Denver Water is considering a proposal to end the outdoor lawn-watering season and allow only hand-watering after early October [1], [2].
The measure comes as severe drought conditions threaten the municipal water supply for the Denver metropolitan area. If the Board of Water Commissioners approves the plan, residents will be forced to shut off sprinkler systems to preserve dwindling reserves.
The board is scheduled to consider the proposal on Aug. 26 [2]. If approved, the ban on sprinkler irrigation would take effect on Oct. 1 [2]. Under these rules, customers would only be permitted to hand-water trees and plants [2].
Water levels across the four primary reservoirs are currently 20% lower than normal [4], a Denver Water spokesperson said. Officials said storage reservoirs are 78% full, compared to a typical 97% for this time of year [5].
This proposal follows a period of tightening restrictions in the region. Local authorities began issuing fines for watering violations on Aug. 1 [8]. Those violations can carry a maximum fine of $1,000 per occurrence [7].
"The Board of Water Commissioners will consider a proposal on Aug. 26 to end the watering season on Oct. 1, which is typically the end of watering restrictions," the Denver Water Board said [2]. "If approved, customers would only be able to hand-water trees and plants, and be required to turn off sprinkler irrigation systems," the board said [2].
“Water levels across the four reservoirs are down by 20% from where they usually are.”
The potential early termination of the watering season signals a critical shortage in the Colorado Front Range's water infrastructure. By shifting from automated sprinklers to hand-watering, the utility aims to eliminate the significant evaporation and runoff waste associated with irrigation systems. The move highlights a growing tension between urban landscaping preferences and the reality of long-term aridification in the Western US.
