Arvada, CO Landscaping Rules: Water Restrictions (2026)
Water restrictions in Arvada, CO, also called the watering schedule, outdoor irrigation rules, or drought ordinance, set which days and hours you can run sprinklers or irrigation.
Key Facts
- 1st violation
- Warning notice only
- 2nd violation (12 mo)
- $100.00 added to bill
- 3rd violation
- $250.00 added to bill
- 4th+ violation
- $500.00 + possible shut-off device
- Service restoration deposit
- $500.00, held 12 months
- Appeal deadline
- 30 days from billing
- Drought rule notice
- Published 5+ days before effect
Summary
Arvada bans wasting water under Sec. 102-106: no runoff from irrigation onto streets or sidewalks, no leaking sprinkler systems left unrepaired, and no watering of driveways or building exteriors. The utilities director can also set watering hours and days by rule, with fines climbing from a warning to $500 for repeat violations.
(a)Waste of water is prohibited. Waste of water is defined as the intentional or nonintentional use of water for a nonbeneficial purpose, including, but not by way of limitation: continuous application of water to any lawn, turf or sodded area resulting in pooling or the flowing of water into the drainage or storm drainage facilities, including sidewalks, gutters, or streets; failure to repair any irrigation system that is leaking; and application of water intended for lawn irrigation to an impervious surface such as building exteriors, a street, sidewalk, or driveway... (2)Upon a second violation at the same property within a 12 month period from the date of issuance of the warning notice, the person billed will be issued a written violation and a charge of $100.00 will be added to the water bill for the property.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: City Council Policy Manual: Supplement 1 | Code of Ordinances: Supplement 67).
Full Breakdown
Sec. 102-106(a) defines waste of water as any intentional or unintentional nonbeneficial use, including continuous irrigation that pools or flows into gutters, sidewalks, streets, or storm drains; failing to repair a leaking irrigation system; and applying lawn-irrigation water to an impervious surface such as a building exterior, street, sidewalk, or driveway. The director of utilities can order an immediate water shut-off for extreme waste. Enforcement runs against whoever is billed for water service at the property. A first violation draws only a warning notice. 00 deposit before full service is restored, held for 12 months and forfeited if another violation occurs in that period.
Under subsection (c), the director may separately impose restrictions on the hours, days, amounts, and types of water use, promulgated by administrative rule, and the same escalating charges apply to violations of those use restrictions. During a city council-declared drought, the director can adopt such rules without the normal rulemaking process but must publish them in a newspaper of general circulation at least five days before they take effect.
Violations & Fines
Penalties escalate per property within a rolling 12-month period: first offense is a warning only, second offense adds $100.00 to the water bill, third adds $250.00, and a fourth or later offense adds $500.00 plus possible mandatory flow-restriction devices or service suspension, requiring a $500.00 restoration deposit held for 12 months. Charges may be appealed by petition to the director within 30 days of billing, though filing does not stay payment; hearings follow the Sec. 2-171 et seq. administrative hearing procedure.
Frequently Asked Questions
What counts as wasting water under Arvada's ordinance?
What happens the second time I'm cited for water waste in Arvada?
Can Arvada tell me what days or hours I can water my lawn?
How do I appeal an Arvada water-waste charge on my bill?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Arvada
How Arvada compares: Cities with the Strictest Water Restrictions·Compare Arvada to another location·View the Colorado landscaping rules overview
See something wrong?
Help us keep this page accurate. If you notice an error or outdated information, let us know.