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To keep water affordable and to encourage conservation, Denver Water’s single-family residential rate structure includes three tiers based on how much water you use. Indoor water use — for bathing, cooking and flushing toilets — is essential for human life and is charged at the lowest rate. Efficient outdoor water use is charged in the second tier (middle rate), followed by additional outdoor water use in the third tier (highest rate).

In addition to variable charges based on water use, the rate structure also includes a monthly fixed charge based on the size of your water meter.

Why are rates going up?

Our employees continue their around-the-clock work running a large, intricate system that spans 13 counties across Colorado. And we have been making major investments in our system to maintain efficient operations, prepare us for a warmer climate with more extreme weather patterns and ensure we can meet new regulatory requirements in the future.

These efforts include the recent completion of a new, state-of-the-art drinking water treatment plant, the proactive and strategic work involved in maintaining and replacing water mains under the streets, the expansion of Gross Reservoir, and replacing old, customer-owned lead service lines at no direct cost to the customer.

Bill impacts

We are slightly increasing the monthly fixed charge on your bill to ensure we recover 20% of our revenue from fixed charges, which helps us even out our revenue stream over the year. This allows us to make the necessary system investments while avoiding big rate swings due to increasingly variable weather patterns.

If you’re like most residential customers who have a 3/4-inch meter, the fixed monthly charge will increase 66 cents, to $19.06 per month. Single-family residential customers who receive a bill from Denver Water, have a 3/4-inch meter, and use 104,000 gallons of water in 2025 as they did in 2024, can expect their annual cost of water to rise by a range of $25 to $36. Individual customer bills vary depending on how much water is used and if the customer lives in Denver or in one of our suburban water districts.

Being water-efficient brings benefits

We always encourage our customers to be efficient with their water use.

Using less water at home means more water can be kept in the mountain reservoirs, rivers and streams that fish live in and Coloradans enjoy. And conserving water also can lower your monthly water bills, saving money.

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Denver Water has been investing in projects to maintain and improve the complex water system that 1.5 million people depend on every day. We expect to invest an additional $1.8 billion into the system during the next 10 years.

Some specific projects are:

• Lead Reduction Program. This public health campaign reduces the risk of lead getting into customers’ drinking water. Since 2020, we’ve replaced about half of our service area’s estimated 60,000 to 64,000 old, customer-owned lead service lines at no direct cost to the property owner. Customers enrolled in the program receive water pitchers and filters to use for drinking, cooking and preparing infant formula.
• Northwater Treatment Plant. In summer 2024, we completed our new, state-of-the-art drinking water treatment plant. The plant can clean up to 75 million gallons of water per day and be expanded in the future.
• Gross Reservoir expansion. This project is part of our long-term approach (which includes promoting water conservation, recycling water and responsibly sourcing new supply) to delivering a safe, reliable water supply now and in the future. The additional water storage created by the project will help prevent shortfalls during droughts and minimize an imbalance between our north and south water collection systems.
• Pipe replacement. With more than 3,000 miles of pipe in the ground, our crews replace about 80,000 feet of aging pipelines every year, just one aspect of maintaining and upgrading the system that collects, cleans and delivers water to about 25% of Colorado’s population.

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Kentucky bluegrass, the default groundcover planted in Colorado for decades, needs extensive additional irrigation every year to survive our semi-arid climate. But as Denver’s average temperature has risen in the last decade, we must take steps to conserve our precious water resources.

Remodeling lawns and landscapes to create diverse, water-wise ColoradoScapes — that include cooling tree canopies and plants that fit naturally into our climate — will benefit our communities, wildlife and the environment.

Monthly Fixed Charges, $ per Bill

Treated Water Volume Rates, $ per 1,000 gallons

Single-Family Residential Customers

Private Fireline

Monthly Fixed Charges, $ per Bill

Treated Water Volume Rates, $ per 1,000 gallons

Single-Family Residential Customers

Private Fireline

Monthly Fixed Charges, $ per Bill

Treated Water Volume Rates, $ per 1,000 gallons

Single-Family Residential Customers

Private Fireline

Monthly Fixed Charges, $ per Bill

Treated Water Volume Rates, $ per 1,000 gallons