
Colorado’s Watering Restrictions: A Simple Guide to Understanding
Colorado's semiarid climate means conserving water and protecting our rivers, lakes, and reservoirs must all be a part of life in the Centennial State.
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Colorado's limited water supply and often drought-like conditions mean watering restrictions are often essential during the hottest months of the year. Keep reading to learn more about the restrictions you are likely to encounter in Grand Junction and Colorado.

Colorado's Watering Schedules and Restrictions
Grand Junction's water comes from Kannah Creek on top of the Grand Mesa. Locals can relate, we've all seen how low some of our rivers and creeks can get by late in September. Depending on conditions, conserving water in Colorado may mean restricting our outdoor watering to early morning or late evening hours.
Colorado’s many municipalities may enforce different watering days of the week based on address numbers or various systems. Restrictions may change by season, or by the month during the hottest times of the year. The watering restrictions below are often used in Grand Junction.
- August: Water users can water outdoors three days a week
- September: Water users can water outdoors two days a week
- October: Water users can only water outdoors one day a week
Efficient Water Usage in Colorado
How can you save water around the house? Some of the best options for efficient “waste not/want not” water include drip irrigation or efficient sprinkler heads that cut down on waste.
Select Xeriscaping for your landscaping on the Western Slope and you will be able to have a great-looking yard full of native plants that require far less water.
Thankfully, Colorado is a state that still allows you to collect rainwater for outdoor use. Most counties allow you to keep up to two 55-gallon barrels per household.
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Colorado Watering Enforcement and Penalties
Ignoring a watering restriction in Colorado can result in warnings, fines, or even a restriction of your water service in extreme cases. In Mesa County, contact Mesa County Irrigation District at (970) 260 3920. Watering restrictions could change during drought declarations.
You can contact the Mesa County Irrigation District at (970) 260-3920 with questions about watering restrictions.
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