Alamosa reports residential water use under 100 gallons per person per day; golf course irrigation uses cut from ~110 to ~70 acre‑feet

City water staff told the council that residential per‑capita water use in Alamosa has declined to below 100 gallons per person per day, meeting a goal set in the 2020 Water Efficiency Plan. Presenters said rate increases and conservation measures continue to correlate with lower usage, that month‑to‑month precipitation has limited impact on demand, and that utility programs and park upgrades are delivering measurable savings.

Staff noted the municipal golf course irrigation project reduced consumption from roughly 110 acre‑feet under the old system to about 70 acre‑feet under a new system, with an engineering study citing roughly 94% system efficiency compared with 70–75% previously. Staff also recapped ongoing efforts: a water‑week public outreach calendar (tours, trivia, xeriscape talks), new stormwater murals near First Avenue and State Avenue, collaboration with the Sonoran Institute on stormwater guidance, and technical assistance to design water conservation incentive programs. Parks and Recreation is installing new irrigation controllers at Coal Park.

Analysis by staff showed commercial accounts have become more responsive to rate changes, and institutional use (schools, colleges) shows some sensitivity to precipitation. Presenters cautioned that pandemic data (2020) are an outlier and that excluding 2020 clarifies longer‑term trends. Staff said the water efficiency plan will be revisited as part of the city’s forthcoming comprehensive plan update.

Councilors thanked staff for the data visuals and asked for the event calendar and outreach materials; staff said press releases and social media posts will be distributed and encouraged councilors to share event details with constituents.