Commerce City Water Restrictions 2026
Adams County · Colorado
Published:
Restrictions Active - Delayed Irrigation Start - May 4, 2026
3
Days/Week
Before 10:00 a.m.
Allowed Hours
Per SACWSD rate schedule, surcharges on excess use
Max Fine
Find Your Watering Day
Enter the last digit of your street address:
View full address schedule table
| Address Ending | Watering Day |
|---|---|
| Odd addresses | Tuesday & Thursday & Saturday |
| Even addresses | Wednesday & Friday & Sunday |
| All addresses | No watering Monday, district-wide rest day |
Allowed Watering Hours
South Adams County Water (SACWSD), the primary water provider for Commerce City, has delayed the start of the 2026 irrigation season to Monday, May 4, 2026, about a week later than normal. After May 4, residents can water 3 days per week on the odd/even schedule, with no watering between 10 a.m. and 6 p.m. on any day. SACWSD is independent of Denver Water and sets its own restrictions.
Still Allowed
💧 Hand Watering
Allowed with shut-off nozzle. Hours: Any time outside 10am–6pm with a shut-off nozzle.
🌿 Drip Irrigation
Exempt from day-of-week limits. Must follow allowed hours.
Fines & Enforcement
Per SACWSD rate schedule, surcharges on excess use
SACWSD applies escalating surcharges to customers who exceed monthly tier thresholds. Off-schedule watering can trigger written notice, then surcharge fees.
Citations begin May 4, 2026🏠 HOA Rules During Restrictions
Colorado law (HB 21-1229) prohibits HOAs from requiring cool-season turf or penalizing homeowners for drought-tolerant landscaping. Commerce City HOAs cannot fine residents for following SACWSD's delayed start or 3-day schedule.
If your homeowners association sends a violation notice for a dormant or brown lawn during the current restriction period, respond in writing citing the applicable law and include a copy of the South Adams County Water and Sanitation District's current restriction order. Most HOAs will rescind the notice once they are made aware of the legal protections in place. If the issue persists, contact your county’s code enforcement division for assistance.
Why These Restrictions Exist
Commerce City is served primarily by the South Adams County Water and Sanitation District (SACWSD), which is independent of Denver Water and draws from a mix of South Platte alluvium wells and surface water rights. For 2026, SACWSD pushed the irrigation season start back to May 4 in response to record-low South Platte snowpack and to give the system additional recovery time. Residents north of 96th Avenue may be on different supply zones, check sacwsd.org with your address to confirm.
This deficit has accumulated over the current water year and represents a significant departure from historical averages for the Commerce City area. Water supply reservoirs and aquifer levels are well below seasonal targets, necessitating mandatory conservation measures.
How to Keep Your Lawn Alive During Commerce City Water Restrictions
7 tips tailored for Commerce City homeowners during Delayed Irrigation Start - May 4, 2026 restrictions.
Do NOT turn on automatic sprinklers before May 4, 2026, SACWSD's district-wide delayed start.
Odd: Tue/Thu/Sat; Even: Wed/Fri/Sun. No watering Monday district-wide.
Hand watering with a shut-off nozzle is permitted before May 4 for new plantings or stressed turf.
Kentucky Bluegrass dominates older Commerce City lawns, going dormant for 2–3 weeks before May 4 will not kill it.
Commerce City's heavy clay soils benefit from cycle-and-soak (10 min on, 30 min off, 10 min on) to prevent runoff.
Check sacwsd.org for your specific service zone, pressure zones north of 96th may have different rules.
SACWSD offers free indoor and outdoor water audits, call 303-288-2646 to schedule.
Commerce City Water Restriction FAQs
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