Colorado House Bill 19-1231, “New Appliance Energy and Water Efficiency Standards,” was signed into law on May 30, 2019. The bill aims to reduce energy and water waste by establishing standards for new appliances sold and installed in the state. Those working in the landscape industry in Colorado will need to be aware of this law as it applies to irrigation systems and some outdoor lighting.

The law applies to spray sprinkler bodies sold as new in Colorado, stating that they “must include an integral pressure regulator” and meet EPA WaterSense^® specifications—unless they are specifically excluded from the scope of WaterSense specification. The full specification can be found here.

The act goes into effect August 2, 2019, but individual effective dates will be phased in. The rule regarding spray sprinkler bodies will apply to sales that take place on or after January 1, 2021.

Landscape professionals installing new irrigation systems or repairing existing systems should be aware of this law and verify that the sprinkler bodies they install are compliant with the new standards. WaterSense offers a searchable database of certified products and a downloadable spreadsheet of products at www.epa.gov/watersense/product-search.

Penalties for knowingly selling or offering to sell non-compliant products could be significant: up to $2,000 per violation or up to $10,000 per violation if the victim is an elderly person. Each sprinkler body is considered a violation, so installing non-compliant sprinkler bodies on a large product could result in substantial penalties.