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Pikes Peak Habitat for Humanity
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  • About
    • Now Happening
    • Advocacy
    • Careers
    • Current Builds
      • Apostles Build
      • Fund for Humanity Builds
      • George Hammond Build
      • Interfaith Build for Unity
      • Maverik Build
      • Paul Johnson Memorial Build
      • Veterans Build
    • FAQ
    • Faith in Action
    • News & Media
    • Our Board of Directors
    • Our Global Impact
    • Our Staff Team
    • Reports and Financials
  • ReStore
    • ReStore Donations
  • Volunteer
    • FAQ
    • Volunteer – Individuals & Groups
    • Corporate Opportunities
    • Committees & Special Projects
    • Volunteer Appreciation Event
      • George Hammond Award
    • Women Build
  • Housing Help
    • Homeownership Program
    • Home Repair Program
    • Pikes Peak Habitat Support for Veterans
    • Pikes Peak Habitat Homeowners
  • Contact
    • Join Our Mailing List
  • Blog
  • Donate ♥
    • Donate Online
    • Planned Giving
    • Donate Land
    • Donate Your Vehicle
    • Donate Materials to the ReStore
    • Earn 25% State Income Tax Credit
    • Other Ways to Give
June 5, 2023 In Construction

Colorado Springs Utilities Partners with Pikes Peak Habitat for Water-wise Landscaping

Colorado Springs Utilities staff volunteer to landscape a Pikes Peak Habitat home. Volunteers working with gravel

On May 20, employees from Colorado Springs Utilities (CSU) came out to the Pikes Peak Habitat construction site at The Ridge at Sand Creek for a special volunteer day.

“Not only did they help us come up with some great alternatives for landscaping,” says Eric Wells, Pikes Peak Habitat’s construction superintendent, “but they want to come out and help install it as well. They love plants!”

Newly placed plants and stone landscaping featuresCSU has a department devoted to energy and water conservation, the Conservation and Environmental Center, and Wells has been working with them to review Pikes Peak Habitat’s practices.

“Water is just a scarce thing these days, and it’s not going to get much better in the future as we get more and more people needing it,” says Wells. “Plus, if we install really water-thirsty landscaping for our homeowners, their water bill’s going to be very high, and many people are already struggling to pay utility bills.”

Faced with these dilemmas, Wells worked closely with staff at the utilities department to present future homeowners with water-wise options for their yards.

“CSU has been very integral in reworking our concept of landscaping,” says Wells. They provided him with a list of trees, shrubs and plants “that are used to the air conditions that we have here,” he explains. “Most are native and are drought-tolerant and drought-resistant, and they don’t take a whole lot of water.”

Volunteers unloading stones from a BobcatCSU staff helped landscape the first two homes to feature the new water-wise plants. They worked alongside other Pikes Peak Habitat volunteers to rake soil, lay fabric ground cover, and plant bushes, flowers, and trees — all donated by SiteOne Landscape Supplies. The volunteers had planned to also lay sod, but because of the rainy conditions during the previous weeks, that part of the project has been delayed until later in June. 

The grass going onto these yards will also help with water conservation. The fescue and bluegrass typically used for lawns here tends to require a lot of water — but a new strain, Tahoma 31 Bermudagrass, has recently been developed. Unlike most Bermuda-grasses, it can survive at our elevation, and it needs minimal watering.

“It’ll brown up a little earlier in the fall than some other grasses,” says Wells, “but it’ll green up earlier in the spring. It is a little more expensive, but we’re working with CSU on getting grants to cover some of these costs.”

He adds that Pikes Peak Habitat also uses rocks and mulch in our landscaping to reduce the amount of sod needed. During CSU’s time at the construction site, volunteers helped spread and arrange rocks.

For El Paso County homeowners who are interested in water conservation in their own yards, Wells recommends visiting the Colorado Springs Water-wise xeriscape garden, 2855 Mesa Road, for inspiration.

Volunteers working on landscaping tasks in a yard Volunteers kneeling around the base of a tree in front of a new home.

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Pikes Peak Habitat for Humanity is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit recognized by the IRS. Our tax ID number is 35-1640064 and your gift is tax-deductible as allowed by law.
Pikes Peak Habitat for Humanity Business Office:

719.475.7800

office@pikespeakhabitat.org

2802 N. Prospect St. Colorado Springs, CO 80907

Pikes Peak Habitat for Humanity ReStores:

719.667.0840

donations@pikespeakhabitat.org

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Northeast Location

6250 Tutt Blvd., Colorado Springs, CO 80923

South Location

411 S. Wahsatch Ave., Colorado Springs, CO 80903 

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2802 N. Prospect St., Colorado Springs, CO 80907
Ph: 719.475.7800 | Fax: 719.473.3891
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