Frequently Asked Questions

Whether voluntary guidelines or mandatory watering restrictions will be implemented will be determined by our current drought status. The good news is, you can have a healthy green lawn watering no more than 2 days per week using the cycle & soak method during most of the irrigation season.

Download the Watering Guide and learn more about programming your irrigation controller at Saving Outdoors. 

Limit turf watering to two days/week and water between 6 p.m. and 10 a.m. Most turf can survive and even thrive with two days of watering per week. Less frequent watering will both save water and deepen lawn roots, making your turf more drought-tolerant. Use the Cycle and Soak method to break watering into 2 or 3 smaller cycles to get the most out of your watering.

Wait to turn on irrigation systems until May. Turf is naturally dormant while nights remain cool and frost is frequent. Even though it looks brown and dry, the roots are alive under the soil. Bringing lawns out of dormancy too early is unnecessary and will create early demands on our reservoirs and water treatment systems.

• Pest pressure from turf mites is likely to be high due to our warm, dry winter, and very light watering can help reduce those populations (though it may be a little late at this point). Turf mite damage rarely kills the entire grass system, but it may slow grass as it emerges from winter dormancy.
• Spring rain and snow may provide enough moisture for your lawn. With continued warm temperatures, lawns will likely begin to emerge from dormancy on their own.
• Cool-season bluegrass lawns can stay dormant when water is limited, so waiting to water should not harm your lawn unless it is in a high-traffic area. Warm-season lawns, on the other hand, usually do not come out of dormancy until May, even in a typical year.

We recommend the Cycle & Soak method when possible to prevent runoff and water waste. Simply put, watering times will be split into three short cycles instead of one cycle.

HOW TO CYCLE AND SOAK

1. Divide the zone’s watering time into two or three cycles.
2. Water the first cycle, then wait 1 hour.
3. Water the second cycle, then wait 1 hour before running a third cycle if necessary.
4. Don’t water for short periods in both the morning and the evening. The water doesn’t soak deeply into the soil, leading to shallow roots and unhealthy grass.

BENEFITS

• The cycle-and-soak watering method not only saves water but also improves your lawn’s health.
• Moisture deep in the soil promotes deeper roots, which contribute to a thicker, healthier, greener lawn.

Download the Thornton Watering Guide for easy reference. Watering vegetable gardens or plant materials is not included.

Yes, the city uses different water rules during droughts. Visit the thorntonwater.com/restrictions-drought/ page to learn more about drought stages and rules.

• Learn more about programming your irrigation controller at Saving Outdoors. 

Hand watering of trees, shrubs, bushes, dry turf areas, perennial beds, annual flowers, and vegetable gardens may occur on any day. Hand watering means holding a hose with a shutoff nozzle in the hand and does not include operating a hose with a sprinkler or manually operating an automatic irrigation system. The hose must be attended to at all times when water is running.

The city asks that residents not hand water between 10 a.m. and 6 p.m. or on windy days.

Wasting water is prohibited by the Water Use Rules. Water waste is defined in the Thornton City Code as the intentional or unintentional excessive use of water. Excessive use shall mean use that is not considered reasonable, prudent or a wise use of water for an authorized purpose, and includes, by way of illustration, but is not limited to:

• Allowing water to be applied in any manner, rate or quantity such that the runoff from the landscaped area being watered is allowed to pool or flow across the ground or into any drainage way, such as gutters, streets, alleys or storm drains.
• Incidental runoff from an irrigation system operated in a reasonable and prudent manner is excepted.
• Failing to repair, for a period of more than 10 days after notice, leaking or damaged pipe, hose, or irrigation components is prohibited.

• Including a photo can help us find and fix the problem sooner.
• Your report goes directly to the right City staff member.
• City staff must witness water waste in person before issuing a warning.
• Download the free My Thornton App from the Apple or Android stores. It is quick and easy to use. See a problem? Open the app, select the issue, take a photo, and tap submit. If you include a photo, the app uses GPS to show us the exact location. Use the app to report water waste or other issues to City staff.

• Residential penalties for the first violation are $100, $250 for the second, and $500 for the third.
• Commercial, Multifamily, and Irrigation account penalties are $250 for the first, $500 for the second, and $1000 for the third.
• Construction account penalties range from $1,000 to $5,000.

An appeal may be started by requesting a conference with an Infrastructure Department representative. The request must be made within 10 days of receiving notice of a violation. Contact the Water Resources Division at 720-977-6600.

