Your Sprinklers Are Off Until Spring. What Greenwood Village and Cherry Hills Village Yards Still Need This Winter

"It is important to maintain the tree canopy and vibrant parks as these are vital community assets." That line comes from the Denver Board of Water Commissioners' August 26, 2026 resolution, the same document that ended lawn watering for every Denver Water customer as of October 1.

The resolution gives up on Kentucky bluegrass for the season and keeps the trees. Most yards in Greenwood Village and Cherry Hills Village combine big lawns with mature shade trees, so the ban has already sorted them into two parts. You can let the grass go dormant and reseed it later. The tree that shades your patio took decades to grow.

Why the Board Spared the Trees

The resolution gives its reasons in plain terms. Denver Water estimated that about 5,000 acre-feet of water could be saved this year if grass irrigation stopped after September 30. The same section says Kentucky bluegrass "is not sustainable in Colorado's changing climate," and that water-wise landscapes use about 66% less water per square foot. The next paragraph turns to tree canopy and parks, citing heat reduction, carbon and places to gather.

The supply numbers explain why the rule had to be this strict. In Denver Water's October 12, 2026 supply update, South Platte River Basin snowpack peaked March 17 at 42% of normal, the lowest peak on record. The Colorado River Basin peaked March 18 at 58% of normal. As of October 12, the reservoirs were 67% full. The average for that date is 90%. The August resolution also said staff projected storage could drop to 60% before the 2027 runoff season.

The utility is trying to stretch a short supply until spring snowmelt.

Cherry Hills Village's September 30 notice asks residents to pass the rules along to their landscaping service.

One Winter Watering Day

Here is what a watering day looks like with guidance from CSU Extension and Denver Water:

1. Pick the day. CSU Extension recommends winter watering during extended dry spells, only when both air and soil are above 40°F and there's no snow on the ground.
2. Water around midday. That gives the water time to soak in before temperatures drop overnight.
3. Tree roots. CSU notes that an established large tree's roots can spread at least as wide as the tree is tall. On an older lot, that root zone can run well past the planting bed and under the lawn you've stopped watering.
4. Measure by trunk width. The general rule is about 10 gallons per inch of trunk diameter per watering.
5. Space the sessions. Denver Water's winter guidance says established trees may need water every four to six weeks in dry stretches, and newly planted trees every two to three weeks.
6. Disconnect the hose afterward. A hose left on the spigot can freeze and damage it.

The irrigation system needs attention too. In a September 28 article, Denver Water warned that October freezes can crack irrigation pipes left full of water.

Why Village Greens Park May Not Match Your Front Yard

Some parks may look different this year because of where their water comes from. Greenwood Village's May 1 water notice says several of the city's larger parks use groundwater. Village Greens Park, Silo Park, Tommy Davis Park and Westlands Park are irrigated with non-potable well water, not Denver Water. Other city parks do use Denver Water. That notice was written under the earlier two-day watering schedule, so it doesn't say how those four parks are being handled this fall. It does explain why they can be on a different schedule from the lawns nearby.

The same notice says Greenwood Village is served by several water and sanitation districts, and that all of the potable water providers in the city get their water from Denver Water. Denver Water lists both Greenwood Village and the City of Cherry Hills Village as Total Service distributors, served the same way as customers inside Denver. Southgate and Willows are listed as Read-and-Bill distributors, an arrangement in which Denver Water reads each customer's meter and sends the bill. Willows Water District says its contract requires both the district and its customers to follow Denver Water's restrictions, and it has passed along the October 1 lawn ban.

Cherry Hills Village's district list names other water-related entities as well, including South University Place and Englewood Utilities. The name on your bill is the quickest answer. In Greenwood Village, the city's Water District Map lists every district with its phone number and website.

Fines and Photos

The resolution allows charges of up to $2,000, along with flow restrictors or suspended service. Denver Water's published schedule for single-family customers starts at $500 for a first violation and $1,000 for a second. Denver7 reported that enforcement will rely on photos submitted by residents and on field staff.

Spring Has No Set Date

The ban has no scheduled end. Turf-replacement help is also limited right now. The 2026 Denver Water and Resource Central turf-removal discounts of up to $750 are fully allocated, and Denver Water says there's no guarantee the program will return in 2027. Resource Central reports that its 2026 Lawn Replacement program is also full.

One deadline is coming up fast for HOAs. Associations and commercial properties in Denver Water's service area can apply to the 2027 Landscape Transformation Assistance Program through November 1, 2026. Listed awards are $0.50 per square foot, subject to funding, and require a 50% match. From publication day, that leaves an HOA board about three days to apply.

This post is general information, not legal advice. If you have a question about your HOA covenants or your water district's enforcement, check with your association, your provider or a qualified professional. If you're planning a landscape refresh around your mature trees before spring, or wondering how a dormant lawn affects your home's curb appeal, I'm happy to talk it through. Stephanie Watanabe. Let's Connect.