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Council approves Plum Creek expansion and advances water-conservation rules; AMI rollout update
Summary
Council approved a major construction amendment to double capacity at the Plum Creek Water Purification Facility, advanced an ordinance to require ultra‑high‑efficiency toilets in new construction and approved an expanded conservation-rebate program, and staff reported progress on advanced metering infrastructure.
The Castle Rock Town Council on March 4 approved a contract amendment to expand the Plum Creek Water Purification Facility and advanced new water-conservation measures while receiving a progress update on the town's advanced metering infrastructure project.
The council voted unanimously to approve work package 3 for the Plum Creek expansion under a guaranteed-maximum-price delivery approach. Water Director Mark Marlowe said the final guaranteed maximum price for the package is $41.8 million and the total expected cost for the expansion and related items is about $74 million; the project will increase plant capacity to 12 million gallons per day and is expected to be complete in early 2028. "This is one of the most advanced plants in the nation," Marlowe said.
Marlowe also presented two policy items on indoor conservation. The council approved a resolution to expand the town's water-conservation rebate program, increasing the ColoradoScape landscape rebate from $2.50 to $3.25 per square foot and continuing rebates for rotary-nozzle sprinkler retrofits and ultra‑high‑efficiency toilets (UHETs). Staff said they budgeted $300,000 for rebates and expect to return with a first-quarter budget amendment to add roughly $700,000 if demand matches last year's uptake.
Separately, council voted to introduce (first reading) an ordinance that would require 0.8-gallon-per-flush ultra-high-efficiency toilets for new single‑family and multifamily residential construction in Castle Rock. Marlowe said manufacturers now offer multiple certified models and projected long-term indoor-water savings of roughly 47 million gallons annually across projected future new construction in town. He told council builders had not objected in outreach meetings and staff had coordinated with plumbing and builder associations.
On technology, Water Director Mark Marlowe and staff said the town has installed base stations and analytic software; monthly meter-reading drive time is expected to fall from three days to one day when the town goes live with the meters already installed on April 1. About 10,000 meter radios remain to be upgraded; the town is installing roughly 260 radios per month in-house and expects full completion around 2028 without added temporary staff.
Council discussion included questions about cost impacts on new-home prices, manufacturer availability of UHETs and the town's plans for customer portals and leak alerts. Marlowe said toilet models are competitively priced at consumer retailers and that indoor conservation reduces future system-development costs for water supply.
