Lawn and Irrigation Permitting
Aurora Water Conservation Office Aurora Municipal Center 15151 E. Alameda Parkway Suite 3200 (in Public Works) Aurora, CO 303-739-7195
Irrigation System Audits How efficient is your irrigation system? Find out for free. Half of the water used by our customers is used to water lawns and landscaping. To address this, Aurora Water requires a lawn permit and/or an irrigation permit to ensure healthier, more drought-tolerant lawns that require less water. A lawn permit is required for installation of all new lawns or enlargements of an existing lawn. The permit limits the amount of cool season turf (Kentucky bluegrass) that can be installed and promotes the use of native or warm season grasses. The lawn permit exempts holders from day per week watering restrictions in order to water their sod up to 20 consecutive days and seed up to 30 consecutive days. Watering between 10 am and 6 pm is not permitted, even with a lawn permit. The lawn permit does not give you any more water, just more time to apply the water. You will be charged for the water used based on current water rates. The addition of soil amendment (compost) is also required. Like most of Colorado, Aurora has poor soil conditions – either heavy clay or sand. Requiring compost allows for better growth, and, if done correctly, lawns will require less water. As of August 15, 2005, all new irrigation systems must be approved and use water-conserving equipment as outlined in the approved equipment irrigation list, which is included in each of the instruction and ordinance files listed below. Who needs an irrigation permit*: Homeowners installing a NEW irrigation/sprinkler system to a location where there is no current irrigation system. Homeowners replacing an existing irrigation/sprinkler system with a new irrigation/sprinkler system. Homeowners renovating their irrigation/sprinkler systems. (Adding a zone or more.) Landscapers installing an irrigation/sprinkler system for homeowners to a location where there is no current irrigation system. Landscapers renovating irrigation/sprinkler systems. (Adding a zone or more.) Landscapers installing an irrigation/sprinkler system for residential builders, where civil plans were submitted after August 15, 2005. Landscapers installing an irrigation/sprinkler systems for commercial projects, where civil plans were submitted after August 15, 2005. *IF YOU ARE UNSURE, PLEASE CONTACT US FOR QUESTIONS ABOUT IRRIGATION PERMIT ELIGIBILITY. PERMIT COSTS (Effective 1/1/2009):
Plans Review:			$218.00 per page
Lawn Permit:			$31.38
Irrigation Permit:			$39.00
Both Permits (Irrigation & Lawn):			$47.25
Single-family, detached homes do not require a plan review, but they must adhere to the approved equipment list and irrigation inspections. For more information on ordinances, please visit the Water Management Plan. Please be sure to send the forms to the new address listed above.
	Instructions for New Sod/Seed and Irrigation PDF File (2 pages, 729KB)
	New Lawn and/or Irrigation Permit Application – Homeowner and Builders/Landscapers PDF File (2 pages, 148KB)
	Irrigation Ordinance – Homeowner PDF File (5 pages, 102 KB)
	Irrigation Plans Review Info. Information for builders, including plan review. PDF File (11 pages, 2.29 MB)
	Irrigation Ordinance Irrigation ordinance for irrigation systems. PDF File (14 pages, 161 KB)