Denver residents will pay more for outdoor watering

Denver Water customers can expect to pay a little more on their bills next year. On Wednesday, the utility company approved rate changes for customers. The biggest impact will be on outdoor water use, and people watering their yards and gardens.

Under the rate changes, single-family homes can expect to pay on average about $3.25 to $4.50 more per month next year. The changes come in the wake of a historic drought this year, and Denver Water said the changes will protect the state's largest water system.

Monique Helstrom started her garden about five years ago. Denver Water users like her will now pay more to water their gardens.

"As someone who grows their own food, there's a bit of concern about the cost there," said Helstrem. "I also just got a tree, and they're going to install it next Monday. As happy as I was about that coming in, that's also quite concerning."

For customers, the costs of essential indoor water use will be lowered to ensure water used for drinking, cooking, and hygiene remain affordable. Meanwhile, the utility company is raising rates for heavier outdoor use to encourage saving water.

"These changes ensure that the customers that use more will pay more with the top 10% of our customers, our largest users, seeing increases of over $100 per year to their bills," said Denver Water staff at Wednesday's meeting.

Indoor water use falls under Tier 1 pricing. Outdoor water use falls under Tier 2 and Tier 3 pricing. Next year, the cost of Tier 2 water use will be 2.5 times higher than Tier 1. Tier 3 will be 3.5 times higher than Tier 1. 

"We are experiencing a historic drought, which has stressed our system and our communities. And we are asking our customers to conserve water and stretch the supplies we have," said Denver Water CEO/Manager Alan Salazar. "We all have a shared responsibility to ensure the system stays strong and resilient, because while this is one of the worst droughts Denver Water has experienced in the last 100 years, we know it won't be the last. Our climate is warming, and we need to ensure that the 1.5 million people who rely on us have access to safe, affordable, clean water."

Denver Water expects mandatory drought restrictions to continue throughout at least the first half of next summer. The utility company is now asking customers to conserve water and stretch the supplies they do have. Staff also recommended hiring fifteen seasonal workers to patrol for watering violations next summer which will cost nearly six hundred fifty thousand dollars.

"I wish there was a bit more crackdown on those that are not following the rules because those of us that are, are still getting the same rate hike increases," said Helstrem.

"These rates will enable us to continue to invest in our system to ensure the the delivery of clean, safe water to our communities that rely on it now and in the future," said the Denver Water staff member.

Denver Water says the investments include: 

• Raising Gross Dam 131 feet to nearly triple the storage capacity at Gross Reservoir.
• Building the new Northwater Treatment Plant on Highway 93 north of Golden. 
• Replacing old, customer-owned lead service lines — at no direct cost to the customer. 
• Replacing and upgrading aging water mains, storage facilities, pumping and electrical equipment throughout the system. 
• Adding solar power arrays to multiple locations to improve resilience and reduce carbon emissions.  

As the rate changes come, Helstrom plans to install rain barrels to catch her own water.

"I wouldn't be able to grow my own food with two day water restrictions, so I'll have to come up with some other way of doing it," said Helstrem.

Denver Water has also set drought rates to respond to next year's water supply conditions, and raised the fixed monthly charge by $4.81, to $25.72 per month for customers who have a 3/4-inch meter, the most common size for residential customers.

The changes take effect January 1, 2027.