2026 Willows Water Budget Program Policy

Willows Water recognizes that some large commercial irrigation customers (one acre or more) may not be able to fully comply with the standard two-days-per-week watering restriction due to the size, complexity, and operational needs of their irrigation systems. To address this, Willows Water has established the 2026 Water Budget Program, which provides eligible customers with additional watering flexibility while still achieving meaningful water conservation.

Participation in the program is voluntary and subject to Willows Water approval. Customers approved for the program must meet all requirements outlined in this policy and in the final Water Budget Agreement.

Program Goal and Term

The goal of the 2026 Water Budget Program is to reduce total water use by at least 20% during the irrigation season, defined as May 1 through October 31, 2026, consistent with Denver Water’s Water Budget framework.  Additional water use restrictions may be required if Denver Water imposes further drought restrictions.

Water budgets developed under this program are valid only for the 2026 irrigation season and expire on October 31, 2026. 

Program Flexibility

The Water Budget Program provides approved customers with flexibility to irrigate outside of the normally scheduled watering days, allowing them to effectively manage large or complex irrigation systems. All other drought restrictions remain in full effect.

These restrictions include: no watering between 10:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m.; immediate repair of broken sprinklers or other causes of water waste. For additional information, visit watering-restrictions.

Billing and Rate Structure

All enrolled meters will continue to be billed according to their meter size and applicable drought rate tiers. There are no changes to base billing or tiered consumption pricing as a result of participation in the Water Budget Program.

The only modification is the requirement that participating customers reduce their combined total water use across all enrolled meters by at least 20% during the irrigation season. The 2026 drought rate pricing, Tier 1: $5.64 per thousand gallons Tier 2: $8.57 per thousand gallons Tier 3: $10.33 per thousand gallons Tier 4: $13.54 per thousand gallons.

Compliance and Penalties

Approved customers will receive twice monthly email updates outlining total water usage, percentage of the water budget used, and progress toward achieving the required 20% reduction.

Penalties will be assessed for any excess water use above the approved budgeted amount. Penalties will be charged on a per-thousand-gallon basis. The penalty rate is two times the Tier 4 rate per thousand gallons currently at $13.54 per thousand gallons. Customers who remain closer to their approved water budget will incur lower total penalties than those who significantly exceed their water budget.

Eligibility Requirements

Applicants must demonstrate a minimum combined irrigated area of one acre, provide an explanation for why compliance with the two-days-per-week watering restriction is not feasible, and submit a plan describing how the required 20% reduction in total water use will be achieved during the irrigation season.

Customers may manage water-use reductions across their irrigation systems in any manner they choose, provided the overall 20% reduction requirement is met.

Historical Usage and Budget Development

Willows Water will use historical water-use data from the past five years for each meter to determine the average annual use for each meter. The average annual use from each meter will be combined to establish a total amount of water. That total amount will be reduced by 20%, giving each customer the maximum gallons of water that can be used for irrigation (water budget).

Application and Agreement Requirements

Applicants must submit property details, account numbers, total irrigated acreage, and designate a responsible contact person for monitoring seasonal water usage and program compliance. Participation in the program will be finalized through a signed Water Budget Agreement administered by Willows Water.  Email us at customerservice@willowswater.org with your property details to begin the application process. Our customer service team will review your information and guide you through the next steps.