Colorado Cities Impose Drought Restrictions on Outdoor Watering

Aurora, Arvada, and Denver Water limit residents to twice-weekly watering as snowpack hits record lows

Apr. 7, 2026 at 10:12pm

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A vast, majestic landscape painting in muted tones of blue, white, and gray, depicting a snow-covered mountainous terrain with a small town or city in the distance, dwarfed by the overwhelming scale of the natural environment. The scene conveys a sense of melancholy and the sublime power of nature.As Colorado grapples with record-low snowpack, major cities impose strict water restrictions to conserve limited resources amid the worsening drought.Denver Today

Several major Colorado cities, including Aurora, Arvada, and Denver, have implemented Stage 1 drought restrictions, limiting outdoor watering to twice per week and imposing other measures as the state experiences its worst snowpack levels since record-keeping began in 1941. The new rules aim to reduce water usage by 20% as the state grapples with the severe drought conditions.

Why it matters

The drought restrictions are a response to the critically low snowpack levels across Colorado, which provide the majority of the state's water supply. These measures are necessary to conserve limited water resources and prevent more severe shortages as the drought persists.

The details

Aurora's new rules limit outdoor watering to twice per week based on address, prohibit watering between 10 a.m. and 6 p.m., and ban the installation of new turf lawns. Arvada and Denver Water have implemented similar Stage 1 restrictions, including twice-weekly watering limits. The cities are also considering drought surcharges for customers who exceed their water usage targets.

  • On April 7, 2026, the City of Aurora passed new drought restrictions.
  • On April 15, 2026, the City of Arvada's drought restrictions will go into effect.
  • In early April 2026, Denver Water announced its own Stage 1 drought restrictions, the first time the utility has done so since 2013.

The players

Marshall Brown

The general manager of Aurora Water, the city's water utility that serves around 400,000 customers.

Denver Water

Colorado's largest water provider, serving 1.5 million customers across the metro area.

Thornton

A large water provider in the Denver metro area that was the first to implement Stage 1 drought restrictions about a month ago.

Boulder

The city of Boulder has enacted a drought watch, a level of caution short of Stage 1 restrictions, and is considering imposing stricter limits by May 1.

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What they’re saying

“We are asking our Aurora community to come together and help us achieve this 20% (reduction) by taking water restrictions seriously.”

— Marshall Brown, General Manager, Aurora Water

What’s next

The cities will continue to monitor the drought conditions and may need to implement further restrictions if the snowpack levels do not improve. Denver Water's board is set to consider drought surcharges for heavier water usage on Wednesday morning.

The takeaway

The severe drought conditions in Colorado have forced major cities to take immediate action to conserve their limited water resources. These drought restrictions highlight the growing challenges communities face in managing their water supplies as climate change exacerbates extreme weather patterns.