Water Use Rules in Madison, WI (2026)
4 verified water use rules for Madison, Wisconsin, sourced directly from the municipal code and official government pages.
Verified from official government sources
Lawn Watering Restrictions
Madison Water Utility, a public utility under city control, may impose odd-even or time-of-day lawn-watering restrictions during peak demand or drought to protect aquifer levels and maintain firefighting reserves across the isthmus service area.
Madison Water Utility Lawn Watering Rules
Some RestrictionsTurf Replacement Rebates
Madison Water Utility and the Sustainability office offer rebates and technical assistance for replacing irrigated turf with native plantings, rain gardens, and low-water landscapes to protect Lake Mendota and Lake Monona water quality.
Turf Replacement and Native Landscape Incentives
Few RestrictionsRecycled Water Rules
Madison's potable water supply comes from deep sandstone aquifer wells, and recycled-water reuse is limited; the city follows Wisconsin DNR cross-connection rules and Madison Metropolitan Sewerage District policies for any reclaimed-water applications.
Recycled and Reclaimed Water Use Limits
Some RestrictionsLeak Reporting Duty
Property owners served by Madison Water Utility must promptly repair leaks on their side of the curb stop and report main-line leaks to the utility, which provides emergency response and may issue bill adjustments for documented hidden leaks.
Water Leak Reporting and Repair Duties
Some RestrictionsLooking for Dane County county-wide rules?
County ordinances apply to unincorporated areas and may supplement Madison city rules.
Water Use Rules in Dane County →