Colorado Cities Tighten Water Rules Amid Drought

Residents in two major Colorado Front Range cities, Denver and Aurora, are facing significant new water restrictions starting this week as drought conditions persist.

Effective October 1, Denver will enforce a complete ban on lawn watering for its residents. Aurora will permit lawn watering until October 15, but additional restrictions take effect on October 1 for non-functional areas like medians and green belts. These measures, unprecedented since 2002 for Denver, highlight the severity of the drought.

Denver Water customers caught violating the new rules risk escalating fines, with a third offense potentially leading to a $1,000 fine and water service suspension. Aurora has permanently codified seasonal irrigation restrictions, prohibiting spray irrigation in high-use areas like yards and parks from October 15 until April 30.

Despite customer conservation efforts, which have achieved a 20% reduction in outdoor water use in Aurora and a 14% savings in Denver over recent months, reservoir levels remain alarmingly low. Aurora's water supply reservoirs are at 41% capacity, significantly below the average of 84% for this time of year. Denver's reservoirs are at 68% capacity, compared to a typical 90%.

Aurora will host a community open house on November 19 to discuss drought conditions and the city's water supply. Denver offers exemptions for high-traffic areas like sports fields and parks, and allows residents to report violations online.