Property taxes did increase quite a bit in recent years. It actually caused quite an uproar.

As for potable water, I get what you are saying there as far as public infrastructure. I believe until fairly recently having rain barrels was not permitted in Colorado. I believe they are allowed for limited use now. I don't know about the law when it comes to doing things to your own house to, say, run graywater into your garden.

I don't know if things are getting overturned, but you'd hear stories about HOAs going after homeowners for a brown lawn (apparently they don't have much to stand on in Colorado now, so if they know their rights, they'll tell the HOA where to stick it), even as there are water restrictions. And it was only recent law that forbids HOAs from preventing homeowners from using xeriscaping.

That is so wild to me, since these kinds of problems have been apparent for decades in Colorado.

I guess it's good to know that HOAs and the state can no longer actively impede people from doing the right thing - using rainbarrels and xeriscaping for instance - but it sure took a while.

Colorado does seem to be slowly waking up, thankfully, but you'll still hear really stupid conversations about it from people who think Kentucky Bluegrass in Colorado is right and natural...