MANAGING RECLAIMED WATER ISSUES: UNDERSTANDING ENVIRONMENTAL FACTORS AND DIFFUSING PUBLIC PERCEPTIONS

摘要

The City of Westminster, Colorado produces good quality reclaimed water for reuse as irrigation in a dry western climate. The city, however, is located in a complex environment with variable soils, ground- and surface water regimes, and vegetative communities. The local geology includes saline formations that affect soil and ground water in some locations. All of these factors are contributors to the health and vigor of vegetative communities - both native and exotic - that grow here. Because the environmental factors are not well understood, there are perceptions by some reclaimed water customers that irrigating with this resource results in the death of landscape vegetation in the City. An assessment was completed of Westminster's Reclaimed Water Program to develop a management plan that will enable customers to plan successful landscape strategies to effectively utilize reclaimed water as their irrigation source.