Legislation - Policy

The Town That Extended ‘Smart Growth’ to Its Water

Photo: The Rocky Mountains rise behind the Denver skyline. Charlie Riedel/AP

As Western states grapple with drought, Westminster, Colorado, has become a model for its integration of water data into the planning process.

As with so many towns in the West, the history of Westminster, Colorado, can be told through its water supply.

The turning point in that history was the hot, dry summer of 1962. Westminster was already embroiled in a debate over where to source its water when a drought choked the small city, forcing officials to impose a sprinkler ban. Soon enough, residents noticed that the water trickling from their taps was slightly discolored and didn’t smell right. The desperate city had started drawing water from the Kershaw Ditch, a pool it had recently abandoned over treatment issues.

Although the city said the water was “safe, but stinky,” fed-up local mothers were convinced it would make their children sick and raised hell. In what became known as the “Mothers’ March,” more than 100 women gathered at city hall to protest the city’s water management. City-council meetings were disrupted by protesters who would shout questions through open windows, and the mothers flogged petitions on street corners. They attracted enough attention that Dan Rather did a segment on the protests for CBS News.

Four women collect signatures for a referendum that would have […]

More about water in Colorado:


Related content by our editor:

Summary
Article Name
The Town That Extended ‘Smart Growth’ to Its Water
Description
In what became known as the "Mothers' March," more than 100 women gathered at Westminster, Colorado city hall to protest the city's water management.
Author
Publisher Name
CityLab
Publisher Logo

Recent Posts

Seawater Intrusion Threatens Salinas Valley: Crisis Inaction | Opinion

The Armstrong Ranch property, which occupies both sides of Highway 1, sits atop aquifers that…

4 days ago

Saltwater intrusion will taint 77% of coastal aquifers by century’s end, modeling study finds

Watersheds on the U.S. Eastern Seaboard will be among the areas most affected by underground…

3 weeks ago

A ‘Devil’ Seaweed Is Spreading Inside Hawaiʻi’s Most Protected Place

An invasive algae has wrecked huge sections of reef in Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monument. Scientists…

3 weeks ago

A meadow in the Tahoe National Forest was drying up with sagebrush. Now it’s a lush wetland.

Sardine Meadow is a key link in conservation efforts for the Sierra Nevada, north of…

4 weeks ago

Conservation & Sustainability: fertilizer nitrates

UC Davis researchers insert a device that continuously collects water samples underground, providing real-time data…

1 month ago

Drought Mitigation: Should We Be Farming in the Desert?

Irrigated farmland in the desert of the Imperial Valley. (Photo credit: Steve Proehl, Getty Images)…

1 month ago