Denver Water plans more than 6 MW of solar at five sites by late 2027, starting with four large arrays at three pump stations and its Recycling Plant within about a year. Those four sites account for nearly one-quarter of the utility's carbon emissions. The fifth, a 0.5 MW array at the 56th Avenue Pump Station, was completed in summer 2026.
Power where the load is
The new arrays go to the Belleview Pump Station in Littleton, the Kendrick Pump Station in Lakewood, the Lone Tree Pump Station and the Recycling Plant. Pumping is energy-intensive: at 56th Avenue, pumps lift water more than 400 feet. The five arrays would add more than a fifth to the 26.5 MW of renewable capacity Denver Water lists across nine sites. A second round of solar is planned from 2028, with Marston Treatment Plant and Highlands Pump Station under study.
A fleet that is starting to switch
Denver Water had 40 electric vehicles by December 2025, 26 of them added that year, in a fleet of about 760 vehicles, heavy machinery and trailers. Preliminary figures show its first 16 EVs cut fleet emissions by 270 metric tons over 12 months. Replacing 20 SUVs with electric models is expected to save US$180,000–237,000 in total cost of ownership.
Why on-site matters
Much of Denver Water's hydropower is sold to Xcel Energy, which counts that clean energy toward its own goals. On-site solar gives Denver Water power it can use and claim toward its target of net-zero carbon emissions by the end of 2030.
The report sets out how the solar program fits Denver Water's 2025 energy balance, what the 2026 drought means for hydropower, how net zero competes for funding in a US$1.7 billion 10-year capital plan and which indicators would show progress. The full report, Net-Zero Water Utility Transition: Denver Water, is available for USD 499 at https://ourfuturewaterintelligence.com/reports/net-zero-water-utility-transition-denver-water. For a free overview, read the Denver Water Utility Snapshot at https://ourfuturewaterintelligence.com/utilities/denver-water.