… After a near-record-low snowpack and drought-stricken summer this past year, Denver and nearby cities have been fighting to make sure residents abide by water restrictions. Denver Water implemented a restriction cutting off all lawn watering from Oct. 1 to May 1, 2026, but the real end date depends on how the weather shakes out this winter. Because Denver Water provides water to various metro cities, the ban also applies to Arvada, Lakewood, Littleton and Wheat Ridge. Denver Water isn’t playing around, either. The agency has threatened hefty fines if people don’t turn off their sprinklers and water fixtures. … But residents have been wondering: Where exactly is that fine money going? And how much water will a fall watering ban actually save?