Colorado watering rules: What you need to know this summer

Greg Perez
·1 min read

DENVER (KDVR) — Temperatures are warming up in Colorado, which means the grass is getting greener. It also means you need to turn on your sprinkling system.

Reminder: There are rules associated with your sprinkler system and how often you can actually water your lawn.

The Water Conservation Policy first began in the early 2000s after a severe drought. As a result, Denver saw water use fall by around 22% from 2006 to 2016.

When to start watering your lawn and garden

Here are the watering rules for the city of Denver:

  • Lawn watering is barred between 10 a.m. and 6 p.m.

  • Residents should water only two days per week, with a potential third if needed

  • Do not let water accumulate in gutters and alleys

  • Do not spray water on concrete or asphalt

  • Leaking sprinkler systems must be fixed within 10 days

  • Do not irrigate while it is raining or during high winds

  • Use a hose nozzle with a shutoff valve while washing your car

Denver is not the only city in Colorado to move to permanent water conservation regulations. Aurora is also barring residents from watering their lawns more than three days per week.

Like Denver, watering is not permitted between 10 a.m. and 6 p.m., and hand watering of grass lawns follows the same guidelines as an automatic sprinkler in Aurora.

Both Denver and Aurora are under water conservation regulations from May 1 through the end of September.

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You are also encouraged to not water while it’s raining, however, Aurora Water offers rebates on rain sensors and smart controllers to help automatically stop and start your sprinklers.

While each city’s watering regulations are similar, they aren’t all the same, so make sure to check your town’s website for the exact details.

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