Denver Enacts Water Restrictions, Restaurants Must Serve Water Only on Request

Denver has declared a Stage 1 Drought and implemented mandatory water restrictions requiring restaurants to serve water only upon customer request. The Denver Board of Water Commissioners expects drought conditions to last until April 30, 2027, and is seeking a 20 percent reduction in water use. Colorado River snowpack in Denver's collection system is at 53% of normal levels, the lowest on record for this date. The city serves 1.5 million people from a 4,000-square-mile collection area across the state. Additional restrictions include requiring lodging establishments to change sheets no more than every four days unless requested by guests. City officials attribute the severe conditions to record-low snowpack levels that are melting earlier and more rapidly than normal, exacerbated by recent heatwaves with temperatures reaching the 80s in mid-March. This represents a critical water supply challenge with significant implications for emergency preparedness and resource management across the Denver metropolitan area.