Castle Pines Metro District 2022 Water Survey

Magellan Strategies are pleased to present the topline results of an online survey of 532 homeowners within the Castle Pines Metro District. The interviews were conducted from January 18 to 30, 2022.

Most homeowners in The Village at Castle Pines knew the approximate amount of their average monthly summer water bill. 38% reported paying $150 or less, 34% reported between $151 and $300, 15% reported between $301 and $500, and 7% reported $500 or more. Only 6% did not know their bill amount. When asked what they considered a reasonable monthly summer water bill, 49% said less than $150, 34% said between $151 and $300, and 10% said between $301 and $500. A majority — 57% — were unsure whether District water rates were higher or lower than neighboring communities, while 31% believed they were higher and 12% believed they were lower.

Awareness of water supply facts varied across topics. 73% were aware that all District water came from twelve deep underground aquifer wells, and 65% were aware the District lacked access to an above-ground renewable water source. 69% were aware that the aquifers were depleting and putting pressure on water supply demands, and 49% were aware the aquifers also served Parker, Castle Rock, and other nearby communities. Awareness dropped significantly when it came to infrastructure condition, with only 28% aware that the District’s aging water facilities, pipelines, and infrastructure needed significant upgrades and repairs.

After learning that an efficiency plan would extend groundwater resources and buy time to develop a renewable above-ground source, 74% of homeowners supported the Metro District adopting a water use efficiency plan and 15% opposed it. Support was strong for replacing turf grass with native grasses in public and common areas, with 76% in favor (45% strongly, 31% somewhat) and 20% opposed. Support dropped when the question turned personal — 52% supported reducing and replacing turf grass on their own property with native grasses, while 40% opposed, including 26% who strongly opposed.

Adopting monthly water budgets customized by property drew majority but softer support, with 51% in favor (15% strongly, 36% somewhat) and 34% opposed. Homeowners broadly endorsed using reserve funds to address deferred maintenance, with 89% supporting the decision to draw $7 million from the current $13 million reserve fund for existing infrastructure needs and only 5% opposing. Support remained solid but less unanimous for a proposed $20 million public bond offering to fund additional infrastructure projects, with 67% in support (24% strongly, 43% somewhat) and 16% opposed.

Looking further ahead, 59% of homeowners supported a public bond offering in 10 to 20 years to fund a renewable above-ground water source estimated to cost around $100 million, while 21% opposed and 20% were undecided. Support was more divided on the option of partnering with Parker or Castle Rock to access their water storage, with 52% in favor (14% strongly, 38% somewhat) and 33% opposed. Homeowners appeared to weigh both the potential cost savings of a shared partnership and the risks of reduced representation and voting power on the water board.

Homeowners broadly rejected complacency about the District’s water supply. Only 13% agreed the District had enough water and did not need efficiency plans, while 74% disagreed. 22% agreed they would no longer be in the District by the time a water issue arose, while 61% disagreed. Shared responsibility was a clear consensus value, with 94% agreeing that every resident needed to play their part in maintaining the water supply, including 63% who strongly agreed.

Homeowners also placed high expectations on the District itself. 90% agreed it was the Metro District’s responsibility to develop and implement the best possible plan for residents, including 60% who strongly agreed. Only 8% disagreed. Taken together, these results reflected a community that understood the seriousness of the District’s water supply challenges, accepted personal responsibility for conservation, and expected the District to lead with a clear and proactive long-term plan.

The survey sample skewed older and male. 43% of respondents were 65 or older, 30% were between 55 and 64, and only 7% were under 45. 59% identified as male and 35% as female. 60% of respondents did not live in a sub-association, while 40% did. Tenure in The Village at Castle Pines was distributed across a range of years, with 33% having lived there for 10 years or fewer, 26% for 11 to 20 years, and 20% for more than 20 years.