Greeley CO Water Restrictions 2026

Current water restrictions in Greeley, Colorado

Greeley is under Stage 1 Mandatory restrictions, limiting outdoor irrigation to 2 days per week on assigned days, with watering prohibited between 10 a.m. and 6 p.m. daily.

The City of Greeley Water department declared these mandatory restrictions in response to drought conditions affecting the Cache la Poudre River watershed and Greeley's storage system, which includes the Boyd Lake and Horsetooth Reservoir supply network managed in coordination with the Northern Colorado Water Conservancy District. Restrictions remain in effect until water supply conditions improve — there is no fixed end date.

Colorado is experiencing a state-level drought emergency across much of the Front Range, with over 20 municipalities under mandatory schedules. Erie is at Stage 2 Drought (downgraded from Level 4 in May), now allowing 2 days/week watering, and Denver Water declared Stage 1 on March 25 — context that underscores why Greeley's Stage 1 is a managed early response rather than a precautionary suggestion.

Practically, a resident cannot water on a Wednesday morning at 8 a.m. unless Wednesday is one of their two assigned days. Even on an assigned day, irrigation before 10 a.m. or after 6 p.m. is required — so a 7 a.m. start is fine, but noon watering is a violation. Checking your specific address assignment through the City of Greeley Water portal at greeleygov.com/water is the first step every homeowner should take before running the sprinkler system.

Hand watering with a shut-off nozzle and drip irrigation systems are exempt from the two-day schedule, providing flexibility for vegetable gardens and container plants without burning a watering day.

Greeley's watering days and hours

Rule	Details
Days per week	2 assigned days
Day assignment	Based on address — check greeleygov.com/water for your specific days
Allowed hours	Before 10 a.m. or after 6 p.m. only
Hand watering	Exempt (shut-off nozzle required)
Drip irrigation	Exempt from day restrictions
New sod/seed	30-day establishment window — register with City of Greeley Water for a temporary variance

Greeley assigns watering days based on your property address, typically using even/odd street numbering or a zone-based schedule tied to service area. Odd-numbered addresses and even-numbered addresses water on different pairs of days, spreading demand across the distribution system. Confirm your exact assigned days by logging into the City of Greeley Water online portal or contacting the utility directly at greeleygov.com/water, because day assignments can shift between restriction stages.

Multi-family residential properties and commercial accounts are subject to the same two-day-per-week limit, though property managers overseeing large irrigation systems — apartment complexes along 10th Street or commercial parks near U.S. 34 — are expected to program controllers to run only on assigned days and outside the 10 a.m.–6 p.m. blackout window. Commercial accounts with landscape contractors should ensure those contractors have a copy of the current restriction schedule on file.

Trees deserve special attention during Stage 1 conditions. Native and ornamental species common in Greeley — including green ash planted widely along city boulevards, honeylocust used in commercial landscaping, and Austrian pine found in older residential neighborhoods — suffer root damage when watering is cut too abruptly. Drip irrigation exemptions are particularly valuable for these trees; a slow, deep drip on non-irrigation days protects root zones without triggering a schedule violation. The Greeley forestry program recommends slow-watering established trees within the drip line at least once per week during drought conditions.

Violation fines and enforcement

Offense	Penalty
First violation	Written warning — no monetary fine
Second violation	Monetary fine assessed to water account
Subsequent violations	Escalating fines; potential flow restrictor installation

City of Greeley Water enforces restrictions through a combination of field patrol, smart meter data review, and neighbor complaints submitted via the city's online reporting tool. Greeley has expanded its automated meter infrastructure (AMI) network, which allows the utility to flag accounts showing irrigation-pattern water use during restricted hours or on non-assigned days without requiring an inspector to be physically on site. Complaint-based reports typically generate a field check within one to three business days, and verified violations result in a documented warning letter sent to the account holder on file.

If you receive a warning you believe was issued in error — for example, a smart meter flagged a drip system that is legitimately exempt — City of Greeley Water has an administrative appeals process. Contact the utility directly through greeleygov.com/water to request a review. Document your irrigation system type and the timestamps of any automated activity to support your case. Resolution on appeals is generally handled within two billing cycles.

