Denver Water

Agency Overview

In 1918, Denver residents voted to create a five-member Board of Water Commissioners which formed the organization we know today as Denver Water. We proudly serve high-quality water to 1.4 million people in the city of Denver and many surrounding suburbs. For all this time, we have remained devoted to the people we serve, communities across the state of Colorado, and the natural environment. The utility is a public agency funded by water rates and new tap fees, not taxes.

Today, Denver Water is the largest and oldest water utility in the state. Its service area covers more than 335 square miles, including the City and County of Denver and several suburban distributors. A system of reservoirs networked by tunnels and canals provides water to more than a million people. Three major treatment plants — Marston, Moffat and Foothills — maintain water quality under the watchful eye of the Denver Water Quality Control Laboratory.

Our customers trust and support our ability to provide clean, safe, great-tasting water — without fail — to a thriving city supported by a healthy environment.

We use the following guiding principles to evaluate all our decisions and purposefully move us toward our vision to be the best water utility in the nation.

We are customer-centric. We strive to earn the support and trust of our customers – everyone who pays for our service or uses our water. They are our top priority, and we are motivated to serve them.

We are industry leaders. We understand, help develop, implement and share best industry practices. We are forward thinking – we anticipate future trends, and look for and responsibly implement progressive solutions. We are adaptable, resilient and experts in our work.

We take the long-term view. We weigh the consequences of our decisions and actions against multiple scenarios to preserve future options and the sustainability of our community. We provide the best possible outcome for our customers, as well as future generations.