POTTY TALK

Water in the west is as important to our way of life as fuel oil is for people in the east.  The Denver Water Board is toying with an idea that, frankly, I think may have some merit.  The discussion is being considered to require existing homes and businesses to be retrofitted with water-efficient plumbing fixtures at the point of sale.

The retrofit regulation would include an inspection of homes to check for everything from leaky faucets to water-guzzling sprinkler systems. There's nothing as effective in terms of reducing per capita water use as changing from an old 5-gallon toilet to a 1.6-gallon toilet.

Denver Water manager Chips Barry said "it's an idea that's still in the early stages and "probably needs a lot of discussion over a couple of years."

In his annual State of the City address earlier this month, Mayor John Hickenlooper said the city and Denver Water intended to "embark on the most aggressive water conservation programs in the history of Colorado."

Barry said Hickenlooper told him the real estate industry would "hate" the idea.

That may be but what is important is the idea of water conservation.  We are in the high mountain desert in Colorado and we need to appreciate this vital resource.  The question is, who will be responsible for the retrofit?  In my opinion, with so many people that have bought homes in the past five or six years, the homeowner may already be upside down.  My opinion, not that it would probably matter to the Denver Water Board, is that this expense should be borne by the buyer.  Right now, buyers in Denver are getting some fabulous bargains.  The buyer is the one that would reap the benefit of higher water efficiency.

Low-flow savers

Retailers quoted the following prices for water-saving devices that Denver Water may one day require in homes:

$114 to $250 for low-flow toilets

$7 to $12 for low-flow shower heads

$38 to $200 for low-flow faucetsSources: Home Depot, Lowes