On August 26, the Denver Board of Water Commissioners voted unanimously to end the lawn watering season. If you're a Denver Water or Arvada customer, lawn watering and all spray irrigation have to stop after September 30. Consolidated Mutual has since ended its irrigation season on the same date, and Golden's amended drought order runs through October 31 under rules that work differently from everyone else's.
That's a big change, and it's being reported in a way that has a lot of people believing outdoor watering is over entirely. It isn't. You can still water your trees, shrubs and perennials, and your annuals and vegetables until the first frost. And you do not need to rush your sprinkler winterization.
Below is where every provider we work with currently stands, what you're still allowed to do, and the one detail about flower beds that almost nobody has caught yet.
Last updated: September 4, 2026. Provider statuses last verified August 31, 2026.
Watering rules are set by each water provider and can change without notice. We update this page as new rules are announced. If your provider's rules have changed since this was published, let us know.