by Joe Watt

Everything is greening up this time of year, but the lawns and playgrounds of parks and schools in Lowry and Stapleton have an extra dose of green thanks to Denver Water's growing recycled-water irrigation system.

In Stapleton, watering systems in Central, East-West Greenway and Westerly Creek parks, along with those at the Denver School of Science and Technology and Bill Roberts K-8 School, have switched to the dedicated distribution system.

In Lowry, Jackie Robinson Field, SportsPark, LinearPark and GreatLawnPark are using recycled water, and Mira Vista Golf Course has made the changeover as well.

The new Montclair Recycled Water Pumping Station and East 11 th Avenue and Quebec Street, which went on line this month, is a central element in the expansion to Lowry and Stapleton and, potentially, to Montbello, Green Valley Ranch and Denver International Airport.

Recycled water - water treated to a standard just below drinking water - has helped meet the city's needs for irrigation and replenishing lakes, along with industrial uses. By reusing treated wastewater, Denver Water keeps enough pristine water in its reservoirs to serve 40,000 households.

Denver Water began operating a Recycled Water Treatment Plant near York Street and East 56 th Avenue in 2004. The recycled-water system is separate from the one that delivers drinking water. There are no connections between the two systems, and recycled water is housed in purple pipelines to avoid any chance of confusion.

Denver Water owns rights to a significant amount of water discharged into the South Platte River by the Metro Wastewater Treatment Plant, so instead of losing the water downriver, the recycling plant captures it for treatment. This recycled water meets quality standards set by the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment.

Stapleton and Lowry join a growing list of users of recycled water. Other customers include Xcel Energy's Cherokee power plant; Washington, Swansea and City parks; the Denver Zoo; Bruce Randolph Middle School; and Park Hill and City Park golf courses. Next year, if not later this watering season, Crescent, Denison, McNichols and Verbena parks, all in east Denver, will be added to the system.

Lawns, parks and golf courses that use recycled water are clearly marked with signs. In addition, valve boxes and some sprinkler heads are purple - the same color as the special pipes that transport the recycled water. Even though the recycled water is highly treated, it does not meet standards for drinking water and should not be consumed.

For more information, please visit www.denverwater.org or call 303-628-6320.