Denver Water Adopts Drought Surcharges on Outdoor Use Through 2027

Overview

• Denver Water’s board approved temporary drought pricing Wednesday for its 1.5 million customers, taking effect for May water use and scheduled to run through April 2027.
• Each home gets an indoor baseline set from January–March usage, then pays an extra $1.10 per 1,000 gallons up to 15,000 gallons and $2.20 per 1,000 gallons above that for outdoor watering.
• Stage 1 rules already cap sprinkler use to two assigned days a week tied to house numbers as the utility pursues a 20% cut in total demand.
• Customers will see the higher charges on bills for May water use, with an average household paying about $45 more if they do not conserve while a 20% cut could reduce the annual bill by $81.
• The utility says surcharges will not fully cover revenue losses if deliveries fall, so it is drawing on reserves, freezing hiring, deferring projects, and watching conditions that could trigger tighter restrictions.