Colorado Springs asks residents to conserve water as runoff outlook stays weak

Colorado Springs Utilities is asking residents and businesses to keep conserving water as the city remains in Water Shortage Preparation, a stage the utility entered on March 18, 2026.

The reason is the outlook for this year’s mountain watershed yield. The utility says it expects that yield to be less than half of normal, which is why current watering limits are staying in place heading into the dry season.

What stays the same

For customers in the Colorado Springs Utilities service area, the current watering rules still apply. Outdoor watering is limited to no more than three days per week.

The utility also says no watering is allowed between 10 a.m. and 6 p.m. That restriction is meant to reduce evaporation and lower unnecessary demand during the hottest part of the day.

For homeowners, that means lawns, trees and landscape beds may need to be adjusted to a less frequent schedule. For landscape contractors and property managers, it means irrigation plans need to stay aligned with the current limits rather than assuming a spring change will loosen the rules.

Why the utility is keeping the alert in place

Colorado Springs Utilities has tied the conservation request to snowpack and runoff conditions in the mountains that feed the city’s water supply. The current message is not that the system has moved into a full emergency, but that the dry-year posture is still warranted.

KRDO reported on April 21 that the utility was urging conservation because of the weak snowpack outlook, and the utility’s own water-shortage guidance still describes the low-yield expectation and the watering limits now in effect.

That matters for residents because this is the kind of signal that can shape water bills, lawn care and irrigation planning for the weeks ahead. It also matters for businesses that depend on outdoor watering, including landscaping firms, apartment operators and commercial property managers trying to stay within the rules.

What residents should watch next

For now, the practical takeaway is simple: assume the existing watering limits will continue and plan around them.

Colorado Springs Utilities is asking customers to reduce outdoor use where they can, keep irrigation systems on approved schedules and avoid peak daytime watering. The utility board also kept the issue active this month, which suggests the city is still treating water supply conditions as a live operational concern rather than a short-term talking point.

For residents, that means the safest approach is to follow the current schedule rather than waiting for a change. For businesses, it means reviewing irrigation timers, landscape contracts and seasonal maintenance plans now instead of after temperatures rise further.

Sources

• Colorado Springs Utilities — Water Shortage Preparation
• KRDO — Colorado Springs Utilities urges water conservation amid low snowpack