Summer Water Restriction Rules by City (2026)

Lawn Watering Schedules & Drought Rules

841 locations192 strict488 moderate161 permissive

Find the rules for your area:

Find outdoor watering schedules, drought restrictions, and irrigation rules for your city. See which cities have the strictest water conservation ordinances.

The table below breaks down the rules across 49 states and 841 cities and counties. Every entry is based on the actual municipal code for that location, not a guess or a generic template. Click any location to see the full ordinance details, including fines, exceptions, and local FAQs.

Rules by State

Each state is colored by the most common local rule. Click a state to see the cities and counties we cover there.

State	Locations	Strict	Moderate	Permissive	Overall
California	171	72	99	-	Some Restrictions
Florida	87	40	45	2	Some Restrictions
Texas	76	35	41	-	Some Restrictions
New Jersey	36	2	29	5	Some Restrictions
New York	34	1	16	17	Few Restrictions
Georgia	29	2	27	-	Some Restrictions
Illinois	28	-	17	11	Some Restrictions
Colorado	27	5	22	-	Some Restrictions
Massachusetts	26	-	24	2	Some Restrictions
Arizona	22	7	15	-	Some Restrictions
Washington	21	1	14	6	Some Restrictions
Ohio	20	-	4	16	Few Restrictions
Michigan	19	1	6	12	Few Restrictions
Pennsylvania	18	-	7	11	Few Restrictions
North Carolina	17	7	9	1	Some Restrictions
Virginia	15	-	14	1	Some Restrictions
Hawaii	13	-	13	-	Some Restrictions
Utah	13	7	6	-	Heavy Restrictions
Tennessee	12	-	3	9	Few Restrictions
Alabama	12	-	5	7	Few Restrictions
Indiana	11	-	4	7	Few Restrictions
Oregon	11	-	6	5	Some Restrictions
South Carolina	10	1	8	1	Some Restrictions
Maryland	9	-	9	-	Some Restrictions
Nevada	8	7	1	-	Heavy Restrictions
Kansas	8	1	4	3	Some Restrictions
Minnesota	8	-	8	-	Some Restrictions
Oklahoma	8	-	7	1	Some Restrictions
Missouri	6	-	4	2	Some Restrictions
Wisconsin	6	-	3	3	Some Restrictions
Connecticut	6	-	1	5	Few Restrictions
Iowa	5	-	1	4	Few Restrictions
Louisiana	5	-	2	3	Few Restrictions
Mississippi	5	-	1	4	Few Restrictions
Rhode Island	5	-	1	4	Few Restrictions
Arkansas	4	-	3	1	Some Restrictions
Kentucky	4	-	-	4	Few Restrictions
Nebraska	4	-	3	1	Some Restrictions
New Mexico	4	2	2	-	Heavy Restrictions
North Dakota	3	-	-	3	Few Restrictions
Idaho	2	-	2	-	Some Restrictions
New Hampshire	2	1	-	1	Heavy Restrictions
Delaware	2	-	-	2	Few Restrictions
Maine	2	-	-	2	Few Restrictions
South Dakota	2	-	1	1	Some Restrictions
District of Columbia	2	-	-	2	Few Restrictions
Alaska	1	-	-	1	Few Restrictions
West Virginia	1	-	-	1	Few Restrictions
Montana	1	-	1	-	Some Restrictions

How Cities Compare

These rankings are based on verified municipal code data, not opinion. A "strict" rating means the city has heavy restrictions, high fines, or outright bans. "Permissive" means few or no local restrictions beyond state law.

Most Restrictive

1
Cedar Hill, TX10 AM - 6 PM (May-Sep)
Cedar Hill Ordinance 2008-370 prohibits outdoor watering between 10 AM and 6 PM from May 1 through September 30. Stage 2 restricts to two designated days per week by address. Fines start at $200 for the first offense, up to $2,000 for the fourth.
2
Allen, TXTwice weekly by address
Allen is a North Texas Municipal Water District member city and enforces year-round twice-weekly outdoor watering limits. No irrigation between 10 AM and 6 PM April through October. Drought stages can further restrict to once weekly or prohibit landscape watering entirely.
3
Reno, NVAssigned days by address
Truckee Meadows Water Authority (TMWA) enforces year-round watering schedules in Reno. Assigned watering days by address, no watering between 11 AM and 7 PM May-September, and mandatory drought-stage restrictions when triggered.
4
Bakersfield, CA3 days/week (address-based)
Bakersfield water customers are served by multiple providers including California Water Service (Cal Water) Bakersfield District and the City of Bakersfield Water Resources Department. Permanent state-wide conservation rules under Water Code §10608 and regulations from the State Water Resources Control Board prohibit watering during/after rain, runoff onto pavement, and daytime irrigation. Cal Water's current schedule limits outdoor watering to three assigned days per week.
5
Berkeley, CA9am-6pm (year-round)
Berkeley follows East Bay MUD drought rules: no irrigation 9am-6pm, no runoff, hose must have shutoff nozzle. Drought surcharges and restrictions apply during declared drought stages.
6
Keller, TX
Keller uses a tiered drought plan limiting outdoor watering to twice weekly on assigned days, restricting midday hours, and banning runoff. Keller buys water from Fort Worth, so regional triggers flow through.
7
Bexar County, TX1 day per week by address
SAWS enforces tiered drought rules tied to the J-17 Edwards Aquifer well. Stage 1 limits landscape watering to one day per week by address, with deeper stages tightening further.
8
Plano, TX2 days per week by address
Plano follows the NTMWD regional water plan: twice-weekly outdoor watering by address, with no irrigation 10 AM to 6 PM from April 1 through October 31. Stage 1-4 drought triggers tighten the schedule further.
9
Tucson, AZ
Tucson Water enforces year-round xeric landscape and water waste rules plus a four-stage drought response. New commercial and multifamily landscapes must use drought-tolerant plants and efficient irrigation under Tucson UDC Landscape and Screening standards. Watering of impervious surfaces and daytime sprinkler runoff onto streets is always prohibited.
10
Converse, TX1 day/week by address
Converse water customers follow San Antonio Water System drought rules tied to Edwards Aquifer levels at the J-17 monitoring well. Stage 1 through 4 restrictions set watering days and hours.

