DENVER WATER

SOIL PREPARATION INFORMATION
FOR ALL METER SETS REQUESTED
AS OF AUGUST 1, 2008

Importance of Soil Amendment:
Amending your soil with compost has multiple benefits. Organic matter (compost) particles can hold moisture in the soil for extended periods, allowing water to be available to plants over a longer period of time. Compost can provide small amounts of the key nutrients nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium (N-P-K) and also increases microbial activity, which improves plant root growth. Compost also “opens” clay soils allowing better drainage and “closes” sandy soils preventing water from leaching away too quick.

For all meter sets requested as of August 1, 2008, Denver Water requires soil amendment before an appointment for meter set will be scheduled. If the property fails soil amendment inspection, the appointment for meter inspection/set will not be accepted, which may affect whether the property may be landscaped or occupied. Failure to have the meter set or to pass meter inspection and complete the licensing process may also result in cancellation of the Water Supply License.

Operating Rule 3.03 b:
Limits on Use. Unmetered use of water for construction is permitted only until the water service is activated, as required in Rule 2.02.1, or the Water Supply License is cancelled under Rule 2.12, whichever occurs first. Landscape irrigation and occupancy of the premises prior to the installation of a meter are prohibited and shall constitute unauthorized use of water.

At the time of application for the water tap, a soil amendment fee ($80) will be collected in addition to all other applicable fees. In the case of re-inspections, a $60 trip charge will be assessed for each additional visit to the property and will be billed to the property once the meter has been set/inspected.

To Pass Soil Amendment Inspection:

1. Prior to the installation of any plant material, including sod, apply a minimum of four (4) cubic yards of soil amendment product per one thousand (1,000) square feet of permeable area. This soil amendment product must be incorporated or rototilled to a depth of four to six inches. Site shall be raked smooth and finish grades established. Rocks and debris over 1-inch diameter that may interfere with planting and maintenance operations shall be removed.

• The soil amendment product applied to the premises must be on the Approved Soil Amendment product list available at denverwater.org.
• Tilled soil amendment product is required for all permeable area of the property, including tree lawn and right-of-way adjacent to the property for which the property owner is responsible for planting and maintaining.

2. Schedule an Inspection for Soil Amendment:

• Provide documentation of soil amendment product, quantity of product and address(es) it will be applied to – invoice or load ticket – to Denver Water prior to inspection appointment. Inspection will be arranged once documentation has been received and product approved. Documentation may be:
  • E-mailed – soilamendment@denverwater.org
  • Faxed – 303-628-6238 (Indicate Soil Amendment)
  • Mailed – Denver Water Conservation-SA, MC 330, 1600 W. 12th Ave., Denver, CO 80204
• Schedule an inspection with Denver Water by calling 303-628-6343 option 3. The inspection will take place within 2 business days of request.
• Inspection status (pass or fail) will be communicated to the party who requested the inspection. Both hardcopy notice (left at the property) and phone call will be provided, day of inspection. If the property is served by a master meter distributor, the distributor’s representative will also be notified via phone. The representative will be provided the same information via e-mail within the next business day
• Once the property passes soil amendment inspection, the meter set/inspection appointment may be made the following business day.

If the property fails soil amendment inspection: The appointment for meter inspection/set will not be accepted if the property fails the soil amendment inspection. Denver Water will notify the party who made the appointment. For re-inspection, the same process applies along with a $60 trip charge.The property may not be occupied or landscaped.

Winter Conditions:
Soil amendment inspection when the ground is frozen: If, in the opinion of Denver Water, weather and ground conditions prevent the soil amendment inspection required for a meter-set, the applicant for the meter-set may deposit with Denver Water 25 percent of the SDC (System Development Charge) for the property, at which time Denver Water will schedule the meter inspection even though the soil amendment inspection has not occurred. The soil amendment inspection will then take place when conditions permit, and no later than June 1 each year.

Once the property has passed the soil amendment inspection, the soil amendment deposit will be refunded to the originator of deposit, regardless of ownership of the property. NO INTEREST WILL BE PAID ON THE DEPOSIT.

During the winter months, when ground conditions may prohibit inspection, check the Soil Amendment pages at denverwater.org to determine if soil amendment inspections are taking place.

Contact Sales Administration at 303-628-6100 for the winter deposit amount for your property.

Note: Denver Water cannot perform the soil amendment inspection if the premise is landscaped. Therefore, any landscaping that occurs prior to the inspection is done at the risk of the party obtaining the landscaping. Denver Water is not responsible for any monetary or property loss arising from removal of landscaping in order to perform the inspection.

For phased projects:
A complete site irrigation plan must be submitted for review as a pre-requisite to applying for a tap.

More information is available at denverwater.org, under “Soil Amendment” or call 303-628-6343, option 3.