A Denver Water customer outside the city on Total Service pays US$4.37 per 1,000 gallons for basic indoor use in 2026. Inside the City and County of Denver, the same Tier 1 water costs US$3.02. The gap is about 45% (calculated), and it holds at every residential tier: US$7.87 against US$5.44 in Tier 2, and US$10.49 against US$7.25 in Tier 3.
Three rate books for one system
Denver Water bills three service areas from the same reservoirs and treatment plants. Of its 324,422 treated water customers, 173,465 are inside Denver. Another 74,939 are outside-city Read & Bill or Total Service accounts, and 76,018 are served through Master Meter distributors. Outside City Read & Bill customers pay almost exactly the city rate, US$3.03 in Tier 1. The fixed monthly charge for a standard 3/4-inch meter is US$20.91 in all three areas.
Drought charges land evenly
Temporary drought pricing, in force from May 2026 water use to April 30, 2027, adds US$1.10 per 1,000 gallons in Tier 2 and US$2.20 in Tier 3 for every area alike. Tier 1 is exempt. Because the surcharge is a flat amount, it is a smaller share of the higher Total Service rates.
2027 widens the spread
Press reports in September 2026 said staff proposed rates bringing in about 6% more revenue in 2027. The average Denver single-family bill would rise from US$56.97 to US$60.21 a month, while suburban customers would see about 7.9%, to US$61.57. The board vote was scheduled for October 2026.
The full profile sets these charges against Denver Water's FY 2025 finances, US$1,685.2 million of long-term debt, a 10-year capital plan of US$1.7 billion and a drought that left storage at 66% on October 26, 2026. It also covers supply, treatment, networks, governance and the projects due before 2028. The full report, Utility Intelligence Profile: Denver Water, is available for USD 99 at https://ourfuturewaterintelligence.com/reports/denver-water-utility-intelligence-profile. For a free overview, read the Denver Water Utility Snapshot at https://ourfuturewaterintelligence.com/utilities/denver-water.