Huerfano County opts out for now of graywater program, asks staff to study limited options

Huerfano County commissioners voted Jan. 6 to refrain from adopting a countywide graywater regulatory program immediately and instead asked the building authority and the health department to study possible lower‑impact options and report back.

The measure, recorded in Resolution 26‑04, follows extended public comment from residents who urged the board not to impose a blanket ban on graywater reuse. Tommy Newkirk, who identified himself as a Huerfano County resident, told the board that “rainwater reuse, when done responsibly, is fundamentally a water conservation tool,” and warned that a total ban would increase costs and septic failures for rural residents. Dave Newker and Dale Lyons made similar appeals for flexibility and limited reuse for landscape irrigation.

County staff invited representatives from the regional public health department to explain state requirements. Kim Gonzales, identified as a district public health director, and Robin Sykes, environmental health director, said state Regulation 86 (and related state statute references in the packet) sets baseline requirements and that opting into a local program would obligate the county to establish an oversight program with staffing, inspections and recordkeeping. Sykes said the program requires treated graywater to be distributed underground and inspected and that smaller uses such as laundry‑to‑landscape still carry compliance and oversight needs.

Commissioners said the county currently lacks the staffing and technical capacity to run a full graywater program. Several members said they prefer a cautious approach: approve the resolution language that effectively prohibits local adoption for now, then request a public process and a study to identify feasible, lower‑cost options. One commissioner summarized the board’s direction as approving the prohibition “for now” while opening a review process with the building authority and health department.

The action directs staff to convene the building authority and health department, seek public input, and return with findings and recommendations on whether a tiered approach (for example, beginning with laundry‑to‑landscape systems) could be implemented with minimal county costs and acceptable health protections. The board recorded the motion and approved the resolution by voice vote.

Next steps: staff will coordinate the review with public outreach and report back to the board; no timeline was specified in the meeting discussion.