The city of Cortez’s turf replacement program was unofficially launched on April 23, and is accepting applications from residents on a first-come, first-served basis.
The agreement for the turf replacement program was approved by the City Council on Feb. 13 and is an initiative that is being implemented to help minimize water consumption throughout Cortez for “nonessential landscape turf irrigation.” The program is being facilitated by the Public Works Department.
According to the city, the consumption of treated water in the city increases more than twofold in the summer compared with winter, and it has been found that a large portion of the water being used in the summer is being used to irrigate landscaped turf.
“The Colorado Water Plan has prioritized water conservation to include converting ‘nonfunctional turf’ to low-water use landscaping,” the city said.
The city was awarded a grant from the Colorado Water Conservation Board in 2023 to aid in the process of the project’s implementation. The grant is $40,000 and requires a dollar-for-dollar match, and the funds must be used by June 2025.
Interested residents can pick up application forms at City Hall, the Service Center and online at the city’s website.
Public Works Director Brian Peckins said “the turf replacement program is another positive step on the city’s journey to water sustainability. The city has reduced water production by more than 20% over the past five years due to our conservation efforts, and the city has developed a water action plan to ensure that city continues to ensure that water is our future.”
Cortez Mayor Rachel Medina said that they are not trying to eliminate pieces of the environment in the city, but are hoping to make it more efficient.
“I appreciate that we are not trying to eliminate the natural environment across the city and just put in rocks. We need this natural environment. It’s just a matter of making it more efficient, more native and conserving water while also preserving our natural landscape which is extremely important for heat, for mental health and our community in general,” Medina said.
The program offers rebates of $2 per square foot for residential projects ranging in area from 200 to 1,000 square feet and commercial projects from 200 to 2,000 square feet.
To take part in the project, the property must be in Cortez city limits and must have water that is metered by the city. Other requirements include only visible areas (no backyards), a completed application must be submitted, existing turf must be established, no previously completed projects can apply and the area must be maintained for at least three years.
“The Turf Replacement Program is expected to save between 40% to 60% of water savings when converting turf areas to low-water usage landscaping. We are expecting a combination of residential, commercial and some city turf replacement projects,” the city said.
If the program is successful in 2024, the city shared that they will most likely apply for another CWCB grant to fund more turf replacement projects.
Questions can be directed to Water Conservation Specialist Ian Robertson at (970) 837-7202, and additional information can be found online at https://www.cortezco.gov/913/Turf-Replacement-Program.
