Free to residential customers of Breckenridge, Frisco and Dillon water departments
High Country Conservation Center (HC3) is again offering Tame the Tap water checkups that help Breckenridge renters and homeowners save water in their homes. Trained technicians test the efficiency of toilets, faucets and showerheads, and install water-saving equipment on the spot. In 2019, Tame the Tap helped locals conserve more than 350,000 gallons of water, a savings that will continue annually. Both renters and homeowners can sign up for a physically distanced appointment at HighCountryConservation.org/water. The program is free to residential customers of the Breckenridge, Frisco and Dillon water departments and available for $260 to residents in other areas of Summit County. Several rebates are available to participants who make recommended upgrades.
Tame the Tap visits take about 60 minutes and include leak tests, fixture inspections and, if desired, direct installation of high-efficiency faucet aerators and showerheads. Technicians follow up with customized analysis of a homeowner’s current water use, savings from on-the-spot installs, and recommended upgrades.
“One leaky toilet can waste more than 70,000 gallons of water each year,” said Rachel Zerowin, HC3’s Community Programs Director. “Combined with inefficient fixtures installed even in newer homes, those leaks add up to serious waste. Tame the Tap is an easy way to save a lot of water and make real progress on our community’s water efficiency plan.”
Zerowin is referencing the Blue River Watershed Water Efficiency Plan, a state-approved plan that projects a savings of about two million gallons of water annually by 2025 through indoor efficiency programs such as Tame the Tap. With more than 350,000 gallons saved in 2019, Tame the Tap is helping the Summit County community realize the potential savings outlined in the plan.
Summit County sits at the water source – snowmelt – yet, local supplies are becoming more stressed due to increased development, longer droughts, rising temperatures and demands from other communities. The Colorado Basin Implementation Plan concludes that by 2050, Summit County will likely be facing water shortage of 15 billion gallons annually. To learn more about local water conservation, sustainability programs for residents and businesses, and simple tips to save water at home, visit HighCountryConservation.org.