Drought Watering Times

Printable watering chart

While the drought watering rules go into effect April 1, we’re asking customers not to turn on their sprinkler systems too early in the season. The last date of frost is usually between May 2 and May 15, and irrigation equipment, hoses and hand-held nozzles are susceptible to freezing.

The watering times in the chart below have been reduced from Denver Water’s standard recommended watering times. Denver Water recommends splitting these times to get the most out of your watering. Program your controller or timer to water in cycles to allow water to soak into the ground. For example, if the total watering time for one zone is 15 minutes, set your timer for eight minutes, finish watering your other zones and then repeat the cycle for another seven minutes for a total of 15 minutes of more efficient watering. See detailed instructions on how to cycle and soak your lawn.

	Minutes to water per zone (for lawns, based on two days per week)
	Fixed spray heads	Rotor heads	Rotary nozzles	Manual sprinklers
January – March	Water trees and shrubs as needed.
April	Water plants on an as-needed basis following days-of-the-week restrictions.
May	15	31	35	23
June	17	38	44	26
July	19	42	48	29
August	15	33	39	24
September	12	25	29	17
October – December	Water trees and shrubs as needed.

Remember, between April 1 and Sept. 30, you may only water two days a week and must follow this schedule: