What Are Stage 1 Water Restrictions?

When utilities trigger Stage 1

Stage 1 is the entry point of a utility’s drought response. It activates when supply triggers cross initial thresholds but the situation is not yet severe. Common triggers:

• US Drought Monitor D1 (Moderate Drought) in the county for two consecutive weeks.
• Reservoir storage at 70 to 85 percent of seasonal target volume.
• Snowpack measuring 80 to 95 percent of normal at April 1 SNOTEL readings (Western utilities).
• Below-average winter precipitationacross the utility’s watershed catchment.

Recent Stage 1 declarations illustrate the trigger pattern. Denver Water entered mandatory Stage 1 on March 25, 2026 — its first since 2013 — after the South Platte basin reservoir system fell to 78 percent of seasonal target. Long Beach, California operates year-round Stage 1 since 2022 as a permanent baseline (the city never lifts it). Sandy Springs, Georgia is under Georgia EPD’s Level 1 declaration of April 27, 2026 covering 53 counties — Level 1 in Georgia is the EPD equivalent of Stage 1.

Standard Stage 1 rules

Stage 1 rules vary slightly between utilities, but the structure is consistent. Expect most or all of the following:

• Days per week: typically 3, sometimes 2 in tighter Western markets. Specific days assigned by address parity (odd-even).
• Address-based schedule: odd-numbered addresses water on one set of days (often Tue/Thu/Sat), even-numbered on another (often Wed/Fri/Sun). Some utilities skip Mondays entirely.
• Hours: before 10 a.m. or after 6 p.m. on the assigned day. Georgia EPD systems use 4 p.m. for the evening cutoff. The midday blackout reflects 30 to 40 percent evapotranspiration loss in peak heat.
• Sprinkler runtime caps:some utilities cap each zone at 6 to 12 minutes per cycle to prevent runoff on hardpan soils. The “cycle and soak” method (8 minutes on, 30 minutes off, 8 minutes on) is recommended on caliche.
• Hand watering: usually allowed any time of day with a hand-held hose fitted with an automatic shut-off nozzle. Some utilities also exempt watering cans, buckets, and rain-barrel water from any day-of-week limit.
• Drip and soaker hoses: usually allowed during the same morning/evening windows but exempt from the day-of-week schedule.
• Pool filling: usually allowed under Stage 1, both new fills and top-offs.
• New sod and seed: allowed with a 21-day establishment variance. Apply through the utility before installation.
• Vehicle washing: allowed with a shut-off nozzle. Charity car washes typically still permitted.

Voluntary vs mandatory Stage 1

Some utilities split Stage 1 into voluntary and mandatory tiers. The distinction matters because voluntary measures carry no fines, while mandatory rules are enforceable.

• Voluntary Stage 1 examples: Lehi, UT (advisory only); Boulder Drought Watch (Colorado utilities use Watch as the voluntary first tier); Bountiful, UT (Weber Basin advisory); Sandy Springs, GA (Georgia EPD Level 1 is technically mandatory statewide but enforced through education first).
• Mandatory Stage 1 examples: Denver Water (since March 25, 2026); Long Beach, CA (year-round permanent); Highlands Ranch, CO (Centennial Water Stage 1).

When the distinction isn’t obvious from the utility website, three signals tell you which side of the line a Stage 1 sits on: (a) does the schedule mention specific fines? (b) does the language say “must” or “should”? (c) is there a code-enforcement contact or just a customer-service phone number? Mandatory plans always have all three.

Real Stage 1 cities — case study

Case study: Denver Water Stage 1

Denver Water entered mandatory Stage 1 on March 25, 2026 — the first Stage 1 declaration since 2013. The trigger: South Platte Basin reservoir storage fell to roughly 78 percent of seasonal target after a sub-normal winter snowpack across the Colorado Front Range. The decision affects the City of Denver plus suburban service areas including parts of Lakewood, Westminster, Arvada, and Thornton.

Under Denver Water Stage 1, lawn irrigation is limited to 2 days per week (Denver runs a tighter 2-day Stage 1 than the 3-day national norm), with no watering between 10 a.m. and 6 p.m. The schedule is even/odd by address: even-numbered addresses water Sundays and Wednesdays; odd-numbered water Saturdays and Tuesdays. New sod installations are explicitly prohibited without a variance application. Watering during or within 48 hours of measurable rainfall is banned. The order remains in effect through April 30, 2027 unless conditions improve.

Read the full schedule on the Denver, CO water restrictions page.

Stage 1 vs Stage 2: key differences

The bridge from Stage 1 to Stage 2 is the moment outdoor water use stops being a request and starts being a regulation. Days drop from 3 (or 2) per week to a hard 2-per-week cap, fines roughly double, vehicle washing at home moves from allowed to restricted, and most utilities ban pressure washing for non-essential surfaces. The transition usually happens 4 to 8 weeks into a sustained Stage 1 if reservoir storage continues to fall, or immediately if a new trigger crosses the Stage 2 threshold.

Read the full Stage 2 guide →

What to do if your city declares Stage 1

1. Identify your assigned watering day.Look up the address-parity rule on your utility’s drought page, or call the customer-service line. Odd vs even is the most common pattern.
2. Reset every irrigation controller.Adjust to before 10 a.m. or after 6 p.m. only, on assigned days only. Most violations result from controllers running on last year’s schedule.
3. Apply for variances before you act.New sod, new seed, foundation watering, and tree establishment all typically need variances. Apply through the utility’s online portal.
4. Check rebate programmes. Most utilities activate or expand rebate offers during Stage 1 — turf replacement, smart-controller upgrades, rain-barrel rebates. Denver Water, JVWCD, and SLC Public Utilities all have substantial 2026 budgets.
5. Sign up for utility alerts. Text or email notifications let you track Stage 2 escalation. Sustained Stage 1 often advances to Stage 2 within weeks during dry spring conditions.

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Frequently asked questions