Updated at 9:14 a.m. on Friday, May 16, 2025.
Update: Manitou Springs officials have lifted all water restrictions, including for indoor and outdoor uses. The announcement Friday morning said residents and businesses may resume normal water use.
Officials said turbidity levels — water clarity — in the city's water source, the French Creek, have decreased enough to allow for consistent treatment operations.
"The City of Manitou Springs extends its heartfelt thanks to every resident, business, and organization who stepped up during this challenging time," officials said in a release. "Whether by shortening showers, postponing laundry, adjusting operations, closing voluntarily, or helping neighbors, your contributions made a measurable impact."
Original story below:
Manitou Springs eases some water restrictions after Monday's declaration of critical water shortage
Water restrictions in Manitou Springs are easing as the functionality of the city's primary and secondary sources begins to return. Officials said Thursday that they've made enough progress that indoor restrictions are now lifted for residents and businesses.
The announcement comes one day after officials said repairs could take through the end of the week.
Emergency restrictions were put in place on Monday. By Wednesday, officials were reminding people of the order.
Manitou Springs has two sources for potable water–the first is senior water rights on French Creek flowing down from Pikes Peak. That water had been full of debris after last week's storms. The second comes from participation in the Fryingpan-Arkansas Project which brings water over the mountains from the western side of the Continental Divide, but that pipeline was undergoing emergency repairs.
In a statement Thursday, Manitou Springs officials said the city's water treatment plant was able to process more water than it had been able to since emergency restrictions were in place. The city also said repairs to the pipeline were complete.
As a result, indoor restrictions to utilize the city's water are lifted. Outdoor restrictions remain in place.
