Water
We work to protect our water quality and keep our rivers healthy and flowing. As Colorado’s population grows, the gap between our water supply and demand will only increase. Our state must take all necessary steps to conserve water, in order to protect water users and reduce stress on our rivers. In addition we are striving to ensure Colorado’s water is safe and clean.
Bills Tracked
HB 1306 Test Lead in Public Schools' Drinking Water
This bill provides funding to test for lead in schools’ drinking water, thereby better protecting our children’s health. Lead can leach into drinking water from old pipes and fixtures, and in the Colorado school districts that have already tested for lead, more than 100 schools found water sources with elevated levels of it. There is no safe level of lead exposure, and it can be especially damaging to young children. Providing schools the funding to proactively test for lead is critical to safeguard our children’s health and protect our drinking water.
Pro-Environment Vote: YES
Status: Became Law
HB 1233 Protect Water Historical Consumptive Use AnalysisThis bill creates more opportunity for water right owners like farmers and irrigators to participate in water conservation programs. In Colorado, if you don't use all of the water that you own each year, you could lose your legal right to it, which can dissuade people from conserving water. This bill expands a program to incentivize water conservation while protecting irrigators’ water rights. Now, if they participate in a state-approved water conservation plan and reduce their water use, the reduced usage will not be used against them.
Pro-Environment Vote: YES
Status: Became Law
HB 1273 Real Estate Development Demonstrate Water ConservationThis bipartisan bill aimed to ensure that future homes and communities are built in a smart way. It would have required new real estate developments to include water conservation and demand management measures to be included in planning in order to gain permitting approval from local governments. This would have prioritized water conservation as we continue to build and expand our communities.
Pro-Environment Vote: YES
Status: Killed in Senate Committee
