Tapped: The Denver metro region sits at the center of one of the American West’s most complex and consequential water challenges. This series examines the interconnected systems that determine how the region secures, stores, and conserves its water while navigating the competing demands of fast‑growing urban communities and the increasingly unpredictable mountain snowpack that underpins the entire system.

Jefferson County’s water picture is anything but uniform. Cities tied to Denver Water are adopting its Stage 1 drought rules, while communities with their own supplies — such as Arvada, Golden and Westminster — are turning to new treatment plants, long‑term planning and conservation programs to weather a year of low snowpack and uncertain runoff.

Lakewood

Lakewood gets most of its water from Denver Water and therefore follows those drought restrictions. That supply is then distributed through 20 independent special districts across the city, with Consolidated Mutual Water and the Green Mountain Water and Sanitation District serving the largest number of customers.

Because Lakewood’s water ultimately comes from Denver Water, local water providers typically mirror Denver Water’s pricing structure, city spokesperson Stacie Oulton said.

The city itself does not manage the water infrastructure — those responsibilities remain with the independent districts. Oulton said that the structure dates back to before Lakewood incorporated in 1969, when roughly 90,000 residents relied on self‑formed special districts for water service.

When the city was established, it did not take over those systems.

Lakewood has assumed control of only one water and sewer district, which serves about 7,000 people.

Oulton said the drought is not expected to significantly affect rates for the small number of residents served directly by the city, though the full impact remains uncertain.

Lakewood declared a Stage 1 drought on March 27, adopting the same restrictions implemented by Denver Water.

Arvada

Arvada occupies a unique position in Jefferson County, relying on a blended water supply that makes its system more diversified than most.

Under a long‑standing contract, 75% of the city’s water comes from Denver Water’s North System, while the remaining 25% comes from Arvada’s own water rights in the Clear Creek and Ralston Creek basins, which feed the Ralston and Arvada reservoirs.

In February, the Arvada Reservoir held about 5,000 acre‑feet of water, slightly below the typical 5,500 acre‑feet for that time of year. The lowest February level since 2006 was just under 4,500 acre‑feet in 2013.

Denver Water provides only the raw water, while Arvada handles treatment and sends used water to Metro Water Recovery for recycling, according to Katie Patterson, the city’s infrastructure communications manager.

Although Arvada is following Denver Water’s Stage 1 drought restrictions, Patterson said the city remains in a “really good position.”

She added that Arvada conducts ongoing water‑supply modeling to determine when conservation measures are needed, under the guidance of a dedicated water‑supply administrator.

Patterson noted that conservation still requires a community‑wide effort. To support residents, the city offers outdoor‑water programs such as low‑water garden boxes and lawn‑replacement incentives through its partnership with Resource Central.

Infrastructure planning is also a major focus. Much of Arvada’s system was built between the 1960s and 1980s, and the city is preparing for significant upgrades. In 2025, Arvada purchased land for a new $315 million water treatment plant to replace the aging Ralston Water Treatment Plant. The new facility is expected to be completed in 2030.

Wheat Ridge

Wheat Ridge receives most of its drinking water from Denver Water, which completed the Ashland Reservoir renovation project in 2018 at a cost of $34 million. The project added two 10‑million‑gallon treated‑water storage tanks supplied by the Moffat Treatment Plant in Lakewood.

The Wheat Ridge Water District serves areas east of Independence Court, as well as Mountain View, Lakeside, and neighborhoods south of I‑70 between Carr and Garrison. This district also relies on Denver Water for its supply.

To support long‑term system upgrades, the district implemented a $5.51 service‑charge increase on Feb. 1. The additional revenue will help replace aging cast‑iron water mains with modern ductile‑iron and PVC lines — an effort expected to cover about 20 miles of pipe over the next 30 to 40 years.

Because Wheat Ridge depends on Denver Water, the city is also under a Stage 1 drought declaration.