💧 Water & Drought

Boulder Water Utility

No restrictions yet — decision expected around May 1

• City is monitoring watershed conditions and managing reservoirs
• Will decide whether to declare drought and implement restrictions "on or around" May 1
• Standard rules: odd addresses Mon/Wed/Sat, even Tue/Thu/Sun
• No watering 10am–6pm; no irrigation on Fridays
• Drip systems exempt from time restrictions

Denver Water

Stage 1 Drought — Mandatory restrictions (effective March 25)

• Lawn watering limited to 2 days/week on assigned days
• Even addresses: Sunday & Thursday
• Odd addresses: Wednesday & Saturday
• Commercial/multifamily/HOA: Tuesday & Friday only
• No watering 10am–6pm
• Keep automated sprinklers off until mid- to late May
• Hand watering trees & shrubs allowed any day (not 10am–6pm)
• Restaurants: water by request only
• Drought pricing approved April 8: Tier 2 +$1.10/1,000 gal; Tier 3 +$2.20/1,000 gal. Applies to May use (June bills). Indoor/essential use exempt.

City of Thornton

Stage 1 — Mandatory restrictions (enacted March 2026)

• Twice-weekly watering limit starting May 1
• Watering only between 6 PM and 10 AM
• Residents choose their two watering days
• 1st violation = warning; $100/$250 fine if not fixed in 10 days

Aurora Water

Stage 1 — Mandatory restrictions effective April 7

• Lawn watering limited to 2 days/week on assigned days
• Even addresses: Thursday & Sunday
• Odd addresses: Wednesday & Saturday
• No watering 10am–6pm
• No new bluegrass or fescue sod installations
• Restaurants: water by request only
• Surcharge: $2.15/1,000 gal above 110% of your winter average (Dec–Feb)
• Seeking 20% reduction; fines $125–$500

City of Longmont

Drought Watch — No mandatory restrictions

• No assigned watering days, no enforcement action
• City is at Sustainable Conservation Level — Drought Watch
• Voluntary guidance: water no more than 2x/week, before 10am or after 6pm
• Longmont draws from St. Vrain watershed with senior water rights — more resilient than Denver Water system
• Formal shortage decision expected after April/May runoff data
• Rebates available for turf removal and native landscaping

City of Westminster

Voluntary Drought Watch — effective April 15

• Voluntary limit: water no more than 3 days/week
• No watering 10am–6pm (year-round ordinance, enforceable)
• Standley Lake (Westminster's main supply) is trending similarly to 2002 — driest year on record
• Mandatory Stage 1 (2 days/week with fines) remains on the table if voluntary targets aren't met by mid-summer
• No fines under current Drought Watch — voluntary only

Louisville & Lafayette

Voluntary conservation requested

• Reduce outdoor use by 10–15%
• Avoid watering 10am–6pm
• Check local utility for current stage

Denver Water Service Area

Stage 1 Drought — Follows Denver Water (effective March 25)

• Same 2-day/week assigned schedule as Denver
• Arvada: mandatory Stage 1 restrictions begin April 15 — even addresses Sun/Thu, odd Wed/Sat
• No watering 10am–6pm
• Keep automated sprinklers off until mid- to late May

Littleton & Broomfield

Littleton: Stage 1 via Denver Water (effective March 25)

• Littleton served by Denver Water — same Stage 1 restrictions apply
• Broomfield has multiple water sources — check local utility
• Both likely to see tighter restrictions if drought worsens

Town of Erie

Level 4 Emergency lifted — restricted resumption in effect

• Emergency sprinkler ban (through end of March) has ended
• Even addresses resumed watering April 4; odd addresses April 6
• Goal remains 45% reduction in water use
• Erie uses its own Level 1–4 scale, separate from Denver Water's 3-stage system
• Non-compliance may still result in water tap shutoff

City of Brighton

Stage 1 — Mandatory restrictions (effective April 7)

• Brighton City Council voted 9–0 to approve Stage 1 restrictions April 7
• Outdoor watering limited to twice per week on a set schedule
• Municipal parks reducing usage by 20%
• City cited predicted drought conditions and water supply limitations

Highlands Ranch Water

Drought Watch — declared March 1

• Outdoor watering limited to 3 days/week
• Customer demand predicted 22% above normal
• Keep outdoor sprinklers off until at least April

Mountain Snowpack

Rocky Mountain snowfall from November–April becomes river flow in spring and summer. Snowpack levels directly predict how much water cities will have — and how tight restrictions will be.