Other outdoor water rules

Stage 1 restrictions in Greeley extend beyond lawn irrigation. The following activities are subject to current rules:

• Vehicle washing: Washing cars, trucks, and recreational vehicles at home is restricted to use of a hand-held hose with a positive shut-off nozzle. Leaving water running while scrubbing is prohibited. Commercial car washes that recirculate water are permitted and are the recommended option during drought conditions.
• Pool and hot tub filling: Initial filling of new pools requires a variance from City of Greeley Water. Topping off existing pools to compensate for evaporation is permitted but should be minimized; pool covers are strongly encouraged to reduce the evaporation that is common in Greeley's low-humidity, high-altitude climate.
• Decorative fountains: Ornamental water features must be equipped with recirculating pumps. Non-recirculating fountains must be shut off during Stage 1.
• Pressure washing: Pressure washing of driveways, sidewalks, and exterior building surfaces is restricted. Using a running hose to pre-rinse surfaces before pressure washing is not permitted. Necessary sanitation or safety cleaning is excepted.
• Landscape construction water: Contractors engaged in new landscaping installation must comply with the same schedule rules. Dust suppression on construction sites is subject to coordination with the city.
• Restaurant and hospitality: Serving water to customers only upon request is required under Stage 1 for food service establishments connected to Greeley municipal water.

How Greeley gets its water

Greeley's water supply is sourced primarily from the Cache la Poudre River, a federally designated Wild and Scenic River that flows out of Rocky Mountain National Park through the Poudre Canyon before reaching the plains. Greeley holds senior water rights on the Poudre dating back to the 1870s — among the oldest agricultural and municipal rights on Colorado's Front Range — which provides some protection during low-flow years but does not eliminate supply stress when the river runs below normal levels.

The city diverts and stores water through a network that includes Horsetooth Reservoir, a U.S. Bureau of Reclamation facility located west of Fort Collins that Greeley accesses via the Colorado-Big Thompson (C-BT) Project. C-BT water is managed by the Northern Colorado Water Conservancy District (NCWCD), and annual allotments depend on snowpack in the upper Colorado River headwaters and reservoir storage levels. Boyd Lake, operated by Northern Water northeast of Loveland, also serves as a key storage and delivery node in this regional system.

Greeley's treated water is produced at the Bellvue Water Treatment Plant located along the Poudre corridor, which serves as the primary facility processing raw river and reservoir water to drinking water standards. The city also maintains treated water storage in elevated tanks and reservoirs distributed across the service area to buffer against peak-demand days.

During Stage 1 conditions, the pressure point is typically a combination of reduced Poudre River flows — sometimes reflecting dry conditions across the upper watershed — and limited carryover storage. Because Greeley's senior rights are strong on paper, shortages usually reflect physical water scarcity rather than priority curtailment, making conservation at the household level directly relevant to available supply in the Bellvue system.

HOA and brown lawn protections

Colorado homeowners are protected from HOA enforcement actions related to lawn appearance during mandatory water restrictions under CRS § 37-60-126. This statute prohibits homeowners associations from fining or penalizing residents for brown or dormant lawns that result from compliance with government-ordered water restrictions. When Greeley is under Stage 1 Mandatory restrictions — as it is now — your HOA cannot cite you for a yellowing Kentucky Bluegrass lawn that you are legally prohibited from watering on additional days.

The protection is specific: it applies when restrictions are mandatory, not merely voluntary. Stage 1 in Greeley meets that threshold. If your HOA issues a violation notice while mandatory restrictions are active, you have a legal basis to contest it. Keep a copy of the current City of Greeley Water restriction notice (available at greeleygov.com/water) with your response.

Use this template when responding to your HOA:

"This letter is to inform [HOA Name] that the appearance of my lawn at [address] is a direct result of compliance with Stage 1 Mandatory water restrictions currently in effect under the City of Greeley Water department. Under Colorado Revised Statutes § 37-60-126, homeowners associations may not impose fines or penalties on residents for brown or dormant landscaping caused by adherence to a government-mandated water restriction. I request that this violation notice be rescinded and that no penalty be assessed. Documentation of the current mandatory restriction is available at greeleygov.com/water."

If your HOA does not respond or continues to pursue enforcement, you can file a complaint with the Colorado HOA Information and Resource Center, operated by the Colorado Division of Real Estate.

Keeping your lawn alive on restricted water

Greeley's climate — semi-arid, high plains at roughly 4,700 feet elevation — supports cool-season turfgrasses that go dormant under heat and drought stress but typically recover when watering resumes. Managing that dormancy correctly during Stage 1 is the difference between a lawn that greens back up in fall and one that requires full reseeding.

Grass Type	Drought Tolerance	Dormancy Risk at 2 Days/Week	Priority Action
Kentucky Bluegrass	Low–Moderate	High — will go dormant quickly	Deep water on both assigned days; raise mow height to 3.5"
Tall Fescue	Moderate–High	Moderate — deeper roots survive longer	Water deeply at 1" per session; avoid light frequent watering
Buffalograss	Very High	Low — native prairie grass, handles restriction well	Minimal intervention needed; do not overwater on assigned days
Blue Grama	Very High	Very Low — native to eastern Colorado plains	Allow natural dormancy; supplemental water optional only

At Greeley's elevation, mowing height has an outsized effect on moisture retention. Kentucky Bluegrass — the most common lawn grass in Greeley neighborhoods — should be kept at 3 to 3.5 inches during restriction periods, not the 2-inch cut many residents default to in summer. Taller blades shade the soil, reduce evaporation, and keep root zones cooler during the peak afternoon heat that pushes soil moisture loss between 10 a.m. and 6 p.m. — exactly the window when watering is prohibited. Leave clippings on the lawn (grasscycling) to return moisture and organic matter to the surface.

