Denver Water Approves Temporary Drought Pricing to Curb Usage

Surcharges will target outdoor water use across the metro region as supplies tighten due to low snowpack and worsening drought.

Apr. 9, 2026 at 3:25pm

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A vast, atmospheric landscape painting depicting a parched, cracked earth under a hazy, oppressive sky, conveying the overwhelming scale and melancholic impact of the drought on the region.As the West grapples with an intensifying drought, Denver Water turns to temporary pricing measures to curb discretionary outdoor water use and manage dwindling supplies.Denver Today

Denver Water has approved temporary drought pricing that will raise water bills for around 1.5 million customers across the Denver metro area starting in June. The pricing structure is designed to push customers to conserve outdoor water use as the region faces historically low snowpack and worsening drought conditions in the South Platte and Colorado River basins.

Why it matters

The rarely used drought pricing tool is aimed at reducing discretionary outdoor water use, which accounts for a significant portion of overall consumption, as Denver Water tries to manage dwindling supplies amid an intensifying drought across the Western United States. Failure to curb usage could lead to even higher price hikes or other restrictive measures later this summer.

The details

Under the new drought pricing, customers will see temporary surcharges layered on top of existing 2026 rates. Tier 1 essential indoor use will see no additional charge, while Tier 2 efficient outdoor use will have a $1.10 per 1,000 gallons surcharge and Tier 3 higher outdoor use will have a $2.20 per 1,000 gallons surcharge. Denver Water estimates the average single-family household could pay about $45 more per year if water use does not change, while high-use households could see increases closer to $76 annually.

  • The drought pricing takes effect with May water use, but customers will not see the higher charges until bills are issued starting June 1.
  • Unless conditions improve, the temporary rates are scheduled to remain in effect through April 30, 2027, though Denver Water's board could adjust or end the pricing earlier if drought conditions ease.

The players

Denver Water

The public water utility that provides water to the city of Denver and surrounding suburbs across the metro region, serving around 1.5 million customers.

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What they’re saying

“We are dealing with conditions never seen before, and if conditions don't begin to improve, there is a possibility that we'll need to take further actions later this summer. What those look like will depend on the conditions, situation and customer response.”

— Denver Water Spokesperson

What’s next

Denver Water's board could adjust or end the drought pricing earlier if conditions improve, but officials warn that this summer could be one of the most challenging in decades, making conservation key for keeping supplies stable and bills from rising further.

The takeaway

As drought intensifies across the West, Denver Water is taking aggressive steps to curb discretionary outdoor water use through temporary drought pricing in order to manage dwindling supplies and avoid even higher rate hikes or restrictive measures later this year.