Reservoirs

Denver Water operates Dillon and Cheesman reservoirs. Boulder draws from Gross and Barker reservoirs. Reservoir storage levels determine drought stage declarations.

Water Law

Colorado's Prior Appropriation Doctrine — "first in time, first in right" — allocates water by historical priority. Municipal utilities hold senior rights to keep taps on, even in drought.

Colorado Drought 2026: What Front Range Homeowners Need to Know

Denver Water declares Stage 1 drought. Snowpack worst since 1941. Mandatory 2-day-per-week watering, assigned days, and what it means for your yard this summer.

Denver Water Drought Stages Explained: Stage 1, 2, and 3

What's prohibited at each stage, what triggers escalation from Stage 1 to Stage 2, and what Stage 4 actually means (hint: that's Erie's scale, not Denver Water's).

Longmont Water Restrictions 2026

Longmont has no mandatory restrictions — but it's on Drought Watch. Why Longmont is different from Denver, and what could trigger mandatory restrictions this summer.

Spring Sprinkler Startup 2026: Morrison, Littleton & South Denver

When to turn on your system in a drought year — and the step-by-step startup process that keeps you compliant under Stage 1 restrictions and prevents early-season freeze damage.

How to Water Trees and Shrubs During a Colorado Drought

Trees are the most valuable and slowest-to-replace element in your yard. How to keep them alive when water is restricted.

Why Grass Struggles in Colorado Clay Soil

Clay soil's poor drainage directly shapes how and when you should water. Understanding the link between soil type and water absorption prevents the biggest irrigation mistakes.

Arvada Water Restrictions 2026: Watering Days by Address

Stage 1 mandatory restrictions effective April 15. Even addresses: Sunday & Thursday. Odd addresses: Wednesday & Saturday. No watering 10am–6pm.

Boulder Lawn Watering Rules Explained

Complete breakdown of Boulder's watering schedule, drought stages, allowed hours, and enforcement fines.

Denver Lawn Watering Restrictions Explained

Denver Water's outdoor schedule, conservation stages, allowed hours, and how to program your system to stay compliant without losing your lawn.

Why Snowpack Determines Your Summer

How mountain snowpack becomes your water bill — and why a dry winter means restrictions in July.

Where Denver Gets Its Water

Dillon Reservoir, transmountain diversions, the South Platte — Denver Water's full supply system explained.

How Xeriscaping Actually Works in the Front Range

What a real xeriscape conversion involves, what it costs, and how to qualify for $1–$2/sq ft turf removal rebates from Front Range utilities.

Why Sprinkler Systems Break Every Spring

Freeze-thaw cycles, clay soil, and neglected fall blowouts — why Colorado winters destroy irrigation systems and how to protect yours.

Why Your Sprinkler System Has Low Water Pressure

Weak spray and uneven coverage often trace to a zone leak, overcrowded heads, or municipal pressure limits — not a failed system.

Signs Your Sprinkler System Has a Leak

Hidden irrigation leaks waste thousands of gallons silently. Learn the warning signs before the problem shows up on your water bill.

Why Drip Irrigation Works Better in Colorado

Low humidity, high-altitude sun, and afternoon wind make sprinkler evaporation significant. Drip systems deliver water where it's actually used.

How Often Should You Water a Lawn in Colorado?

Most Front Range lawns are watered too often and not deeply enough. The deep-watering schedule that builds drought-tolerant roots.