Littleton, CO Water Use Rules: Recycled Water Rules (2026)

The requirement sits inside the Unified Land Use Code's irrigation standards for new, preserved, or retained landscaped areas. Every site must divide its landscaping into water use zones: a high water use zone, needing an inch and a half or more of water per week in peak season, cannot exceed 10 percent of the total landscaped area and must run on an automatic irrigation system; a moderate water use zone, needing up to 15 inches of supplemental water per season, is capped at 15 percent; and a low water use or xeriscape zone, needing roughly up to five inches per season, can cover up to 100 percent of the landscaped area.

Within that framework, the code directly states that non-potable or reclaimed water must be used in an irrigation system when it is available, rather than defaulting to potable supply. Supporting specifications reinforce water efficiency: automatic systems need a rain or moisture sensor with shut-off equipment, backflow prevention devices must sit at least 12 inches above the highest sprinkler head, trees and shrub beds must be watered separately from turf by drip or bubbler rather than spray heads, and watering times must be adjusted seasonally. Property owners are responsible for maintaining both the landscaping and the irrigation system on their lot and on the adjoining right-of-way strip where landscaping has been installed.