The is asking water customers to voluntarily stop watering their lawns by Oct. 1. That鈥檚 two weeks before the typical recommendation to stop regular lawn watering.

Greeley officials normally recommend not watering after Oct. 15 because it鈥檚 around the time the first freeze occurs and there is risk of damaging underground sprinkler systems

But, officials say the drought and this summer鈥檚 wildfires have left water from the Poudre River watershed unusable for most of the summer, limiting the city鈥檚 supply.

The city has other water sources, but says it can keep more water in reservoirs for use over the winter if residents agree to the voluntary watering limit.