Denver Water wants you to tattletale on your water-wasting neighbors — and 800 of you already have
May 29, 2026, 9:22 AM
You know what they say about snitches, right? Well, Denver Water doesn’t care, they want you to tattletale on your neighbor whose sprinklers running at noon on a Wednesday. Now there’s a form for that.
The utility has launched an online water waste reporting tool that lets residents flag rule-breakers during the city’s Stage 1 drought, which was declared in March and mandates a 20% reduction in total water use. The tool — available in English and Spanish — asks users to drop a pin on a map showing the location of the waste, log the date and time, and optionally upload a photo. Submissions are reviewed by Denver Water staff, who then follow up with the property owner.
And folks in Denver are not shy about using it. Since the form quietly launched in early May, more than 800 reports have already been filed, a notable tally for a tool that’s not exactly easy to find. As Denverite reported Wednesday, users have to scroll to the bottom of Denver Water’s conservation page, then click a link buried under a “report water waste” drop-down menu. Residents can also report violations the old-fashioned way by calling 303-893-2444, and water waste in city parks can be reported by dialing 311.
The stakes are real but ramped gradually. Denver Water spokesperson Fisher said the utility understands the public is still adjusting to the rules, so first-time violations only trigger an educational mailer. After that, fines escalate: $250 for a second violation, $500 for a third and $1,000 for a fourth. Repeated offenses can ultimately lead to a full water shutoff. “By and large, it only takes one time for our customers to be reminded,” Fisher told Denverite.
The drought restrictions run through Oct. 1 and limit lawn watering to two assigned days per week — no sprinklers between 10 a.m. and 6 p.m., no watering during rain or high winds, and no letting water pool in gutters, streets or alleys. Hand-watering trees, shrubs and gardens with a hose or drip system is allowed any day. Denver Water said snowpack levels are near record lows and water storage is unlikely to improve until next winter, meaning the restrictions aren’t going anywhere anytime soon.
