From now until Oct. 1, Denver’s watering rules are in effect.

These are the basic rules to follow if you plan on maintaining a lawn or garden this spring and summer:

• No watering between 10 a.m. and 6 p.m.;
• Only water three days a week;
•  Don’t let water pool in gutters, streets or alleys;
• Don’t water during windy days or when it rains;
• And don’t let sprinklers spray concrete or asphalt.

You can find a full list of rules and recommendations, including how long to water each sprinkler zone, here.

Denver’s water rules have been in effect for more than two decades at this point.

Watering restrictions in the city don’t depend on reservoir levels or drought conditions, so the higher-than-normal snowpack in the mountains you may have heard about, which is where Denver’s water comes from, won’t change the rules.

As we reported in 2021, the city instituted rules after a severe drought in 2002, one of Colorado’s worst on record.  Those rules seem to have had an impact on the city’s water use as it fell by an average of about 22% between 2006-2016.

And if you’re wondering why water use is such a big deal in the state, there’s a great new podcast from CPR that delves into the state’s water needs you can listen to.