AURORA | Aurora lawmakers are expected to give approval tonight to significantly tighten water restrictions beginning tomorrow, as officials say the city faces a worsening drought, historically low snowpack and the possibility of rapidly shrinking water reserves.
During a March 23 study session, city council members signaled support for implementing Stage 1 drought restrictions as soon as April 7 — nearly a month earlier than Aurora’s typical seasonal watering limits.
If approved, the new rules would reduce outdoor watering, prohibit certain water-intensive activities and usher in stricter enforcement measures that include escalating fines for violators.
City water officials say the situation has deteriorated sharply in recent weeks, reinforcing concerns raised in a previous Aurora Sentinel report that the city could be headed toward even more severe restrictions later this year if conditions fail to improve.
“This is a more dire situation than any of the previous watering restrictions I’ve been here for,” Aurora Water General Manager Marshall Brown told council members. “It’s bad.”
The proposed restrictions come as Aurora’s water system shows mounting signs of stress. Reservoir levels currently sit at about 68% capacity, showing only a modest improvement from late February, Brown said. Still, that represents only about 1.5 years of usable supply, according to city officials. Currently, Colorado Springs officials reported having about 3 years supply on hand amid their drought restriction considerations.
That Aurora margin leaves little room for error, Brown said.
“We have about a year and a half worth of usable supply there,” Brown said, saying that combined with projections of continued drought, high temperatures and limited spring runoff, the city must take a proactive position in limiting water now, not after it’s gone from reservoirs.
Compounding the problem is a severely diminished snowpack. Snow levels across the three Colorado water basins that feed Aurora’s system are hovering at roughly 49% of average, officials said.
That means the city is likely to receive only about one-third of its typical water supply this year, Brown said.
The bleak outlook mirrors conditions across Colorado. Gov. Jared Polis earlier this month activated the state’s drought task force, while other Front Range water providers, including Thornton and Erie, have already implemented similar restrictions. Denver Water is also considering comparable measures.
Scientists say snow cover and snow depth across the West are both at the lowest levels they’ve seen in decades, while at least 67 Western weather stations have measured their warmest December through early February on record.
“I have not seen a winter like this before,” said National Snow and Ice Data Center director Mark Serreze, who has been in Colorado for almost 40 years. “This pattern that we’re in is so darned persistent.”
In a typical year, seasonal watering limits begin in May. This year, restrictions could begin April 7.
The expected Level 1 restriction rules would limit outdoor watering to two days per week, down from the current three-day allowance, and assign specific watering days based on property type. Watering between 10 a.m. and 6 p.m. would be prohibited.
But several additional measures outlined during the March meeting reflect a more urgent conservation push.
Among them:
• Backyard swimming pools would be prohibited from being filled, with limited exceptions tied to insurance requirements. Homeowner association pools would be considered community pools and would be able to fill.
• Installation of new “cool weather grasses,” including Kentucky bluegrass and fescue — which make up most Aurora lawns — would be banned.
• Decorative water features, such as fountains, would not be allowed to operate.
Developers and homeowners would instead be required to use more drought-tolerant alternatives, such as warm-season grasses like Tahoma 31 or native landscaping.
Unlike past drought responses, Aurora plans to aggressively enforce the new rules.
Officials said previous efforts relied heavily on complaints from residents reporting neighbors, resulting in inconsistent compliance. This year, the city will deploy advanced metering technology capable of tracking water use nearly in real time.
That includes the ability to detect when irrigation systems are running, when pools are filled and even when leaks occur.
• First violations will result in a warning.
• Second violations will trigger a $125 fine for single-family homes.
• Third violations increase to $250.
• Additional violations rise to $500.
Commercial and multi-family properties face even higher penalties, starting at $250 and escalating to as much as $2,000 for repeated offenses.
Aurora lawmakers are scheduled to discuss and decide the proposed restrictions at 6 p.m. at city hall.