Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Graywater Ordinance topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Aurora Water proposes ban on private graywater systems, citing Prairie Waters debt and duplicate infrastructure
Summary
Aurora Water presented a proposed ordinance to strengthen an existing ban on private graywater reuse systems, arguing the city's Prairie Waters system relies on developer connection fees to pay off long‑term debt and that private systems would duplicate infrastructure and require incentives the city cannot provide.
Aurora Water General Manager Marshall Brown told the council on Oct. 6 that staff is proposing to strengthen an existing ordinance that restricts individual graywater reuse systems within the city.
Brown said the issue traces to investments the city made during the 2002 drought to build a centralized reuse system called Prairie Waters. ‘‘The cost, the debt associated with Prairie Waters is still being paid off by new connections,’’ Brown said. He said Aurora relies on connection fees from new development to continue to pay that debt, and that permitting widespread private graywater systems that would duplicate reuse could undermine the financial model for the centralized system.
Brown said recent state legislation prompted some private interests to push municipalities either to allow graywater systems or to adopt stronger prohibitions. In Aurora’s case, staff proposes to reiterate and strengthen its ordinance to be consistent with the new legislation while allowing limited, exception‑based approvals for developments outside the Prairie Waters service area.
Brown told council that graywater systems can cost ‘‘thousands of dollars’’ and typically require incentives from water utilities to offset developer costs; Aurora does not plan to provide those incentives because the city relies on centralized system revenues. He said staff had prepared talking points and would move the ordinance language to the regular session for further consideration.
Council Member Bergen said the item had been vetted at the water policy meeting and at a town hall. Council did not object to moving the item forward.
