From The Denver Post (Bruce Finley):

Denver Water authorities this week revealed they’re considering paying residents to rip out lawns and replace them with landscapes better suited to the semi-arid environment…

Castle Rock residents today use 84 gallons of water per person per day on average, down 8 percent from the 92 gallon average in 2003. Water use in Douglas County overall decreased by 32 percent from 215 gallons per person per day to 146, according to state data. The growing push for water conservation has nudged Castle Rock ahead of Denver, where utilities officials this week pegged household-only water consumption at 86 gallons per person per day, down from 104 in 2000. (In Europe and Australia, municipal water use has been reduced to 40 gallons per person per day.)