Keep ditch water out of the house

5-1.1 Can you drink ditch water or plumb it to the house?

No. That's this manual's own rule, since no Colorado source it could open says so of ditch water in those words. The closest is CSU Extension, which says no backcountry surface water can be guaranteed safe and all should be treated, and that boiling "does not remove chemicals or metals." Ditch water is surface water, so don't drink it and don't connect it to house lines.

5-1.2 What is a cross-connection, and who enforces it?

It's any link where unsafe water could flow back toward drinking water, and your supplier enforces the rules. Colorado's Regulation 11.39, as published, says suppliers may not install or permit an uncontrolled cross-connection. Within 120 days of discovery they must install a device, suspend service or remove it. Assemblies are tested annually by a certified technician and may not go more than two consecutive calendar years untested.

CSU Extension draws a useful line. Ditch-only irrigation systems don't require backflow protection, while a dual system delivering irrigation and potable water requires a reduced-pressure (RP) assembly.

5-1.3 What do you own if you have a ditch share?

A share gives you a claim on water under a company's rules, and having a ditch isn't the same thing. CSU Extension says a ditch on your property doesn't mean you may use its water. A share is an interest in a ditch company and a portion of the flow, and water per share varies by company and year. Annual fees cover use, maintenance and the ditch rider. Shares aren't ownership of the water right itself.

Each company runs on its own terms, so read yours. These two are the ones whose rules could be read in November 2026.

• Uncompahgre Valley Water Users Association (UVWUA): shares transfer with the land by deed, and canals and laterals sit on private property under an exclusive easement. Canal roads aren't a public right of way. Its pump rule reads: "Pumps are not allowed in canals and laterals without written permission from the General Manager."
• Grand Valley Water Users Association (GVWUA): runs Cameo Diversion Dam, the 55-mile Government Highline Canal and 150 miles of laterals, serving over 23,000 acres. Assessments must be paid before the season to get water, orders go in two days ahead, and users answer for their own pumps.

5-1.4 Can you fence or build across a ditch?

Often not without permission, because the ditch owner has an easement. CSU Extension says an easement is "as wide as is reasonably necessary," with width often set by historic practice and not the deed. The owner may enter and disturb land inside it, and neighbors using the ditch have repair access. Don't obstruct it or deny access.

Fences across a ditch may be prohibited or conditioned, and a pond that forces ditch flow through it counts as an impoundment. Moving a ditch outside the easement generally needs your permission or private condemnation. Ditch companies generally own and maintain ditches from the headgate to where landowners or lateral associations take over, though rules differ, so ask the ditch rider where yours changes hands.