Fewest Restrictions

1
Dutchess County, NY
Dutchess County is served by Hudson River surface water (Poughkeepsie and Hyde Park) and groundwater wells with generally ample supply. No permanent outdoor watering schedule countywide. Drought advisories issued by NYS DEC by region under 6 NYCRR Part 674. Poughkeepsie, Beacon, and Wappinger water districts can impose temporary restrictions during declared droughts.
2
Sioux City, IA
Sioux City operates under a Water Conservation Plan required by its Iowa DNR Water Use Permit rather than year-round restrictions in the municipal code. The Water Plant uses a staged program that begins with voluntary odd/even outdoor watering and escalates only during declared shortages.
3
St. Louis, MO
St. Louis has no permanent irrigation schedule. The City Water Division, which draws from the Mississippi and Missouri Rivers via Chain of Rocks and Howard Bend plants, may impose emergency restrictions during drought declarations but none are currently in effect. Missouri follows riparian reasonable use water law.
4
Okaloosa County, FLNo mandatory schedule
The Northwest Florida Water Management District governs the panhandle and is the only Florida district with no mandatory two-day-per-week watering schedule. Watering is discouraged from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. State law protects your right to install Florida-Friendly Landscaping.
5
Toledo, OH
Toledo is not a water-scarce region and has no routine outdoor watering restrictions. However, Lake Erie harmful algal blooms have driven strict nutrient and lawn-fertilizer rules, and the city may impose emergency restrictions during main breaks or treatment events.
6
Dearborn, MINo mandatory days
Dearborn buys water from Great Lakes Water Authority and imposes no permanent outdoor watering restrictions, though voluntary conservation is encouraged and emergency limits may apply during main breaks.
7
Elkhart County, INNone
Indiana sets no statewide lawn-watering ban, and water-rich Elkhart County rarely restricts irrigation. Any limits come from your water provider during a drought, not from a county ordinance or the flow of the St. Joseph and Elkhart Rivers.
8
Lakewood, OHNone (voluntary program)
Lakewood imposes no mandatory lawn-watering ban; it buys water from Cleveland and offers a voluntary Summer Sprinkling Program that credits summer outdoor water use against the sewer charge.
9
Rensselaer County, NY
Rensselaer County benefits from abundant Hudson River watershed and Tomhannock Reservoir supply. No standing watering restrictions. Troy Water Department may impose temporary restrictions during drought advisories from NYS DEC.
10
Cincinnati, OH
Greater Cincinnati Water Works (GCWW) manages water service for Cincinnati. Ohio does not impose mandatory year-round outdoor watering restrictions. GCWW may issue voluntary or mandatory conservation advisories during drought conditions or supply emergencies, but no standing watering schedule applies to residential irrigation.

All 841 Locations

Every city and county below has verified ordinance data for this topic. Click any location for the full breakdown including fines, exceptions, and local FAQs.

Frequently Asked Questions

These questions come from the most common things people ask about this topic across different cities.

Are there permanent watering restrictions in Poughkeepsie?

No permanent rules. The Poughkeepsie Water Department can impose odd/even watering days and hose restrictions when NYS DEC declares the Hudson Valley region in drought Watch or higher.

Can the county ever ban lawn watering completely?

Only during a DEC-declared drought Emergency (the highest level). In that case water purveyors like the Town of Poughkeepsie Joint Water Project can prohibit all non-essential outdoor use, with $100-$500 fines.

Do farms have to follow watering restrictions?

NY Right-to-Farm Law (AGM 308) protects commercial agricultural water use from local restrictions in state-certified ag districts. Large withdrawals still require DEC permits under ECL Article 15.

Are there watering restrictions in Mohave County?

For most homeowners, no. The county lies outside any Active Management Area, so Arizona's groundwater-conservation and assured-water-supply mandates don't apply. City utilities may set their own rules.

What is the Hualapai Valley INA?

An Irrigation Non-Expansion Area designated in 2022 that bars bringing new farmland under irrigation in that basin. It limits agricultural expansion, not household wells or yards.

What days can I water my lawn in Indianapolis?

Citizens Energy Group asks customers to limit lawn watering to one to two times per week: odd-numbered addresses (ending 1, 3, 5, 7, 9) water Monday and/or Thursday, and even-numbered addresses (ending 0, 2, 4, 6, 8) water Tuesday and/or Friday.

Are watering restrictions mandatory?

Under normal conditions the schedule is a recommendation. Restrictions become mandatory when Citizens Energy Group declares a Water Shortage Alert or higher; at the Warning and Emergency tiers the Water Conservation Ordinance bans lawn and outdoor watering with limited exceptions.

Can I still water during a drought ban?

Severe-drought bans include limited exceptions such as watering vegetable gardens. The exact allowances depend on the drought tier declared by Citizens Energy Group.