At Aurora Reservoir, the dock can't be used right now because the water is too low. The city has also closed the playground for repairs, with no date set to reopen it. Nearby Quincy Reservoir stays open for trail use, fishing and boating through this Saturday, Oct. 31, and then closes for the season.
Most of the news coverage this fall went to the ordinance City Council passed on Sept. 28. Aurora is also under a Stage 1 drought declaration.
Aurora's new ordinance
CBS Colorado reported that council passed the ordinance unanimously. According to the city's announcement, posted Oct. 1, it does two things. Spray irrigation is banned from Oct. 15 through April 30 in high-use areas such as residential yards, and from Oct. 1 for most other areas. Installing new cool-weather turf, such as Kentucky bluegrass and fescue, is banned citywide, along with new ornamental water features like fountains and decorative ponds.
In the ordinance text in the Sept. 28 council packet, a "spray irrigation device" means pressurized water sent through the air, "including but not limited to, pop-up spray heads, spray nozzles, rotor heads, rotator nozzles and microsprays." "Turf" means grass that needs more than 15 inches of irrigation water per square foot per year.
Tearing out a water-wise landscape to put turf in is explicitly prohibited.
Aurora's Stage 1 drought
Aurora's drought page says the city is in a Stage 1 drought. Stage 1 is declared when the water supply may not meet 30 months of expected demand. CBS Colorado also reported that the city's reservoirs remain low.
The drought page's FAQ addresses new sod. "New sod is not allowed during Stage 1 restrictions unless it meets Aurora's low-water use requirements," and the city asks residents to email [email protected] to check before installing new sod or landscaping.
The FAQ says turf lawns must follow the drought-stage watering times "regardless of whether you water by hand or use an automated sprinkler system." The city's watering times page says the same thing.
What a dormant lawn can and can't cost you
On a covenant-controlled street, the first worry is usually a letter from the HOA. Aurora Water says it will contact associations to explain how the restrictions affect lawns.
The city enforces its rules through water monitors, who investigate reports and document violations. For residential accounts, Aurora Water's posted Stage 1 schedule starts with a warning, then charges of $125, $250 and $500 for each violation after that. Multifamily, commercial and irrigation accounts move faster, through $250, $1,000 and $2,000. Repeated violations can lead to a suspension of service or a flow restrictor.
Heavy use can also cost more during Stage 1. The drought page describes a surcharge of $2.15 per thousand gallons on water used for landscaping. For residential customers it applies once monthly use reaches Tier II, and the first 5,000 gallons of residential monthly use are exempt. For commercial and multifamily customers, it kicks in above 110% of the winter quarter average. Your winter quarter average shows on your bill as "sewer usage chg," and the city suggests consumption alerts in the city's water customer portal or the EyeOnWater tool for near-real-time tracking.
The rebate window that opens this Sunday
Aurora Water's Grass Replacement Incentive Program, known as GRIP, opens its 2026 fall application window on Sunday, Nov. 1. Applications are accepted through Jan. 1, 2027, and projects have to be finished by July 31, 2027. If you miss it, the next window runs March 1 to July 1, 2027, with a completion deadline of Oct. 15, 2027.
The program lists these one-time rebate rates:
- $3 per square foot for a traditional water-wise landscape of low-water shrubs, perennials and ornamental grasses with mulch
- $0.50 per square foot for native or low-water grass
GRIP comes with conditions that affect a winter plan. Aurora Water has to approve a project before any work starts, and rebates aren't retroactive.
Three other city and regional programs fit around GRIP over the winter:
- Free landscape design. Aurora Water offers every customer a free professional water-wise landscape design for areas up to 2,500 square feet.
- The Water-wise Passport. Complete four listed activities by Dec. 31, 2026 and you get a $50 water-bill credit. Aurora also runs free in-person and online classes on efficient watering and drought-tolerant plants.
- Garden In A Box. Resource Central's 2026 kits are sold out. The nonprofit says its 2027 gardens will be announced and available to order next spring, and its usual ordering periods run March through April and June through August.
The city's announcement adds one practical note for anyone who hasn't winterized yet. The Oct. 1 shutoff follows best practice for protecting irrigation pipes from freeze damage, and Aurora Water recommends blowing out the system or scheduling a specialist to do it.
This post covers city rules and programs in general and isn't legal, tax or financial advice. Confirm your own yard, HOA covenants and any rebate tax questions with Aurora Water, your association or a qualified professional.
A yard you're about to redo is a good time to find out what your home is worth today. A water-wise front yard finished on a GRIP timeline is something we can account for and feature when you list. Dwellings Colorado puts senior-broker attention on every valuation, and we're glad to talk through yours. Get your free home valuation.
