Water restrictions in Jefferson County, CO — also called the watering schedule, outdoor irrigation rules, or drought ordinance — set which days and hours you can run sprinklers or irrigation.
Jefferson County runs no outdoor-watering ordinance; restrictions come from your water utility. Much of metro Jeffco is served by Denver Water, which in 2026 declared a Stage 1 drought: watering limited to two set days weekly, never between 10 a.m. and 6 p.m.
The county government does not set lawn-watering schedules for unincorporated Jeffco; those are imposed by the water provider serving your address (Denver Water, Consolidated Mutual, or a local district). Denver Water, which serves much of eastern Jefferson County including parts of Lakewood, Littleton and Wheat Ridge, declared a Stage 1 mandatory drought in March 2026: single-family homes water two days per week (even addresses Sunday/Thursday, odd Wednesday/Saturday), all others Tuesday/Friday, only between 6 p.m. and 10 a.m., through October 1, 2026. Normal (non-drought) summer rules are three days per week, May 1-October 1.
Enforced by the water utility, not the county: warnings, then surcharges or fines on your water bill for watering off-schedule or midday.
Other ordinances people look up for this city. Green dot = verified primary-source excerpt.
Jefferson County, CO
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See how Jefferson County's water restrictions rules stack up against other locations.
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