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Buena Vista adopts ordinance prohibiting graywater systems pending technical review
Summary
Trustees passed Ordinance 16 to prohibit local installation of graywater systems while staff completes technical accounting, engineering and regulatory review with county and state authorities. Board members cited water-rights accounting, engineering uncertainty and public-health rules (Regulation 86) as reasons to opt out for now.
The Board of Trustees on Wednesday passed Ordinance 16 prohibiting the installation of on-site graywater treatment works in town while staff finishes engineering and water-rights accounting necessary to allow reuse under state and county requirements.
Staff said the town has prepared an opt-out ordinance rather than a permissive code update because key technical issues remain: water-rights accounting for wells (well Nos. 3 and 4), engineering details reviewed through Water Court (Bray Allen filing), and conformity with Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment requirements (referred to in the meeting as Regulation 86). The ordinance is intended as an interim measure so the town can continue coordinated work with the county, partner agencies and technical consultants.
Trustees discussed the public-health and administrative workload that a local graywater program could impose if adopted prematurely. One trustee noted that state Regulation 86 requires local programs to meet standards comparable to on-site wastewater treatment and that nonconforming portions of local ordinances would have to be revised within 180 days of a state determination.
The board moved and adopted the ordinance in open session; staff said they expect to continue technical work and return with an ordinance or code revisions when the engineering, accounting and public-health compliance questions are resolved.
What’s next: Staff will continue engineering and water-rights work, coordinate with Pueblo Water and state review where needed, and return to the board with recommended code language if a reuse program becomes feasible.
