Broomfield stays in drought watch; water officials urge twice‑weekly irrigation and continued monitoring

Broomfield water officials recommended the city remain in a voluntary drought watch for 2026 and asked residents to reduce outdoor watering to twice a week and limit large areas to one inch of water weekly.

The recommendation, delivered by Ken Root, director of Water Utilities, explained that the water system’s current supply and contractual allocations should meet 2026 needs but that staff will continue to monitor conditions and return to council if tighter restrictions become necessary. Root said staff’s outreach will emphasize voluntary conservation before formal stage declarations are considered.

Staff framed the decision around a simple supply‑to‑demand index and existing contractual supplies from Denver Water and Northern Water. "Right now, we're in a drought watch," Root said, and staff reiterated that stage 1 and higher drought restrictions would require a council declaration. Mark Lohrey, deputy water director, noted the department’s public outreach and rebate programs to reduce outdoor demand.

Why it matters: Broomfield’s water managers showed models indicating a modest buffer for 2026 but warned of multiple risk factors this year — an unusually low regional snowpack and an early melt — that could tighten supplies. Water resources staff said Northern Water set an 80% CBT quota this year (above the 70% historical expectation), and Broomfield is planning to carry over the maximum allowable 20% of its CBT allocation into next year (about 2,700 acre‑feet) as a risk‑management step.

Key details and context: Staff described the drought response tiers and the consequences of moving from a voluntary watch to stages 1–3 (which impose mandatory limits on irrigation, vehicle washing and new sod). Mark Lohrey said the city’s reuse and potable supplies are projected to be sufficient for 2026 under the assumptions staff used, but he cautioned that demand patterns matter: "As of April, our total water use for the year is 20% higher than normal," he told council, and staff will track May use closely to decide whether to return with a revised recommendation.

The utilities team stressed coordination with parks and HOAs and described outreach measures already under way, including a mailed postcard, online guidance and HOA workshops. Staff also said several popular conservation rebates (lawn replacement, Garden‑in‑a‑Box) sold out quickly this year, indicating strong public interest in conservation measures.

What’s next: Staff will report updated consumption data and any material supply changes to council; they said they would return in June if trends continue to indicate elevated demand that might push the city toward mandatory restrictions.