Last updated:
Last verified: October 6, 2026, against Denver Water.
Denver watering rules right now
Denver Water has prohibited lawn watering and all spray irrigation beginning Oct. 1, until further action by the Denver Board of Water Commissioners. The prohibition follows the ongoing drought conditions and sits under the Board’s Stage 1 Drought Declaration. Trees, shrubs and other plants may still be watered with a hand-held hose with an automatic shutoff nozzle or with low-volume irrigation, such as a drip line.
| What | Status |
|---|---|
| Lawn watering and all spray irrigation | Prohibited beginning Oct. 1, until further Board action |
| Trees, shrubs, perennials, annuals and vegetables | Any day, using a hand-held hose with an automatic shutoff nozzle or low-volume, non-spray irrigation such as drip |
| Watering Establishment Permits | Not available after Sept. 30 until further notice |
| Routine or cosmetic power washing | Not permitted after Sept. 30 |
Rules and charges read from Denver Water’s Rules for Outdoor Water Use page.
What a watering violation actually costs
Denver Water’s Operating Rules (chapters 14 and 15) and the Board’s Stage 1 Drought Declaration allow Denver Water to assess charges for watering violations of any lawn watering and all spray irrigation. Beginning Oct. 1, the enforcement charges depend on customer type.
| Customer type | First violation | Second violation | Subsequent violations |
|---|---|---|---|
| Single-family | $500 charge | $1,000 charge | $1,000 charge and suspension of service |
| Multifamily (up to 10 units) | $1,000 charge | $2,000 charge | $2,000 charge and suspension of service |
| Commercial, industrial and municipal; multifamily with more than 10 units | $1,000 charge | $2,000 charge | $2,000 charge and suspension of service |
| Irrigation-only | $2,000 charge and suspension of service | Not applicable | Not applicable |
Continued violations may result in additional enforcement actions, including suspension of water service. Customers who believe a charge or service suspension was issued in error can appeal under Denver Water’s Operating Rules (chapter 16).
How drought pricing works
The Denver Board of Water Commissioners adopted a resolution approving temporary drought pricing on outdoor water use. The drought pricing applies starting with May water use, reflected in June bills, and is in effect through April 30, 2027, or until further action by the board. Denver Water publishes the current price schedule on its drought pricing page.
New seed, sod or plants: watering permits are closed
Denver Water says Watering Establishment Permits will not be available after Sept. 30 until further notice. Watering grass or using overhead spray irrigation not in accordance with a permit is a willful violation of Denver Water Board Resolution 002a-2026 and may result in fines.
Until the Board acts, new lawns cannot be watered with spray irrigation. Trees, shrubs, perennials, annuals and vegetables may still be watered any day with a hand-held hose with an automatic shutoff nozzle or with low-volume, non-spray irrigation such as drip.
Denver Water rules in force
- Lawn watering and all spray irrigation are prohibited beginning Oct. 1, until further action by the Denver Board of Water Commissioners.
- Trees, shrubs, perennials, annuals and vegetables may be watered any day using a hand-held hose with an automatic shutoff nozzle or low-volume, non-spray irrigation such as drip.
- Personal vehicles may be washed any day with a bucket or a hand-held hose with an automatic shut-off nozzle. Fleet and commercial vehicles may be washed no more than once per week unless more frequent washing is needed for public health or safety. Commercial car washes may continue operating but must use water efficiently.
- Power washing of fences or other outdoor surfaces is only allowed if it is necessary for immediate health or safety reasons. Routine or cosmetic power washing is not permitted after Sept. 30.
- Some large public landscapes may still water. Parks and recreation districts, public schools and golf courses can operate under Denver Water-approved water budgets.
- Report water waste online or on 303-893-2444. Areas served by Master Meter distributors are reported to the distributor directly rather than through the map.
