As the ColoradoScape movement grows, more people every year are creating beautiful, water-wise landscapes that fit naturally into our state’s semi-arid climate, are interesting in summer and winter, and provide diverse habitat for urban pollinators and wildlife. 

Are you ready to take the first step? Denver Water can help!

Denver Water is offering its residential customers a limited number of discounts on two popular programs run by the nonprofit Resource Central: its turf removal service and its long-running Garden In A Box kits. 

“We’ve heard from customers that they are very interested in transforming their landscapes into drought-tolerant, Colorado-friendly oases, and they need some help to get started. A discount on Resource Central’s popular programs is one way we can help,” said Greg Fisher, manager of demand planning at Denver Water. 

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Currently, about 40% of the water used by Denver Water customers is used outdoors, often to irrigate water-intensive, decorative Kentucky bluegrass turf that is only walked on when it is mowed. Denver Water aims to reduce the amount of decorative, nonfunctional turf in its service area.

Having a water-wise ColoradoScape — a diverse, sustainable landscape of water-wise plants and cooling trees that offer environmental benefits and interest throughout the year — is an important part of our vibrant communities.

If you’re a Denver Water residential customer and ready to create your own ColoradoScape in 2024, the utility and Resource Central can help. 

Turf removal

Denver Water is offering residential customers a limited number of discounts, up to $500 on a first-come-first-served basis, on Resource Central’s residential turf removal services. 

Application requirements include the removal of at least 200 square feet of water-intensive turf, a photo of the area to be transformed and plans for the new water-wise landscape that will be created (artificial turf is not allowed). 

Click here for additional details and the application process. The first-round deadline is April 1, 2024. 

Watch a video from Resource Central outlining their turf removal service: 

Garden In A Box

Denver Water also is offering a limited number of $25 discounts, also on a first-come basis, on Resource Central’s professionally designed, water-wise Garden In A Box program. Click here for details on the Garden In A Box program and to sign up for program notifications. 

The Boulder-based nonprofit offers an array of ready-to-plant water-wise garden options for shady or sunny areas, covering 60 to 100 square feet, and the plant-by-number kits include a care and maintenance guide for the new plants. 

Get more water-saving tips, for indoors and out, at denverwater.org/Conserve. 

The water-wise garden kits go on sale in March, with pickup and planting in May and June. A second sale is held in July for pickup and planting in August and September. 

The water-wise plant-by-number garden kits have been popular with Denver Water customers for years.

In 2023, Denver Water customers purchased 2,700 water-wise Garden In A Box kits, creating an estimated 300,000 square feet of new ColoradoScapes that Resource Central estimates will collectively will save about 20 million gallons of water over the gardens’ life span.

“Reducing water use respects the beauty of our great state and ensures a safe water supply for generations to come. It’s simply the right thing to do. It’s a Colorado thing,” Fisher said. 

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