In The NoCo

Colorado cities are growing in population while shrinking their water use. Here’s how they make it work

By In The NoCo,

Published October 2, 2024 at 5:40 AM MDT

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Looking over a suburban neighborhood toward the Rocky Mountains. — 2002 was "hugely important," says Luke Runyon, for "the way that Colorado communities view their water supplies and their future when it comes to water." Runyon is co-director of the University of Colorado's Water Desk.

In 2002, Colorado saw a turning point for water use. It was the year Front Range cities got serious about how they use water and how to waste less of it.

Luke Runyon is a reporter who specializes in covering water issues for the University of Colorado Boulder’s Water Desk. (You might remember him as the host of KUNC’s Colorado River podcast Thirst Gap.)

In a new story, Runyon looked at how many Colorado cities grew dramatically since 2002 but also shrank their water usage.

Host Erin O’Toole talked with Runyon about how cities achieved water conservation and what they might need to do in the future as populations continue to expand.

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In The NoCo

KUNC's In The NoCo is a daily slice of stories, news, people and issues. It's a window to the communities along the Colorado Rocky Mountains. The show brings context and insight to the stories of the day, often elevating unheard voices in the process. And because life in Northern Colorado is a balance of work and play, we celebrate the lighter side of things here, too.

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Brad Turner

Brad Turner is an executive producer in KUNC's newsroom. He manages the podcast team that makes In The NoCo, which also airs weekdays in Morning Edition and All Things Considered. His work as a podcaster and journalist has appeared on NPR's Weekend Edition, NPR Music, the PBS Newshour, Colorado Public Radio, MTV Online, the Denver Post, Boulder's Daily Camera, and the Longmont Times-Call.

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Erin O'Toole

As the host of KUNC’s new program and podcast In the NoCo, I work closely with our producers and reporters to bring context and diverse perspectives to the important issues of the day. Northern Colorado is such a diverse and growing region, brimming with history, culture, music, education, civic engagement, and amazing outdoor recreation. I love finding the stories and voices that reflect what makes NoCo such an extraordinary place to live.

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