The city of Aurora, Colorado, has approved a resolution encouraging local restaurants to serve water only when customers request it, as part of a voluntary water-conservation initiative. An unusually dry November has left the city’s water supply at about 65 percent of its total storage capacity, which can reach up to 156,000 acre-feet across its reservoirs. With December’s forecast not improving, the city council hopes the measure will help save water.
Shonnie Cline, deputy director of internal and external affairs with Aurora Water, acknowledged that the change alone will not save a dramatic amount of water but described it as a small step in a larger education programme. She noted that the deficit in the mountains is significant, with snowpack about 30 percent less than desired for this time of year. The measure becomes mandatory only when the city enters one of its three official drought stages, triggered when water storage drops below 100,000 acre-feet.
Despite the guidance, some restaurant owners are hesitant. Scott Burnham, a chef and owner in Aurora, said he would leave the decision to customers unless the rule becomes mandatory. He added that while he tries to sell bottled water, many people simply want tap water. Burnham stated he would continue serving water unless told otherwise.
Aurora last implemented drought restrictions in 2023 and is closely monitoring conditions. The region recently emerged from a super-drought that lasted from 2020 to 2022. According to Science Advances, such droughts, historically expected once every 1,000 years, could now occur as often as every six years due to human-made climate change.
Aurora is not alone in promoting water conservation at restaurants. A decade ago, California Governor Jerry Brown urged eateries to serve water only on request to reduce water use by 25 percent. Hawaii’s island of Oahu has prohibited automatic water service since 1992. In Colorado, Steamboat Springs implemented a similar measure during the severe 2002 drought, and Frisco enacted the practice in August 2024 before lifting it last month as water levels improved.
