Trainings and Events

Providing Education

As Northern Water expands its Water Efficiency Program offerings, one of our main focus areas is leveraging resources with other entities to provide educational opportunities for landscape professionals, municipal employees and the general public. These classes and training aim to give attendees a deeper understanding of many topics, including the plant-soil-water relationship, plant water requirements, landscape water budgeting and irrigation management, among others. 

Our trainings build capacity for landscape water management, irrigation efficiency, sustainability, and plant, tree and soil health. Attendees learn about new technology, policy, planning, design, and implementation, and best practices. Trainings support certification allowing contractors to be listed under the EPA WaterSense “Find a Pro” portal and ALCC’s Find a Landscape Professional.

People sitting around a table at a Water Efficiency stakeholder training

Northern Water Hosted Classes & Trainings

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Irrigation Association - 2025 Details Forthcoming

Northern Water offers annual Irrigation Association (IA) courses and certifications. Irrigation Association is a nationally recognized leader in irrigation trainings. Irrigation management is a foundational practice for landscape efficiency and certified professionals are eligible to be listed as approved contractors for our Water Efficiency Grant application projects. Northern Water subsidizes attendance fees to expand accessibility. Trainings cover Principles of Irrigation: Landscape; Advanced Irrigation Design and Management; Landscape Irrigation Auditor; and Landscape Irrigation Technician.

  • Landscape Irrigation Technician (CIT) – Learn the basics of hydraulics and irrigation system installation and maintenance, including an overview of irrigation system components and how they operate. Learn about gluing and repairing PVC pipe, installing nozzles and adjusting heads, setting and repairing electric valves and field and controller wiring techniques. This class provides foundational information for the certified irrigation technician exam. 8 CEUs – Beginner 
  • Principles of Irrigation: Landscape (CID) – Master theory and application principles for turf-landscape in this intensive session. Two full days cover soil-water-plant relationships, advanced hydraulics, electricity, pumps, valves and irrigation equipment. This class provides foundational information for the certified irrigation designer general landscape/turf exam. 16 CEUs – Intermediate 
  • Landscape Irrigation Auditor (CLIA) – Learn how to assess irrigation system performance. This two-day session covers field tests and calculating accurate watering schedules based on plant water use, soils and local weather data. This class provides foundational information for the certified landscape irrigation auditor exam. 16 CEUs – Intermediate

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Associated Landscape Contractors of Colorado

Northern Water continues to subsidize the Sustainable Landscape Management training and certificate program. This certificate is a great first step for professionals just entering the field of water efficiency and landscaping and prepares them for additional future learning. The training outlines sustainable landscape maintenance practices, why they are important and different from prior practices, anticipated outcomes of proper techniques, and who will benefit from the application of these techniques and practices. The four-hour classes are hosted throughout the Front Range year-round. The SLM training class and certificate is open to ALCC members only. Trainings will take place at Northern Water. Learn more about this training and register on the SLM website.

Partnership Trainings

As part of our partnerships at Northern Water, the following trainings are available through various partners. 

Resource Central Waterwise Yard Webinars 

Northern Water has partnered with Resource Central to offer multiple Waterwise Yard Seminars. Review the topics and sign up on the Resource Central website.  

Growing Water Smart 

Northern Water continues to support the Growing Water Smart workshop every other year. Growing Water Smart is a joint project between the Colorado Water Conservation Board, the Sonoran Institute and the Lincoln Institute featuring workshops that bring leaders from a city, town, county or region together to devote entire days to learning, collaboration and planning, which lead to custom action plans to integrate land use and water planning, tailored to their unique needs and goals. The Growing Water Smart program introduces communities to the full range of communications, public engagement, planning, and policy implementation tools to realize their watershed health and community resiliency goals.  Funding and support are available post-completion to ensure implementation of the action plans. Registration is free and the Water Efficiency team is available to support prospective entities that may need guidance in preparing their application and assembling their team. This video from past participants shows the value they found working together.