City of Greeley Watering Restrictions

The Greeley Water and Sewer Board determine watering restrictions each spring, at the April Board meeting.  Declaring an adequate water year or drought year is based on several factors:

• Snowpack
• Colorado-Big Thompson quota (C-BT)
• Long-term weather projections
• Water storage

At this time, we do not anticipate drought restrictions, but it is important to practice restraint and let plants wake up for spring naturally and not to start watering too early. According to ordinance, there is no lawn watering until April 15. 

In 2020, Greeley City Council approved changes to Greeley’s watering restrictions for single-family water budget customers. Changes include adjusting non-watering hours (10a.m.-6 p.m. and omitting day-of-the-week watering restrictions for water budget customers only.   

When installing a new lawn, you must get a lawn watering variance. If you properly prepare your soil with compost and rototill it in, you will be given a larger water budget or more days to a week to water to get it established.  We require 4 cubic yards of compost for every 1,000 square feet of lawn.

2023 Watering Restrictions

April 15th to October 31st

(non-drought year)

There is no overhead watering between 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.

• New lawn variances (seed or sod) are available with proper soil amendment, compost (4 cubic yards per 1,000 square feet).
• You can water trees, shrubs, flowers, and vegetable gardens anytime with low-volume drip irrigation emitters, bubblers, weeping-type soaker hoses, a watering can, or by hand with a restrictive hose nozzle. Hosing paved surfaces, including decks, driveways, patios, sidewalks, and building structures, is allowed with minimal runoff. Excessive water flow into the gutters is considered waste and could result in a violation.
• Home car washing is allowed using a restrictive nozzle hose and bucket with minimal runoff.
• Watering trees between October-March is allowed. Follow these tree watering recommendations to keep your landscape healthy and attractive.
• Any resident who violates the restrictions during a calendar year can be fined:
• First offense: $100 fine
• Second offense: $250 fine
• Third offense: $500 fine
• Four or more: $500 fine and customer pays for installing a flow restrictor to limit water use.
• NOTE: Fines occurring on non-residential properties will be doubled.
• There is no lawn watering between January 1 and April 14 without a variance.