PARK COUNTY, Colo. - Around mid-day Wednesday, Denver7 received the following email from viewer Elanna:
Hi there! I saw your article on water restrictions. I was hoping you could include the mountain towns like Fairplay, Bailey, Shawnee, Como etc. Most of us live on wells, and there are MANY new residents up here from all across the country, so I think it could be helpful for the more rural folks to give tips and tricks regarding those on well water with the low snow melt? Thank you so much!
None of those communities are currently under new restrictions. Mountain communities in Park County are monitoring water usage and urging conservation as unusual weather conditions impact the area.
▶️ Watch what we found in the video player below:
Town of Fairplay Administrator Janell Sciacca said over the years, the town has prided itself on not having to restrict water usage. Compared to the Denver metro area, the mountain terrain lends itself to not needing to be watered as much.
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"We’re looking at usage statistics and we are hoping, certainly asking our residents to be mindful of the conditions and conserve where we can, but right now we hope not," Sciacca said.
"So inside the town, it is the municipal system. We have our own water plant and wells. Our town has some of the oldest rights in the state," Sciacca said.
Just 30 minutes south of Fairplay, Vince Tolpo has called the small community of Shawnee home for 44 years.
"I’ve never seen anything like this. This kind of temperature in March is unheard of," Tolpo said.
He says because he relies on both well water and water from a nearby river, he's studied Colorado water law for some time. He says because of the restrictions of Colorado water law, smaller communities like Shawnee have slight advantages when it comes to water use compared to larger cities.
"Our water that is available to use may be more than what is available in Denver per capita," Tolpo said.
For people on wells, the situation can be complicated. In the Indian Mountain Metropolitan District, based in Park County, most households are on wells and leach fields. An Indian Mountain Metropolitan District spokesperson said usage gets reported back to the Colorado Division of Water Resources monthly. One obstacle they face is that wells can run dry from a lack of moisture, since there is no aquifer under Indian Mountain. While it is rare for wells to run dry, a person would have to drill a new well if it happens.
"Conserve your water starting right now," Tolpo said.
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