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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. With major investments forecast over the next 10 years, we’re staying on top of needed upgrades and new projects to keep this system operating efficiently.

We also are continuing our proactive and strategic work maintaining and replacing water mains under the streets, building a new, state-of-the-art treatment plant, expanding Gross Reservoir, and replacing old, customer-owned lead service lines to protect those most at risk for lead in their drinking water — preparing us for a warmer future with more extreme weather patterns and the potential of new regulatory requirements.

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 for reduced reliance on revenues that are based on how much water customers use, which has become increasingly difficult to predict given more frequent weather fluctuations.

If you’re like most residential customers who have a 3/4-inch meter, the fixed monthly charge will increase 50 cents, to $18.40 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 2024 as they did in 2023 can expect their annual cost of water to rise by a range of $19.50 to $27.50. 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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In 2024, Denver Water will continue work on projects that are part of our 10-year, $1.9 billion investment plan. We are staying on top of regular inspections and monitoring, as well as the upgrades and new projects needed to keep the water system running.

Some specific projects include:

• Lead Reduction Program. The largest public health campaign in Denver Water’s history reduces the risk of lead getting into customers’ drinking water. The program is replacing an estimated 64,000 to 84,000 old, customer-owned lead service lines at no direct cost to the property owner. Customers enrolled in the program are provided water pitchers and filters to use for drinking, cooking and preparing infant formula. In 2023 and 2024, federal funding will help Denver Water increase the number of lines we’re able to replace in each of those years.
• Northwater Treatment Plant. This new, state-of-the- art treatment plant under construction west of Highway 93 north of Golden will be capable of cleaning up to 75 million gallons of water per day when it begins operations in 2024.
• Gross Reservoir expansion. This major component of our long-term, multipronged approach (including promoting water conservation, recycling water and responsibly sourcing new supply) will help deliver a safe, reliable water supply to the 1.5 million people in our service area today and the additional people expected to live here in the future. The additional water storage created by the project will help prevent future shortfalls during droughts and minimize an imbalance between our separate, unconnected 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 the ongoing work that goes into maintaining and upgrading the system that collects, cleans and delivers water to about 25% of Colorado’s population.

In the last 10 years, average temperatures in Denver have averaged 1.9 degrees Fahrenheit warmer than the 20th century average. That means our landscapes need to adapt to warmer temperatures while also conserving our precious water resources.

We’ve looked at our own landscapes and started transforming bland expanses of water-intensive Kentucky bluegrass into more diverse, water-wise ColoradoScapes that fit naturally into our semi-arid climate. These drought-resistant and climate-resilient ColoradoScapes include tree canopies and plants that help maintain vibrant urban landscapes and 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