Pueblo
Pueblo, CO water profile — supply sources, drought status, wastewater reuse, and the key water issues facing the city.
pueblo board of ww
surface water (rivers/reservoirs) · local government · PWSID CO0151500
Below EPA's 15 ppb lead action level at last testing.
Source: EPA Safe Drinking Water Information System (SDWIS) · 2026 Q1
With about 109,412 residents, Pueblo ranks as the 10th-largest city in Colorado and a mid-sized city. Water in Pueblo is sourced chiefly from Colorado River headwaters, South Platte, Arkansas River, and snowpack, the backbone of Colorado's supply.
The defining water pressure here mirrors the state's: colorado river. 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.
Statewide, Colorado recycles about 14% of its wastewater with developing reuse programs. Locally, Pueblo faces exceptional drought conditions.
The Colorado state profile covers the regional supply outlook; the issues below detail what's driving Pueblo's water future.
Pueblo County water quality
Source: EPA SDWIS · 2026 Q1
At a glance
- Population ~109,412 (10th-largest in Colorado)
- Primary sources: Colorado River headwaters, South Platte, Arkansas River, and snowpack
- Drought: exceptional conditions
- State reuse rate: ~14% of wastewater
Statewide drought history
% of Colorado in severe+ drought (Exceptional (D4) now).
Source: U.S. Drought Monitor
Common questions
Is tap water safe in Pueblo?
Pueblo's largest water system, PUEBLO BOARD OF WW, serves about 114,070 people. EPA records show 0 health-based violation(s) since 2016 and a most-recent 90th-percentile lead level of 2.3 ppb (EPA action level is 15 ppb). Always check your own provider's annual Consumer Confidence Report.
Where does Pueblo get its water?
PUEBLO BOARD OF WW draws primarily from surface water (rivers/reservoirs), part of Colorado's supply from Colorado River headwaters, South Platte, Arkansas River.
Related water issues
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.
Explore