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The environment desk at Aspen Public Radio covers issues in the Roaring Fork Valley and throughout the state of Colorado including water use and quality, impact of recreation, population growth and oil and gas development. APR’s Environment Reporter is Elizabeth Stewart-Severy.

Some City Properties Exempt From Water Restrictions

Elizabeth Stewart-Severy
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Aspen Public Radio

Earlier this month, Aspen City Council declared a stage 2 water shortage, restricting outdoor irrigation and water use. But several city properties are exempted from the rules.

 

The restrictions are meant to reduce water use by 15-20 percent across the community. They prohibit washing sidewalks or driveways, require people to fix leaking or dysfunctional sprinkler systems and limit irrigation of lawns to three days a week.

But these restrictions don’t apply to new landscaping or recently planted trees. That’s to allow roots to be established while that vegetation is most vulnerable — and it means Wagner Park, which gets new turf every year after the Food and Wine Classic, is exempt from watering restrictions.

They also don’t apply to the Aspen Golf Club because that irrigation system is based on weather station technology.

 

Aspen native Elizabeth Stewart-Severy is excited to be making a return to both the Red Brick, where she attended kindergarten, and the field of journalism. She has spent her entire life playing in the mountains and rivers around Aspen, and is thrilled to be reporting about all things environmental in this special place. She attended the University of Colorado with a Boettcher Scholarship, and graduated as the top student from the School of Journalism in 2006. Her lifelong love of hockey lead to a stint working for the Colorado Avalanche, and she still plays in local leagues and coaches the Aspen Junior Hockey U-19 girls.
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