Depending on your HOA’s rules and regulations, they may still issue notices for lawn quality during Stage 1 drought. If you are following the city’s recommended watering schedule and the minutes-per-zone-per-day limits, your lawn should meet most HOA standards. Lawn issues can arise from factors such as weeds, insects and other pests, fungus, and lawn diseases. In addition to watering, other ways to improve lawn conditions include weekly mowing, annual aeration, fertilization, and weed control. 

During non-drought conditions, vehicles may be washed on any day at residences using a bucket or a hand-held hose equipped with a positive shutoff nozzle. The City encourages customers to limit car washing to no more than once a week, but be certain to check guidelines or restrictions for any changes.

Check the current drought status; in most stages, pools can be filled, refilled, or topped off as long as water is not wasted. Use of a pool cover is encouraged to reduce water loss.

Try to minimize nonessential water use when possible. We recommend using a broom instead of a hose to clean impervious surfaces such as sidewalks, driveways, and patios. 

The current drought status will regulate the use of outdoor water features. If Thornton is under a drought warning, the City asks customers to shut down ornamental fountains and ponds that do not recycle water. Visit the thorntonwater.com/restrictions-drought/ page to learn more about drought stages and rules.

A sprinkler zone refers to all sprinkler heads controlled by one valve (and all the turf area covered by the water spray from those sprinkler heads). Sometimes, during a drought, guidelines or restrictions limiting how long you can water each zone of your landscape are part of the response plan. 

Whether voluntary guidelines or mandatory watering restrictions are implemented depends on our current drought status. The good news is, you can have a healthy green lawn watering no more than 2 days per week using the cycle & soak method during most of the irrigation season. Download our Watering Guide to learn more about programming your irrigation controller.

Xeriscaping is allowed and encouraged in the City of Thornton. There is no minimum lawn area required for existing residential properties; regular maintenance is required regardless of the landscape design. All areas of your lot that are not covered by buildings, sidewalks, decks, patios, or driveways must be landscaped or mulched. Weeds and bare ground are not considered landscaping. Landscaping includes living plant materials such as trees, shrubs, grass, groundcovers, and flowers, as well as features such as fountains, pools, and benches. Mulch includes rock, stone, bark, and other organic or inorganic materials typically used to retain soil moisture and hinder weed growth. Artificial turf is allowed in limited applications. Artificial turf requires a permit and is allowed inside yards that are not visible from the public right-of-way and in back yards. Find more information on artificial turf on our Artificial Turf Regulations and Application sheet. The use of artificial trees, shrubs, vines, or other plants is prohibited.

Water-wise Landscaping City Code

1. Water-wise landscaping is required for all development, private or public, in recognition of our semi-arid climate and the limited water available for outdoor uses. This approach to landscaping shall incorporate water-wise landscaping principles into development-permit landscape requirements.
2. Water-wise landscape principles include:
   1. Promoting the use of low water-demand turf and plants and a balance of landscape materials.
   2. Promoting practical turf areas by limiting the use of high water-demand turf and plants to areas of high visibility or functional needs.
   3. Grouping plants with similar water and environmental requirements together on the same irrigation zone.
   4. Use of efficient irrigation systems.
   5. Use of soil amendments and mulches, generally organic and biodegradable.
3. No person, organization, or association may create or impose restrictive covenants, conditions, restrictions, deed clauses or other agreements between the parties that prevent the use of water-wise landscaping.

Visit Municode for the full City Code.

If you have questions about the City Landscape Code, please call 303-538-7295.
Check out additional water-wise landscape information on the Saving Outdoors page.

Colorado HB 19-1050 states that HOAs shall not prohibit the use of xeriscape or drought-tolerant vegetative landscapes. HOAs can, however, adopt and enforce design and aesthetic guidelines or rules that regulate the type, number and placement of drought tolerant plantings and hardscapes. HB 19-1050 can be found here.

Artificial turf is allowed in limited applications. Artificial turf requires a permit (see the permit here) and is allowed for side yards that are not visible to a public right-of-way and back yards. Read more about the artificial turf city code in Sec. 18-542 and in the Artificial Turf Regulations and Application. The use of artificial trees, shrubs, vines, or other plants is prohibited. 

Check out additional water-wise landscape information on the Saving Outdoors page. As of August 2022, artificial turf no longer qualifies for a rebate.

If you have questions about the City Landscape Code, please call 303-538-7295.