Winter watering, and what is still allowed
With lawn watering and spray irrigation prohibited from Oct. 1, the only water most landscapes get is the water you carry to them. Trees, shrubs and other plants may be watered using a hand-held hose with an automatic shutoff nozzle or low-volume irrigation, such as a drip line. Dry, sunny, windy Denver winters desiccate roots, and that dieback is what kills young trees, not the cold.
Frequently asked questions
Can I water my lawn in Denver right now? No. Denver Water has prohibited lawn watering and all spray irrigation beginning Oct. 1, until further action by the Denver Board of Water Commissioners.
What is the fine for breaking Denver watering rules? Beginning Oct. 1, a single-family customer is charged $500 for a first violation, $1,000 for a second and $1,000 plus suspension of service for subsequent violations. Multifamily customers with up to 10 units are charged $1,000, $2,000, and $2,000 plus suspension. Irrigation-only customers face a $2,000 charge and suspension of service.
Is there drought pricing on Denver water bills? Yes. The Denver Board of Water Commissioners adopted temporary drought pricing on outdoor water use. It applies starting with May water use, reflected in June bills, and is in effect through April 30, 2027, or until further action by the board.
Can I get a permit to water new sod or seed in Denver? Not right now. Denver Water says Watering Establishment Permits will not be available after Sept. 30 until further notice.
Can I water my trees and shrubs? Yes. Trees, shrubs, perennials, annuals and vegetables may be watered any day using a hand-held hose with an automatic shutoff nozzle or low-volume, non-spray irrigation such as drip.
Can I wash my car during the Denver drought? Personal vehicles may be washed any day using a bucket or a hand-held hose with an automatic shut-off nozzle. Fleet and commercial vehicles are limited to once per week unless more frequent washing is needed for public health or safety.
Why is the park down the street watering? Some large public landscapes, such as parks and recreation districts, public schools and golf courses, may water because they operate under Denver Water-approved water budgets.
When does Denver return to normal watering? Only after further action by the Denver Board of Water Commissioners. The lawn watering and spray irrigation prohibition stays in place until then.
Related Denver Lawn Resources
Denver Watering Rules: Data
Current rules as observed, with every change we have recorded since tracking began. Source of record: Denver Water.
| Rule | Detail |
|---|---|
| Lawn watering and all spray irrigation | Prohibited beginning Oct. 1, until further Board action |
| Trees, shrubs, perennials, annuals and vegetables | Any day, using a hand-held hose with an automatic shutoff nozzle or low-volume, non-spray irrigation such as drip |
| Watering Establishment Permits | Not available after Sept. 30 until further notice |
| Routine or cosmetic power washing | Not permitted after Sept. 30 |
| Single-family | Status: $500 charge; $1,000 charge; $1,000 charge and suspension of service |
| Multifamily (up to 10 units) | Status: $1,000 charge; $2,000 charge; $2,000 charge and suspension of service |
| Commercial, industrial and municipal; multifamily with more than 10 units | Status: $1,000 charge; $2,000 charge; $2,000 charge and suspension of service |
| Irrigation-only | Status: $2,000 charge and suspension of service; Not applicable; Not applicable |
Change log
| First observed | Status | Rules recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 2026-10-07 | current | Lawn watering and all spray irrigation: Prohibited beginning Oct. 1, until further Board action; Trees, shrubs, perennials, annuals and vegetables: Any day, using a hand-held hose with an automatic shutoff nozzle or low-volume, non-spray ; Watering Establishment Permits: Not available after Sept. 30 until further notice |
| 2026-08-31 | superseded 2026-10-07 | Single-family residential, even-numbered address: Sunday and Thursday; Single-family residential, odd-numbered address: Wednesday and Saturday; All others, including multifamily and commercial: Tuesday and Friday |
| 2026-08-27 | superseded 2026-08-31 | Current stage: Stage 1 drought (declared March 25, 2026); Days per week (now): 2 assigned days (mandatory); Normal schedule: Up to 3 days per week (May 1 – Oct 1) |
Last checked: see the Last verified line on this page. A new row is added only when the observed rules change, so this log records what changed and when we saw it.
