Colorado
Colorado sits in the West and draws its water primarily from Colorado River headwaters, South Platte, Arkansas River, and snowpack. With roughly 5.9 million residents, the state has a developing water reuse program, reusing an estimated 14% of its treated wastewater.
Coloradowater quality & safety
Top violation drivers in Colorado
| Contaminant / rule | Systems |
|---|---|
| Stage 1 Disinfectants and Disinfection Byproducts Rule | 155 |
| Surface Water Treatment Rule | 85 |
| Groundwater Rule | 71 |
| Interim Enhanced Surface Water Treatment Rule | 53 |
| LEAD AND COPPER RULE REVISIONS | 50 |
| Lead and Copper Rule | 47 |
Source: EPA Safe Drinking Water Information System (SDWIS) · 2026 Q1 · health-based violations since 2016
As the headwaters of the Colorado River, Colorado faces both upstream obligations and rapid Front Range growth; the state approved direct potable reuse regulations in 2022.
On the U.S. Drought Monitor scale, Colorado currently tracks around exceptional conditions. Colorado has 1,113 community water systems serving about 7 million people; EPA records show 394 of them (35.4%) with a health-based Safe Drinking Water Act violation since 2016. The pages below break down the water issues that matter most here and the communities working on solutions.
Drought history — severe+ extent
% of Colorado in severe drought or worse (D2+) each late summer.
Source: U.S. Drought Monitor (NDMC/UNL, USDA, NOAA) · latest 2026-06-09
Water use (USGS 2015)
- Per-capita (public supply)
- 163 gpcd
- Total withdrawals
- 10.3 Bgal/d
- From groundwater
- 14.6%
- Irrigation share
- 87.2%
- Wastewater reused (est.)
- ~14%
Primary water sources
- ≈ Colorado River headwaters
- ≈ South Platte
- ≈ Arkansas River
- ≈ snowpack
Common questions
Is tap water safe in Colorado?
Colorado has 1,113 community water systems serving about 7 million people. EPA records show 394 of them (35.4%) with at least one health-based Safe Drinking Water Act violation since 2016, and 2 system(s) over the federal lead action level. Most large systems meet standards; check your specific city and your utility's annual report.
What contaminants are most common in Colorado's water?
The most frequent health-based violations involve Stage 1 Disinfectants and Disinfection Byproducts Rule, Surface Water Treatment Rule, Groundwater Rule.
How much water does Colorado use per person?
Public water systems in Colorado withdraw about 163 gallons per person per day (USGS 2015), drawing 14.6% of fresh water from groundwater.
How bad is the drought in Colorado?
As of 2026-06-09, 95.3% of Colorado is in drought (D1+) and 76% is in severe drought or worse, per the U.S. Drought Monitor.
Cities in Colorado
19 trackedDenver
Denver, CO water profile — supply sources, drought status, wastewater reuse, and the key water issues facing the city.
Colorado Springs
Colorado Springs, CO water profile — supply sources, drought status, wastewater reuse, and the key water issues facing the city.
Aurora
Aurora, CO water profile — supply sources, drought status, wastewater reuse, and the key water issues facing the city.
Fort Collins
Fort Collins, CO water profile — supply sources, drought status, wastewater reuse, and the key water issues facing the city.
Lakewood
Lakewood, CO water profile — supply sources, drought status, wastewater reuse, and the key water issues facing the city.
Thornton
Thornton, CO water profile — supply sources, drought status, wastewater reuse, and the key water issues facing the city.
Arvada
Arvada, CO water profile — supply sources, drought status, wastewater reuse, and the key water issues facing the city.
Westminster
Westminster, CO water profile — supply sources, drought status, wastewater reuse, and the key water issues facing the city.
Centennial
Centennial, CO water profile — supply sources, drought status, wastewater reuse, and the key water issues facing the city.
Pueblo
Pueblo, CO water profile — supply sources, drought status, wastewater reuse, and the key water issues facing the city.
Boulder
Boulder, CO water profile — supply sources, drought status, wastewater reuse, and the key water issues facing the city.
Greeley
Greeley, CO water profile — supply sources, drought status, wastewater reuse, and the key water issues facing the city.
Key issues in Colorado
Colorado River
The river that supplies 40 million people has lost roughly a fifth of its flow since 2000, forcing a renegotiation of how seven states share the water.
ExploreDrought
Much of the American West is in a multi-decade dry period that researchers describe as the most severe in over a millennium, reshaping how communities plan for water.
ExplorePotable Reuse
Advanced purification turns treated wastewater into water that meets or exceeds drinking-water standards — increasingly essential in water-stressed regions.
ExploreAgricultural Demand
Agriculture accounts for the majority of consumptive water use in the West, making farm efficiency and water markets central to any supply solution.
ExploreSnowpack Decline
Mountain snow is the West's largest reservoir. As warming shifts snow to rain and melts it earlier, the timing and reliability of water supply are unraveling.
ExploreWater Rights
In the West, water is governed by 'first in time, first in right' — a century-old legal system now colliding with scarcity, cities, and the environment.
Explore