What to Know About Outdoor Watering Restrictions

Outdoor watering restrictions limit the water you can use around the yard. Authorities and water suppliers issue them in stages during droughts. They stay in place until the water reserve returns to an acceptable level.

Learn more about watering restrictions across the United States, from what triggers each stage to the exemptions you can get.

What are outdoor watering restrictions?

Outdoor water restrictions limit when and how much water you can use for activities around the house, such as watering the lawn, trees, shrubs and flower beds, car washing, filling and refilling swimming pools, and hosing down paved areas.

Why do we have water restrictions? To preserve water supplies during drought and ensure enough water for essential activities such as drinking, cooking, flushing toilets, and firefighting until rain returns.

Who issues watering restrictions? State and local governments and water suppliers can impose water use restrictions to reduce the strain on the water supply. If multiple water restrictions overlap, such as state and local, follow the most strict ones. 

What states have water restrictions? You’re more likely to be under prolonged water restrictions during summer if you live in:

• Colorado
• New Mexico
• Arizona
• California
• Nevada
• Texas
• Florida

What triggers watering restrictions?

• Problems with the water reservoir or the supply system, such as an oil spill contaminating the water supply or leaking pipes. 
• A significant increase in water usage. This often happens in the summer when most people fill the pools, hose down the pavement and irrigate the lawn more.
• Prolonged drought leading to water shortage. Water restrictions are issued when water reserves are low. 

What are outdoor watering restriction stages?

Water use restrictions increase gradually with the water shortage in up to four or five stages or steps. 

Restrictions are cumulative — each stage adds to the restrictions of the one before. They also adapted to local conditions and vary between counties and even cities in the same county.  

Stage 1’s objective is a 5 – 10% reduction in water consumption. For most locations under water restrictions, Stage 1 limits sprinkler irrigation to one day a week and a specific hourly interval. Some, such as Manatee County, will still allow lawn watering twice a week at this stage.

Additionally, any type of water waste is forbidden (leaving running hoses unattended, sprinklers that spray pavement instead of turf, and any watering leading to runoff).

Stage 2 aims to reduce water consumption by 10 to 20%. By Stage 2, you can also be required to limit watering the yard by hand-held hose, bucket, drip irrigation system, or soaker hose to your assigned watering day and only water between certain hours.

Other outdoor water uses are restricted at this stage, including: 

• Filling and refilling ponds, lakes, and swimming pools, 
• Turning on waterfalls and garden fountains
• Washing the car in the driveway with a hose.

Stage 3 aims to reduce water use by 20 to 30%. Depending on the location and drought severity, you may still be allowed to turn on the sprinklers once every other week () or asked to comply with a total ban on outdoor watering (e.g., Houston).

Some cities, like Corpus Christi in Texas, also add a surcharge to the water bill to discourage excessive water use.

Stage 4 aims to reduce water consumption by 35 to 40%. Restrictions vary from a total ban on outdoor water use to additional restrictions for indoor water consumption.

Trigger levels: Each watering restriction stage is triggered by a specific primary water source water level. 

For the San Antonio Pool of the Edwards Aquifer, the trigger for Stage 1 is a water level of 660 feet above the mean sea level. When water stays at this level or below for ten consecutive days, Stage 1 is issued.

How long is a restriction stage active? A specific stage is in place until the water supply replenishes and stays at least two weeks above the level that triggered it. In 2022, Comal County entered a severe drought that kept it in Stage 3 for nearly a year. Residents of New Braunfels and other cities in the area only returned to Stage 2 in May 2023.

What is affected by watering restrictions?

Lawn and landscape watering: Restrictions on lawn irrigation range from watering 2-3 times a week in non-drought periods to once every other week when a location is in Stage 3 of water restrictions or higher. 

They primarily focus on automatic irrigation systems and hose-end sprinklers since they are not water-efficient. 

In the initial stages of drought, more water-wise watering methods, such as drip irrigation or soaker hose systems, are less restricted, especially when used to water trees, shrubs, flower beds, or vegetable gardens. 

Here are some related articles:

• “Best Ways to Water During a Drought”
• “When is the Best Time to Water Your Lawn in Hot Weather?”
• “The Economics of Watering Your Lawn”
• “How Much Does Drip Irrigation Cost in 2024?”

Other outdoor activities that are restricted:

• Using water for washing windows, mobile homes and buildings 
• Hose-washing driveways and sidewalks 
• Car washing at home
• Filling and topping swimming pools and garden ponds
• Turning on fountains and waterfalls in the garden

Water restriction exemptions

Newly planted material: Most counties and cities grant exemptions from water restrictions for newly planted grass, trees, flowers, and shrubs.

Vegetable gardens: Watering vegetables in your garden is typically not restricted in early stages of drought as long as you use a hand-held hose, micro spray, drip irrigation, bubble irrigation, or other water-efficient methods. 

However, restrictions might apply in Stage 3 and higher.

Application of fertilizers and pesticides: Generally, you can water in lawn chemicals if the manufacturer’s application instructions, the law, or best practices require it. 

This exemption applies to the first 24 hours after application and only to the amount of water included in the recommendations.

