Show All Answers

1. Where does our water come from?

The Town of Windsor purchases water from three sources: Fort Collins-Loveland Water District, North Weld Water District, and the City of Greeley.

Our primary water supplier is from North Weld Water District with the City of Greeley and Fort Collins-Loveland Water District as our secondary source.

2. Why does my water look cloudy?

The "milky" color comes from tiny air bubbles in the water. When cold water comes out of the faucet it may look "milky." If you fill a glass with water you will see that the "milky" color will quickly disappear. The water is perfectly safe to drink when it looks this way.

3. Why might the drinking water have an odor?

If your drinking water has an odor, it is because of an algae bloom in the raw water. If the water smells like a geranium, has a musty odor, or the smell of a wet dog, quite often the smell is associated with algae in the raw water. This problem is harmless, and usually short in duration.

4. Why might the water appear dirty?

This is usually due to the fact that fire hydrants are being flushed, or there has been a water leak in your neighborhood, or there are water taps being made, or new water mains have been recently installed. Let your water run in your bathtub or at several faucets to help clear the water up. If it still appears dirty, call us at 970-674-5400 or submit a request via SeeClickFix.

5. What is Back Flow?

Back flow means water flowing backwards into the water supply system. There are two ways back flow can enter the water supply from a sprinkler system; back siphonage and back pressure. Back siphonage happens when the pressure in the water supply suddenly drops. Pressure drops can happen because of nearby fire fighting or repairs of breaks in the Town water main. The pressure drop creates a vacuum, sucking the water backward through the system. The vacuum is much like a person sipping on a straw, which causes liquid to flow in the opposite direction. Back pressure is also reversal of water flow in the water system. However, this type of reversal happens when water pressure increases on the customer's side of the water system. Examples of things that can cause pressure increases in your sprinkler system would be injection fertilizing or blowing out the system in the fall.

Send backflow reports to Utility Supervisor Charwon Walter at cwalter@windsorgov.com.

6. What are the highlights of the Colorado Cross Connection Control Law regarding sprinkler systems?

Atmospheric vacuum breakers cannot be used against back pressure conditions. Valves cannot be installed downstream from atmospheric vacuum breakers. Testing is required upon installation of a new back flow prevention device and annually thereafter by a certified tester. The law applies to both new installations and sprinkler systems that are being repaired or modified. No grandfather clause exists.

7. Does the Windsor Municipal Code require a lawn sprinkler permit?

Yes. The WMC requires that you have a permit before installing a new sprinkler system. The permit can be obtained at the Town Hall, 301 Walnut Street. In compliance with the state law, you must upgrade the existing back flow prevention device installed on the system, tested at the time of installation, and tested annually by a state-certified tester.

If work is done to repair, expand or modify an existing sprinkler system with an unapproved back flow device, the customer must upgrade the existing back flow device to current standards. The new back flow prevention device must be tested upon installation and then annually by a state-certified tester.