Water Blog

Despite experiencing above-average precipitation this year in Northern Colorado, the onset of the wildfire season has merely been delayed. In observance of Source Water Protection Week (September 24-30) the American Water Works Association commends water utilities’ endeavors to safeguard this vital resource.

Greeley Water proactively conducts weekly tests during peak algal bloom months to ensure it provides customers with quality water.

Greeley Water has been alerted to a scam involving door-to-door solicitors contacting residents claiming they are associated with the City of Greeley. Please know that any information provided by "Water Quality USA" is not affiliated with the City of Greeley, and we do not endorse these notices.

Tap In! and sign up before May 31 (did we mention it’s free with no strings attached?), and you will automatically be entered to win:

• One of five $100 gift cards to a local business or restaurant.

• One of two android tablets.

The City of Greeley is investing in the city’s future, acquiring new water storage, upgrading wastewater treatment facilities to meet changing regulations and working to eliminate flooding downtown and other areas of the city. These critical public infrastructure investments will cost more than $200 million the next several years.
   To Greeley residents, it will mean a roughly $10-a-month utility rate increase in 2022 depending on their water use.

Don’t let the cold temperatures of winter burst your pipes. By following these simple tips, you’ll not only save yourself the trouble of broken pipes and gushing water, but you’ll also save yourself a lot of money in repair fees.

During the fall and winter water trees depending on weather, temperature, and soil conditions. You should water in the winter when it is above 40 degrees and when there is no snow cover.

Fall is an excellent time to compost because you have access to all of the leaves falling and all of the vegetation that you may clean up out of your yard. Begin to think about these materials as a resource rather than something to dispose. If you learn how to compost at home, by spring, you can have a rich soil amendment that can enhance your soil, improve your plant health and conserve water buy creating a healthy soil ecosystem. It all starts with soil health.

There’s a feeding frenzy going on in east Greeley and it has nothing to do with cows. Rather, Greeley’s “bugs” are chomping away while keeping the city’s wastewater environmentally sustainable.

You didn’t notice, did you? Greeley’s summer water, which has sometimes been the source of taste and odor complaints in the past, remained complaint-free this summer. That’s a statistic the city is working to keep on trend as investments are made in our treatment plants, and out certified water operators continue perfecting the process to keep water great-tasting all year.

Here are 10 helpful landscaping tips for fall in Colorado. 

While Colorado and the West have regularly faced compromised water from shrinking rivers and forest fire damage, Greeley has weathered the storm a bit better than most. The City has been able to tap into its many water sources to fill the gaps left by fires and drought that plague the Rocky Mountain West – a vital part of the city’s water planning that stems back at least 100 years. But now is no time to rest. 

You may have noticed a change or two at Bittersweet Park. Taller grass, perhaps a tad less-manicured? What may look a little wild to some really is a look of au naturale to the city and water conservationists.  The park was “reimagined” into one that practices what Greeley preaches: using xeriscaping and low-water, native plants and grasses instead of non-native, water-thirsty ones.

Water in the West has been a complicated issue for more than 150 years; and modern Western water law began here in Greeley. To this day, water availability and security are at the forefront of the city’s future planning. With continued drought and the effects of forest fires on our drinking water, finding inventive ways to save this precious resource has become a critical issue throughout the West. Greeley water officials are leading the way.

When fires destroy a community’s watershed, the main source of water supply, many cities would be hard-pressed to clean up their supply without disruption. But Greeley has several different sources from which to draw its drinking water, and it has built great relationships with other water providers to work together in difficult times.

As the city of Greeley grows, so too does its expenses. Water prices, especially, can make growth a painful prospect for a city and its residents. But Greeley’s water leadership continues to find innovative ways to navigate such expenses without passing overly-burdensome costs onto ratepayers.

In 20 years of testing, Greeley’s drinking water has yet to violate state guidelines, and the news is no different this year. The latest Water Quality Report, which reveals how Greeley’s water performed on state testing, reveals similar results, giving Greeley’s drinking water a clean bill of health.

Your water budget is not only set for the number of people in your household, the size of your yard and the weather.  So you are going to have a bigger budget in July than you will in June and August. The city allows an ample water budget for your yard, but sometimes, if you overwater to compensate for the heat, you will go over your water budget.  

Budgets help us keep our money in check, but did you know that as a resident of Greeley, the city helps you keep your water bill in check?  Every month, the city ratepayers who stay within their allotted budget pay the lowest price per 1,000 gallons. The rates are tiered, but they are personalized to your household, so extra usage means a steeper rate in the higher tiers.

Have you always wanted to try your hand at gardening or xeriscape and didn’t know where to start? Greeley’s Garden in a Box program is an easy way to dip your toe in the water with ready-made planting guides and plant pairings to make the perfect water-wise home garden.