Homeowners with Kentucky Bluegrass lawns who are frustrated by dormancy should consider using their two watering days for deep, infrequent cycles rather than short daily runs. Running a sprinkler for 30–40 minutes per zone on each assigned morning, before 10 a.m., pushes water 6–8 inches into the soil profile — deep enough to sustain roots through several days. Residents looking to reduce long-term dependence on irrigation can request information from City of Greeley Water about transitioning portions of turf to Buffalograss or Blue Grama, both of which are native to the Weld County region and require a fraction of the water that bluegrass demands.

Greeley water restriction FAQ

What days can I water my lawn under Greeley's Stage 1 restrictions?

You are limited to 2 assigned days per week, determined by your property address. The specific day pair for your address is listed in the City of Greeley Water customer portal at greeleygov.com/water. Even on those days, you cannot run irrigation between 10 a.m. and 6 p.m. — all watering must happen before 10 a.m. or after 6 p.m.

Can I water my vegetable garden on non-assigned days in Greeley?

Yes — hand watering with a hose equipped with a positive shut-off nozzle is exempt from the two-day-per-week schedule. Drip irrigation is also exempt. You can water your vegetable garden via drip or hand watering any day of the week without violating Stage 1 restrictions. Running a conventional sprinkler or an automatic irrigation zone on a non-assigned day is not allowed, even for a garden bed.

Does City of Greeley Water use smart meters to catch violations?

Yes. Greeley has deployed automated meter infrastructure (AMI) that transmits real-time usage data to the utility. The system can flag accounts showing irrigation-pattern consumption during prohibited hours or on non-assigned days. You do not need a neighbor's complaint or a field inspector present for a violation to be identified — the meter data is sufficient to trigger a warning letter.

How does the 30-day new sod exemption work in Greeley?

If you install new sod or seed, newly established turf typically qualifies for a temporary establishment variance that allows more frequent watering for up to 30 days. You must register for this variance with City of Greeley Water before or immediately after installation — it is not automatic. Contact the utility at greeleygov.com/water to apply. Failure to register means your additional watering counts as a violation.

Can I wash my car at home during Stage 1 restrictions?

You can wash your vehicle at home only with a hand-held hose that has a positive shut-off nozzle — one that stops water flow when you release the trigger. Running a garden hose continuously while washing is not permitted. If you prefer a full wash, Greeley's commercial car washes that recirculate and reclaim wash water are operating normally and are compliant with current restrictions.

My HOA sent me a fine for a brown lawn. Is that legal right now?

No. Under Colorado Revised Statutes § 37-60-126, HOAs cannot fine residents for brown or dormant lawns that result from compliance with mandatory government water restrictions. Stage 1 Mandatory restrictions issued by City of Greeley Water meet the legal threshold. Respond in writing, citing the statute and the current restriction order, and request the fine be rescinded. See the template response in the HOA section above.

Does Greeley offer rebates for replacing grass with drought-tolerant landscaping?

City of Greeley Water has offered water conservation rebate programs including turf replacement incentives for converting Kentucky Bluegrass lawns to low-water or xeric landscaping. Program availability and rebate amounts can change, particularly during active drought conditions when funding may be expanded. Check the current offerings at greeleygov.com/water or contact the conservation division directly — programs tied to replacing turf with Blue Grama or native plant beds have been part of Greeley's long-term water efficiency strategy aligned with its Water Conservation Master Plan.

How long will Stage 1 restrictions stay in effect?

Stage 1 restrictions are in effect until water supply conditions improve — there is no predetermined end date. The City of Greeley Water department evaluates reservoir storage levels, Cache la Poudre River flows, and Northern Colorado Water Conservancy District allocation data to determine when to step restrictions down. Given that the broader Front Range is under a state-level drought emergency, with neighboring communities at Stage 3 and Stage 4, Greeley homeowners should plan for Stage 1 to remain through at least the peak irrigation season. Monitor greeleygov.com/water for official stage change announcements.

What time can I water in Greeley?

Watering is allowed Not 10am-6pm. Watering outside these hours is a violation even on your assigned day.

When will water restrictions end in Greeley?

Current Stage 1 Mandatory restrictions are in effect through Until conditions improve. Monitor https://greeleygov.com/water for the latest status.

How do I report a water waste violation in Greeley?

Contact City of Greeley Water or visit https://greeleygov.com/water. Most utilities accept online reports and respond within 48 hours.