Arapahoe County, CO Landscaping Rules: Water Restrictions (2026)
Water restrictions in Arapahoe County, 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
- Watering days
- No more than 3 days per week
- Watering hours
- 6:00 p.m. to 10:00 a.m. only
- New turf exception
- Extra watering up to 21 days after install
- Irrigation design
- By a Certified Irrigation Designer (CID)
- Installer requirement
- QWEL-certified contractor
- Pre-occupancy check
- CLIA irrigation audit report required
Summary
Arapahoe County's Land Development Code limits when automatic sprinklers can run on new and redeveloped landscaping in unincorporated Arapahoe County. Under Section 4-1.4.4.i.iv, Watering Schedule, irrigation is capped at three days a week and confined to the hours of 6:00 p.m. to 10:00 a.m., with a 21-day watering exception for newly installed turf, seed, or native grass while it establishes.
iv. Watering Schedule All automatically irrigated landscape areas shall be scheduled for no more than three days per week and irrigation between the hours of 6:00 p.m. and 10:00 a.m. An exception shall be given for new turf, seeded, and native grass areas being established whereby additional watering can occur but not for more than 21 days after installation.
Full Breakdown
b. , with the sole exception that newly planted turf, seed, or native grass areas can receive additional watering for up to 21 days after installation while they establish. 2 inches per hour; drip irrigation is required for all planting except turf and temporary establishment watering; and, before a certificate of occupancy is issued, a third-party Certified Landscape Irrigation Auditor must complete a post-construction irrigation audit that cannot be performed by the installing contractor. Irrigation plans must be prepared by a Certified Irrigation Designer and installed by a Qualified Water Efficient Landscaper-certified contractor, and the plan must be approved and submitted alongside the final landscape plan before any irrigation construction begins.
Violations & Fines
Compliance is checked as part of the County's landscape and irrigation plan review and the required post-construction CLIA irrigation audit, whose report must be submitted before a certificate of occupancy is granted. Under the Chapter 6 landscaping-enforcement provisions, occupancy can be granted early only if the owner posts collateral equal to 115 percent of the estimated landscaping and irrigation cost and completes the work within six months.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I run sprinklers during the day on a new lot?
How many days a week can I irrigate new landscaping?
Is there an exception for newly seeded lawns?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Arapahoe County
How Arapahoe County compares: Cities with the Strictest Water Restrictions·Compare Arapahoe County to another location·View the Colorado landscaping rules overview
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