water Conservation, Parks, and other
departments, and the consultant teams from INTERA and Lotus Engineering and Sustainability for their
thoughtful work, the Parks and Recreation Advisory Board offers our support for the adoption of the 2025
Water Efficiency Plan (WEP).
The Parks and Recreation Advisory Board
c/o Nick Armstrong, Board Chair