Here are some related articles:

• “Fertilizer 101: How to Fertilize Your Lawn”
• “When is the Best Time to Fertilize Your Lawn?”
• “Guide to Using Pesticides on Your Lawn”

Reclaimed water: The local authorities often exempt from restrictions lawn and landscape watering with reclaimed or gray water. Check the local regulations.

Collected rainwater: Can you collect rainwater and use it in your yard? Whatever water you can gather in rain barrels or other containers (if it rains) typically doesn’t fall under water use restrictions. 

However, some states might require a permit to harvest rainwater since it’s considered a way to replenish local groundwater.  

Irrigation systems maintenance and repairs: You can run the irrigation system if you need to do maintenance or repairs. But only for a limited time, ranging from 10 to 20 minutes by irrigation area. 

Here are some related articles:

• “Sprinkler System Maintenance Checklist”
• “How to Adjust Sprinkler Heads”
• “How Much Does Sprinkler Repair Cost in 2024?”
• “How to Choose the Right Type of Sprinkler for Your Lawn”

Watering restriction guidelines

Time-of-day restrictions: A common restriction type is limiting outdoor water use to morning and evening hours when evaporation rates are lower. 

The watering schedule is individualized by county or city. Here are a few local examples:

City	Time of day when watering is allowed
Houston, TX	7 p.m. – 5 a.m.
Austin, TX	7 p.m. – 10 a.m.
San Antonio, TX	9 p.m. – 10 a.m.
Tampa, FL	6 p.m. – 8 a.m.
Cape Coral, FL	8. p.m. – 4 a.m.
Denver, CO	6 p.m. – 10 a.m.
Los Angeles, CA	4 p.m. – 9 a.m.
Las Vegas, NE	7 p.m. – 11 a.m.

Note: Watering hours can change with the water restriction stage. 

Day of the week restrictions: During drought periods, outdoor water usage is restricted to specific days of the week. Depending on the stage, you can water your lawn two or three days a week, one day a week, or one day every other week.

Watering days are allocated by the last digit of the house number. Here’s an example of the Pasco County, FL, watering schedule:

Last number of house addresses	Watering Day
0 or 1	Monday
2 or 3	Tuesday
4 or 5	Wednesday
6 or 7	Thursday
8 or 9	Friday
Mixed or No Address	Friday
Non-Watering Days	Saturday and Sunday

Another method is the odd-and-even system. Odd-numbered houses water on odd-numbered calendar days (1, 3, 5, 7, 9), while even-numbered houses can water on even-numbered days.

On some local authorities and water suppliers’ websites, you can figure out water restrictions by ZIP code, including the watering day. Tampa Bay Water and Florida Governmental Utility Authority are two examples.

What are permanent watering restrictions?

Permanent watering restrictions are in effect throughout the summer (May to September) or year-round, no matter the weather. The restrictions are milder than drought-triggered conditions. If active in your area, you’ll typically be expected to:

• Reduce watering with above-head irrigation systems to two or three times a week
• Irrigate between specific hours in the morning and evening, and avoid midday watering
• Avoid water waste in general, such as leaving running hoses unattended, washing pavements with large amounts of water, and leaking irrigation systems.

Some states, counties, and cities still maintain such restrictions at an advisory level, while others have mandatory restrictions. In arid Texas, Round Rock implemented mandatory permanent water restrictions starting June 2024.

Warnings and fines

What happens if you don’t follow water restrictions? You’ll first receive a warning. If the warning doesn’t resolve the issue, citations and fines follow, and their value increases each time. Depending on where you live and the water restrictions stage, you can pay up to $2,000 per incident or $500 per day for non-compliance. 

If fines don’t lead to compliance, the local water supplier might eventually limit or interrupt the water service.

Watering violation citations and fines are issued by local authorities or water utilities at the city level. How do they know you’re breaking the rules? Well, you have neighbors. Most local authorities’ websites provide a phone number that residents can use to report suspected watering violations. 

Local authorities also organize random water patrols to monitor water usage. 

Excessive use of water can also trigger an alarm at the water supplier. Remember that water coming from the local network is metered.

In many states, water suppliers use the water price to encourage conservation. Santa Margarita Water District in California uses a tiered rate system that charges higher fees for homeowners using large amounts of water.  

FAQ about watering restrictions

Are water restrictions ending if it rains?

Not always. For watering restrictions to lift, the primary water source supplying your area must rise above the necessary level for regular water use and stay there for 15 consecutive days. 

How long can you keep the sprinkler on during water restrictions?

In most cases you are allowed to keep the sprinkler system in for 10 – 20 minutes per lawn section. For the exact duration check your local watering restrictions.

Do water restrictions apply to water from wells? 

Private wells feed from the groundwater. In some cases, pumping them is also restricted to allow the groundwater reserve to replenish. Check with local authorities before using it to water the grass.

Keep a green yard despite water restrictions!

Don’t let drought and watering restrictions discourage you. A beautiful green yard is still possible with professional help. Find a local a local lawn care professional with Lawn Love and set up the best watering and fertilization schedule to keep the grass healthy.

Lawn Love can also connect you with experienced landscapers to redesign your yard into a drought-resistant paradise: xeriscaping, succulent gardens, rock gardens, best drought-tolerant groundcovers – you name it, they make it happen!

Main Image Credit: JJ Gouin | Adobe Stock | License