Watering Restrictions

NOTICE: The City of Longmont currently does not have any mandatory watering restrictions. Even so, the City strongly encourages all residents to follow suggested voluntary watering restrictions in the interest of overall water conservation.

Why Watering Restrictions?

In the arid Western climate in which we live, water conservation is always an important goal. In the event of drought conditions, the City will occasionally need to place and enforce mandatory watering restrictions in order to conserve water for the most necessary purposes and to ensure that our water supply is not depleted. For the most part, however, Longmont has been able to rely on voluntary watering restrictions to support our water supply goals. Residents are asked to be water-wise whether it is a wet season or a dry one.

What is considered "wasting water"?

Wasting water is the use of water which results in water being utilized in a wasteful or inefficient manner, and serving no beneficial use. Water waste includes allowing water intended for irrigation to pool or to run off onto streets and sidewalks or into drainage facilities; failure to shut off or repair a leaking irrigation system within 24 hours; letting water run unrestricted from a hose or faucet to drainage.

Is Longmont currently in a drought?

All information on Longmont’s current drought status and response plan is located on the Water Resources & Supply page.

The State is in a drought but Longmont is still at a sustainable conservation level. Why is that?

Each watershed area in the state is unique. Also, Colorado water law dictates have water rights can be used within the state. Longmont resides within the St. Vrain watershed area and is fortunate to own several senior water rights in that basin. Because of these facts Longmont, among others, the effect of a state-wide severe drought often impacts Longmont to a lesser extent than it does other communities. So in other words, it might be extremely dry in southern Colorado, however that does not directly impact Longmont’s ability to use its water rights. Alternatively, a neighboring community may not have developed its water rights portfolio to the same extent that Longmont has and therefore that community may require implementing more stringent water restrictions than Longmont. Longmont is fortunate to have had a history of City Council and staff that shared a long-term vision for the need for water to serve its community and residents who have helped provide the financial resources necessary to realize that vision.

To help support an ongoing water supply, even when we are at a sustainable conservation level, the City still works to promote and encourage water conservation. Learn more on the City’s water conservation page.

What do I have to do if we are in a drought?

Depending on the severity of drought and other factors such as current reservoir water supplies, soil moisture content and temperature, the City will have different responses to drought. When the City is no longer at a sustainable conservation level, staff follows the City of Longmont Water Supply and Drought Management Plan. To learn what level of drought we are currently in visit the Water Resources & Supply page.

Even when we are not in a drought, we all can take steps to conserve water. Learn more on the City’s water conservation page.