The City of Thornton is committed to providing a reliable water supply to its customers. It’s standard procedure for water utilities to use a certain amount of water to ensure that the city’s infrastructure is maintained. You may see City of Thornton Utilities crews working in the community, allowing water to run into the street. Periodic flushing of fire hydrants and testing of water meters are important preventive maintenance activities that ensure the integrity of the water system, the accuracy of the metering system, and the delivery of the highest-quality water to our customers.

The City of Thornton Parks & Forestry Division is responsible for the maintenance of over 2,500+ acres of parks and public lands. We use a variety of water delivery methods, from overhead spray irrigation to subsurface drip irrigation. The City follows a practice called Cycle & Soak when we apply the water to our landscapes. Our maintenance staff will determine the water needed for each area based on the location, slope, soil type, sun exposure, and vegetation. The required amount of water is delivered in 2 or 3 watering cycles within a given time frame. This practice allows for the soil to take in more water over a given period of time and helps to promote deeper roots.

Given the number of acres we have to water, it is not always possible to complete the watering schedules between 10 p.m. and 7 a.m. We also have to give high-use sport turf areas different watering schedules to keep the sites safe for play while maintaining a viable green lawn.

If you have any questions about our watering practices or want to report a broken sprinkler system component in a park, please fill out a service request on the My Thornton page or call the Parks Division at 303-255-7833.

If you have any questions about our watering practices or want to report a broken sprinkler system component in a park, please fill out a service request on the My Thornton page or call the Parks Division at 303-255-7833.

The City of Thornton is joining customers in reducing citywide water use by 10% across all city-owned properties. At the Thorncreek Golf Course, steps are being taken to preserve turf health by delaying tee times, increasing the time between tee times, and closing putting greens as needed to prevent heavy wear and tear. For updates, visit the ThorntonCO.gov/community-culture/thorncreek-golf-course

It may help to know that drought restrictions and growth decisions are handled very differently:

• Drought demand is an increase in outdoor irrigation due to warm dry conditions, not indoor usage, and drought restrictions are temporary tools used to respond to short‑term water supply availability and weather conditions.
• A drought doesn’t necessarily reflect a risk to long‑term water availability, but it does require everyone—new and existing residents—to conserve water.
• Growth planning is long‑term and based on legally secured water rights and water supply planning that looks 20–50 years into the future.
• New development is required to be water‑efficient, including high‑efficiency fixtures and drought‑tolerant landscaping, which often reduces per‑household demand.
• Cities are legally obligated to honor certain existing development rights, and halting permitted projects can lead to significant legal and financial consequences.
• Thornton’s Drought Management Plan allows the city to consider changes to the development review process, limitations to the number of taps allowed and restrictions on new turn installations if these actions are in alignment with the water demand reduction goals for a given drought.

Most homeowners in Colorado are now allowed to use rain barrels to collect rainwater. A maximum of two rain barrels with a combined storage capacity of 110 gallons or less are allowed per household. Collected rainwater may be used to irrigate outdoor lawns, plants, or gardens.

Mosquitoes breed in standing water, so it is important to ensure they cannot access the water in your rain barrels. For more information on this topic, visit the CSU Rainwater Collection in Colorado page.

No, the use of greywater is regulated by the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment. Greywater use is a public health issue because it contains harmful bacteria and viruses. Both greywater and blackwater (water from toilets) are regarded as wastewater. Regulations state that for any home serviced by a public sewer system, all wastewater must go down the drain. Since Thornton residents are served by a public sewer system, greywater use is prohibited.

Please visit the Colorado State University water page for more information on greywater use and rainwater harvesting. 

No, the City prohibits the use of water supplied from sources other than the City of Thornton.

To apply for a hydrant meter, please visit the Hydrant Meters & Water Sewer Rates page.

For questions or concerns, please email HydrantMeterRental@thorntonco.gov or contact Utility Billing directly at 303-538-7370.

For Meter Returns:
City of Thornton
Infrastructure Maintenance Center (IMC)
Tuesday and Thursday — 8 a.m. to 11 a.m. only
12450 Washington Street
Thornton, Colorado, 80241

Please note: Rental charges are applicable until the meter is returned.

Generally, the water service line on your property runs directly from the meter to the line inside your home and is typically buried 4 feet underground. 

For information about outdoor water lines on your property, contact https://www.colorado811.org/, or refer to the residential water line and commercial and HOA water line repair responsibilities graphics.