Wise water use essential as Colorado escalates Drought Response Plan

(Editor’s note: The following article and courtesy photo were provided by Colorado Springs Utilities, Fort Carson’s utility provider.)

Colorado Governor Jared Polis announced the activation of Phase 3 of Colorado’s Drought Response Plan June 4, 2026, effectively declaring a statewide drought emergency as conditions continue to worsen.

Phase 3 of the Drought Response Plan:

• Enables executive actions by the governor.
• Unlocks additional state and federal resources.
• Supports potential disaster declarations.

This escalation underscores the severity of the situation and the expected impacts to public lands, agriculture and residential users. The governor also committed state agencies to reducing water use at state facilities and strongly encouraged all Coloradans to use water wisely.

Colorado Springs Utilities (Springs Utilities) takes this situation seriously. As reported in the May 20, 2026, Water Outlook presented to the Colorado Springs Utilities Board,Springs Utilities has adjusted expected water yield this year to 41% of average — the lowest on record.That’s nearly a 60% reduction in water entering the system due to record-low snowpack and unusually high spring temperatures that forced early peak runoff.

Thanks to long-term, risk-based planning, Springs Utilities was prepared for the possibility of drought, and the community has nearly three years of supply in storage to serve Colorado Springs. However, with so little water flowing into the system this year,storage levels will decline throughout the remainder of the year.

It can take multiple years to recover storage supplies following a drought year. That is a primary reason Springs Utilities is inWater Shortage Preparation, a preliminary stage of the City’s Water Shortage Ordinance, as approved by the Colorado Springs Utilities Board March 19, 2026. This stage allows Springs Utilities to fully use operational tools to maintain water system reliability. It also calls for increased outreach to customers and regional stakeholders about the importance of using water efficiently and adhering to Colorado Springs’ watering restrictions, the**https://www.csu.org/water-wise-rules/?hsLang=en.**

To support efficient water use, Springs Utilities encourages key actions that reduce water waste such as fixing leaks promptly and upgrading indoor fixtures. More can be found athttps://www.csu.org/water-service/sustainable-water-plan/water-shortage-preparation?hsLang=en.

As neighboring cities and communities face hard decisions this year, it’s essential everyone makes every drop