Littleton, CO Landscaping Rules: Water Restrictions (2026)
Water restrictions in Littleton, 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
- Section
- City Code § 10-1-3.6.A(C)(2) (Water Wise Landscaping)
- Design principles required
- 5 xeriscape principles including efficient irrigation
- Irrigation standard
- Automatic systems must not over-water the landscape
- Effective date
- June 12, 2025 (Ord. 10, Series of 2025)
- Max general penalty
- $2,650 fine, each day a separate offense
Summary
Littleton requires new landscape plans to follow xeriscape design principles that minimize high-water turf, group plants by water need, and use efficient irrigation, and bars automatic irrigation systems from over-watering beyond what the landscape actually needs, under the city's Water Wise Landscaping standard.
2. Water Wise Landscaping (Xeriscape). Landscape improvements shall be designed for water efficiency and in accordance with these guidelines. a. Landscapes shall use the following xeriscape design principles to facilitate water conservation: 1. Minimize the use of high-water turf; 2. Use of organic mulch to maintain soil moisture and reduce evaporation; 3. Zoning of plant materials according to their microclimatic and water requirements; 4. Amending soil with organic matter to support plant growth; 5. Design and maintenance of efficient irrigation systems. ... c. ... Automatic irrigation systems shall be designed so as not to over-water based upon the needs of the landscape being irrigated.
Full Breakdown
A(C)(2), Water Wise Landscaping, requires every landscape improvement subject to a landscape plan to be designed for water efficiency, not left to a designer's discretion. The code lists five specific xeriscape design principles that must be applied: minimizing high-water turf, using organic mulch to hold soil moisture and cut evaporation, zoning plant materials by their microclimate and water needs, amending soil with organic matter, and designing and maintaining efficient irrigation systems. A companion rule requires native, adapted and xeric plant species to be prioritized and grouped by similar moisture, light and drainage needs, so a single zone is not stuck watering a cactus and a fern the same way.
On the irrigation side, the code does not set specific watering days or hours, but it flatly requires automatic irrigation systems to be designed so as not to over-water based on the needs of the landscape being irrigated, putting the burden on the design itself rather than on a seasonal restriction. A's applicability clause, and it was last amended by Ordinance No. 10, Series of 2025, effective June 12, 2025.
Violations & Fines
The Director and city staff review landscape plans for compliance with the xeriscape principles and irrigation-design standard before a Site Plan or Master Development Plan is approved, so a plan that does not address water efficiency is not approved as submitted. Once installed, a general code violation is punishable under Littleton City Code Section 1-4-1 by a fine of up to $2,650, with each day of noncompliance treated as a separate offense.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Littleton set specific watering days for lawns?
What xeriscape principles must a Littleton landscape plan follow?
Which Littleton properties must follow the Water Wise Landscaping standard?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Littleton
How Littleton compares: Cities with the Strictest Water Restrictions·Compare Littleton to another location·View the Colorado landscaping rules overview
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Water Restrictions in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Arapahoe County handle water restrictions.