In metro Denver, keeping a lawn green now comes with steep consequences: a first violation can carry a $500 fine, and repeat violations can put a customer's water service at risk.
That is exactly the point. Denver Water asked residents to stop watering grass so the region can stretch a much more limited shared supply into the colder months, The Denver Post reported.
Here's what to know
Denver's restriction on lawn watering and spray irrigation took effect Thursday.
For residential customers, the penalty begins at $500. Each additional violation carries a $1,000 fine, and Denver Water will shut off service if watering continues.
The order is not a total ban on outdoor watering.
Customers may still hand-water trees, shrubs, flowers, and vegetables, helping preserve food gardens and longer-lived plants while reducing what is often the most water-intensive use: keeping turf green late in the season.
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The board of commissioners approved the restriction Aug. 26 after severe drought pushed reservoir levels well below normal. Denver Water said its reservoirs are typically 91% full at the start of fall, but they were at 67%.
Greg Fisher, Denver Water's manager of demand planning, described the urgency in a press release.
"We are in a serious situation, and we need our customers to treat this Oct. 1 date as a hard stop to preserve our supplies as we head into the fall and winter months," Fisher warned.
More background
Across metro Denver, 1.5 million people rely on Denver Water for service.
Officials estimate the ban could save about 5,000 acre-feet of water, enough to supply more than 10,000 families for a full year.
Multifamily residential customers and nonresidential customers face steeper penalties.
A first violation incurs a $1,000 fine, subsequent ones cost $2,000, and service can also be suspended. The rule stays in place until the board of commissioners lifts it.
Denver Water already mailed postcards warning customers about the restriction.
"We're all hoping for a good winter, but it's extremely unlikely that we'll see enough snow — and more importantly, a robust spring runoff — to fully fill our reservoirs next year," Fisher said.
"Every customer's conservation efforts remain especially important as we work together to stretch our storage supplies heading into the winter."
Where can I learn more?
Other cities are imposing similar drought-driven limits on outdoor watering and lawns. From Colorado to California, these stories follow threatened shut-offs, escalating fines, and broader conservation rules.
• In Aurora, Colorado, a mayor targeted very green school lawns as drought tightened local rules.
• In Iowa, officials warned water services could be cut for lawn-watering violations.
• In Kansas, multistage water restrictions expanded as drought pushed officials toward tougher fines.
• California made history with permanent water restrictions as drought reshaped urban water policy.
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