Sterling Ranch, a 21st-century master-planned community providing residents with an innovative and amenity-rich place to call home, is proud to announce the signing of Senate Bill 148 (SB148), based on the rainwater harvesting pilot project at Sterling Ranch. Signed by Governor Polis on April 11, SB148 will help suburban master-planned communities become more thoughtful about conserving and maintaining water resources. Sterling Ranch continues to lead the state in sustainable water use and practices.
State Representative Barbara McLachlan, who serves on the Agriculture, Water and Natural Resources Committee, toured Sterling Ranch with the committee to learn more about the project, and had this to say: “We were impressed! Senate Bill 148 creates a narrow exception in the current rainwater harvesting statute to allow an approved rainwater harvesting project to temporarily detain rainwater in an existing stormwater facility. This will help suburban master-planned housing communities become thoughtful about conserving and maintaining their valuable water resources. I am happy to be a part of this solution.”
Brock Smethills, president of the Sterling Ranch Development Company, added: “Senate Bill 148 is a sign of success for the project and confidence in Sterling Ranch and could be used statewide to reduce water use in new developments and communities, creating a supply of water that legally hasn’t existed before. It is also a tremendous success for Sterling Ranch, saving the community significant expense because redundant, unneeded infrastructure will not have to be built. Sterling Ranch is playing a big part in water conservation not only in our community but for the entire State of Colorado.”
SB 148 passed with a unanimous vote by both chambers of the State Legislature.