Water Augmentation Program

The Summit County Water Augmentation Program provides water to eligible property owners who desire to use an existing or new well for landscaping, an accessory apartment, domestic animals, and other household and outdoor uses. 

Application Information


In Summit County, if you are planning to use your well for anything other than a single-family residence, you need to apply for and obtain water augmentation for your well. The water augmentation contract is designed to protect existing water rights by replacing the water that is being used by your well. For a more detailed explanation of augmentation plans, please read our Water Rights & Terms section. 


Only a property owner (Applicant) can apply for a Summit County Water Augmentation Contract. The Applicant must fill out an application and pay the required fees, once the application is processed, the application will be reviewed over a 30-day period. 


After the application review process, a Water Augmentation Contract will be drafted. The Applicant must return a signed, notarized Water Augmentation Contract along with the required fees. The County will add its authorized signature and the fully executed agreement will be recorded in the office of the Clerk & Recorder for easy retrieval as part of any future transfer of property ownership. Applicant will receive a copy of the recorded document via email. This process, from application to recorded contract, takes about 45 days. 


Finally, the Applicant must submit the recorded contract and a new (or replacement) well permit application to the Colorado Division of Water Resources. Some Applicants will also be required to install a flow meter on their well.


 Application Documents:


Application Fees

 

Application Fee: $300

Payable to Summit County Government. The application fee is Non-Refundable.

Amendment Fee: $0

There is no fee to amend your Water Augmentation Contract, but a new application will need to be submitted.

Recording Fee: $0

The contract will be recorded at the Clerk & Recorder’s office for no fee.