Concerning modifications to environmental standards for certain irrigation equipment.
Summary
House Bill 26-1034 modifies Colorado’s environmental standards for certain irrigation equipment that are sold or leased in the state. The bill repeals the existing statutory standard for irrigation controllers, which had required those products to meet WaterSense program criteria beginning January 1, 2026. It also revises the standard for spray sprinkler bodies by removing the requirement that they include a check valve and changing the compliance benchmark from meeting WaterSense water-efficiency and performance criteria to being certified to the WaterSense program.
In practical terms, the bill narrows the state’s product-efficiency requirements for irrigation equipment and reduces the number of specific technical conditions manufacturers and sellers must satisfy. The changes affect the definitions, scope, and product standards in Colorado’s environmental product standards law, particularly for irrigation controllers and spray sprinkler bodies sold, offered for sale, or leased in Colorado after the effective date. The bill takes effect after the referendum period unless challenged and approved by voters if referred to the ballot.
Impact
The bill amends Colorado Revised Statutes title 6, article 7.5 by repealing the irrigation controller definition and removing irrigation controllers from the list of covered products subject to state efficiency standards. It also revises the standard for spray sprinkler bodies, eliminating the check-valve requirement and replacing a performance-based WaterSense compliance test with a certification-based requirement. These changes affect manufacturers, distributors, retailers, and lessors of irrigation equipment in Colorado by easing compliance obligations and altering what products may be sold or leased in the state.
Sentiment
The available record shows no committee transcript or recorded votes, so there is no detailed public debate captured in the provided materials. Based on the bill’s content and its enactment, the measure appears to have advanced without documented opposition in the supplied record and was ultimately signed by the Governor. The overall tone in the bill text is technical and regulatory rather than ideological, focusing on product-standard adjustments rather than a broader policy shift.
Contention
The main point of potential contention is the rollback or loosening of environmental and efficiency requirements for irrigation equipment. Supporters would likely view the bill as reducing unnecessary compliance burdens and aligning state rules more closely with WaterSense certification, while critics may see the repeal of irrigation controller standards and the removal of the check-valve requirement as weakening water-conservation protections. Any disagreement would center on the balance between regulatory flexibility for industry and maintaining strong water-efficiency standards for nonagricultural irrigation products.