Housing Needs Assessment

Water Supply Element Compliance Rubric
Water Supply Element Compliance Rubric
Per Senate Bill (SB) 24-174, by December 31, 2026, Colorado municipalities, counties,
and regional planning commissions with a comprehensive plan must adopt a water
supply element in their comprehensive plans. Any jurisdiction or regional planning
commission without a comprehensive plan, and not required by state law to have
one, is not subject to this requirement. Any jurisdiction developing a new
comprehensive plan must include a water supply element.
Water supply elements must:
be developed in
consultation with entities
that supply water for use
within the municipality,
county, or region (A.K.A.
"water providers"),
include water
conservation policies, and
estimate a range of water
supplies and facilities
needed to support the
potential public and private development described in the comprehensive plan.
SB 24-174 also requires that in adopting or amending a comprehensive plan, the
municipality, county or regional planning commission shall consider the Colorado
Water Plan where applicable or appropriate (C.R.S. 30-28-106 and 31-23-206).
Jurisdictions must update their water supply element at least every five years but
jurisdictions have discretion in how they define terms, choose methods, set priorities,
and integrate it into their comprehensive plan.
1

Rubric Outlining Compliance
DOLA staff will review the water supply element and may provide comments. Per the
Compliance Framework and Guidelines established by Executive Order D 2025 005,
DOLA staff will determine whether the Water Supply Element satisfies the
requirements of C.R.S. 30-28-106 or 31-23-206 and will provide a designation of
compliant or compliance-in-progress.
In the rubric below, the "baseline compliant" column describes evidence that meets
the statutory threshold for compliance. In contrast, jurisdictions reaching the
"exemplary" level will be noted within DOLA as potential best-practice case studies.
The "exemplary" category is not intended to influence funding decisions. This rubric
allows DOLA staff to clearly distinguish between two types of feedback:
Compliance Comments: Required changes to meet statutory standards.
Technical Assistance: Optional recommendations to adopt best practices based
on a community's specific capacity and context.
As the requirement for a water supply element is due by December 31, 2026, DOLA
recognizes the relatively short time available for jurisdictions' first water supply
element. Some jurisdictions may be baseline compliant in their initial water supply
element, while (optionally) choosing to begin a path to exemplary compliance.
Required Not Compliant Baseline Exemplary
Component Compliant
No mention of Lists water Documents past
Consultation &
outreach to water providers engaged and plans for
Coordination
providers. and a description ongoing
Statutory
of consultation/ coordination with
language:
coordination in water providers.
"...developed in development of Explicitly describes
consultation with the plan. how data and
entities that feedback from
Water Supply Element Compliance Rubric 2

Required Not Compliant Baseline Exemplary
Component Compliant
supply water for water providers
use within the informed the plan.
[municipality or]
county or region to
ensure
coordination on
water supply and
facility planning."
No water Lists conservation Includes specific
Water
conservation policies the policies with an
Conservation
policies. jurisdiction has or action plan that
Policies
will adopt (e.g., prioritizes actions
Statutory
water-wise necessary to
language:
landscaping code, implement the
"...include water water efficiency plan, includes a
conservation plan, water timeline for
policies, to be adequacy implementation,
determined by the policy/water and assigns
[municipality or] availability responsibility for
county or local overlay, 35+ acres actions.
governments zoning to protect
within a region..." aquifers, etc.).
No estimation of Describes water Quantifies future
Demand, Supply &
future water supply or water demand against
Facilities
demand or no infrastructure-rela existing supply for
Estimates
discussion of ted constraints to at least a 20-year
Statutory
supplies and/or the growth horizon. Estimates
language:
facilities needed described in the facilities needed
"Estimate a range
to support the comprehensive for both public and
of water supplies
comprehensive plan and provides private
and facilities
plan. general development.
needed to support
supply/demand Estimates are
the potential
projections. clearly informed
Water Supply Element Compliance Rubric 3

Required Not Compliant Baseline Exemplary
Component Compliant
public and private Identifies key by water
development assumptions/open conservation
described in the questions that may policies.
master plan." need to be
revisited in future
updates.
Greater than five Less than five Less than five
5-Year Update
years old; No years old. States years old. Includes
Cycle
mention of future the element will a commitment to
Statutory
updates. be updated, but update the
language:
may not include a element every five
"The
defined schedule. years and outlines
[municipality,]
that process and
county or region
names a
must update the
responsible
Water Supply
department or
Element and
office.
Strategic Growth
Element no less
frequently than
every five years."
No indication that Includes date N/A
Adoption and
the element was adopted by the
Approval
adopted by the planning
See C.R.S.
planning commission and
30-28-106 and
commission and/or date approved by
31-23-206 for the
approved by the the governing
duty of the
governing body. body.
planning
commission and
subject to the
approval of the
governing body.
Water Supply Element Compliance Rubric 4

*Per statute, comprehensive plans must be adopted by the planning commission of a
municipality or county, "subject to the approval of" the local governing body. DOLA
interprets the governing body's approval as permissive, however, local governments
may choose to require this as part of their process and DOLA endorses this approach
as a best practice.
Considering Colorado Water Plan
Statute requires that in adopting or amending a comprehensive plan, the municipality,
county or regional planning commission shall consider the Colorado Water Plan where
applicable or appropriate (C.R.S. 30-28-106 and 31-23-206).
The following rubric could be used for additional technical assistance notes from DOLA when
conducting courtesy reviews or compliance reviews. Please note that jurisdictions may
consider the Colorado Water Plan in areas other than the water supply element, such as in
sections related to natural resources, environment, recreation, etc.
Required Component Consideration Baseline Exemplary
not evident Compliant
No mention of Mention of the Closely ties the
Consideration of the
the Colorado Colorado Water jurisdiction's
Colorado Water Plan,
Water Plan. Plan in relation plan and
where applicable and
to jurisdiction's policies to the
appropriate
water element Colorado Water
Statutory language:
Plan's Vision,
"In adopting or Action Areas,
amending a master and Partner
plan, the [municipal] or Actions
county or regional
planning commission and/or
shall consider the
following, where Considers Water
applicable or Plan Scenarios
appropriate, and any and/or
other information associated
deemed relevant by "High-Impact
the...commission: ...The Drivers" when
Colorado water plan" estimating
Water Supply Element Compliance Rubric 5

future needs
Explore DOLA's Water Supply Element Guidance for examples, resources, and
considerations. We also encourage you to contact staff for technical assistance and
courtesy reviews of your water supply elements to ensure they meet the
requirements in SB24-174.
Water Supply Element Compliance Rubric 6