Cite this: “Denver Watering Rules: Data,” updated 2026-10-07, https://denverprolandscape.com/denver-watering-rules/#watering-rules-dataset
What are the Denver Water sprinkler rules right now?
Denver Water has prohibited lawn watering and all spray irrigation beginning Oct. 1, until further action by the Denver Board of Water Commissioners, under the Board’s Stage 1 Drought Declaration. Trees, shrubs and other plants may still be watered with a hand-held hose with an automatic shutoff nozzle or low-volume irrigation such as drip. Denver Pro Landscape keeps irrigation controllers off for lawn zones.
Can a household run lawn sprinklers in Denver right now?
Not for lawns. Denver Water has prohibited lawn watering and all spray irrigation beginning Oct. 1, until further action by the Denver Board of Water Commissioners. Drought pricing on outdoor water use runs through April 30, 2027, or until further board action. Denver Pro Landscape keeps Denver lawn irrigation off.
Can new sod be watered in Denver right now?
Not under a permit right now. Denver Water says Watering Establishment Permits will not be available after Sept. 30 until further notice, and watering grass or using overhead spray irrigation not in accordance with a permit is a willful violation of Denver Water Board Resolution 002a-2026 that may result in fines. Denver Pro Landscape checks Denver Water before scheduling any install.
What are the Denver Water outdoor watering rules right now?
Denver Water has prohibited lawn watering and all spray irrigation beginning Oct. 1, until further action by the Denver Board of Water Commissioners. Trees, shrubs, perennials, annuals and vegetables may still be watered any day with a hand-held hose with an automatic shutoff nozzle or with low-volume drip irrigation. Denver Pro Landscape adjusts Denver irrigation work to these rules.
What does Denver Water charge for watering violations from Oct. 1?
From Oct. 1, Denver Water charges single-family customers $500 for a first violation, $1,000 for a second, and $1,000 plus suspension of service for subsequent violations. Multifamily properties of up to 10 units are charged $1,000, $2,000, then $2,000 plus suspension. Denver Pro Landscape keeps Denver irrigation within the rules.
What are the Denver Water sprinkler times right now?
There aren’t any. Since Oct. 1, Denver Water has prohibited lawn watering and all spray irrigation until the Denver Board of Water Commissioners acts again, so no lawn sprinkler schedule is running. Trees, shrubs and other plants can still be watered with a hand-held hose and shutoff nozzle or a drip line.
Check Denver Water’s Rules for Outdoor Water Use page before you run a controller, and see our irrigation planning page if you want to move bed zones over to drip.
What were the assigned sprinkler days before the October ban?
Single-family even-numbered addresses watered Sunday and Thursday, and odd-numbered addresses watered Wednesday and Saturday. Multifamily, commercial and every other account used Tuesday and Friday. Those assigned days were replaced when the October prohibition took effect, so none of them apply to lawns today.
We recorded those days in the change log above until our Oct. 7 check, when the prohibition replaced them.
Can drip irrigation still run on any day in Denver?
Yes. Denver Water says trees, shrubs, perennials, annuals and vegetables may be watered any day with a hand-held hose and automatic shutoff nozzle or with low-volume, non-spray irrigation such as a drip line. Lawn spray heads are what the prohibition shuts off, so a drip zone on a bed is treated differently.
A leaking or misaligned spray head on a lawn zone still counts as spray irrigation, which is why a sprinkler repair visit or a winterization is worth booking now.
When will Denver sprinkler days come back?
Denver Water says the prohibition stays until further action by the Denver Board of Water Commissioners, and the rules page we read lists no return date. Temporary drought pricing on outdoor water use also runs through April 30, 2027, or until the board acts again.
Plan spring work around that uncertainty. Our Denver landscaping calendar shows what can wait and what shouldn’t, and the xeriscape and turf replacement page covers lower-water options.