Summer Water Restriction Rules by City (2026)
Lawn Watering Schedules & Drought Rules
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 43 states and 441 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 how its local rules lean overall. Click a state to see the cities and counties we cover there.
| State | Locations | strict | restrictive | moderate | limited | permissive | Overall |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| California | 212 | 10 | 25 | 161 | 16 | - | Some Restrictions |
| Florida | 86 | 14 | 2 | 68 | - | 2 | Some Restrictions |
| Texas | 56 | - | 12 | 42 | 1 | 1 | Some Restrictions |
| Georgia | 35 | - | 1 | 33 | 1 | - | Some Restrictions |
| North Carolina | 29 | - | 14 | 15 | - | - | Some Restrictions |
| Virginia | 25 | 1 | 6 | 15 | 2 | 1 | Some Restrictions |
| Washington | 22 | - | 4 | 16 | 2 | - | Some Restrictions |
| New Jersey | 21 | - | 5 | 11 | 5 | - | Some Restrictions |
| Arizona | 20 | 1 | 7 | 12 | - | - | Some Restrictions |
| Colorado | 20 | - | 3 | 17 | - | - | Some Restrictions |
| Illinois | 20 | - | 4 | 16 | - | - | Some Restrictions |
| Utah | 18 | 1 | 2 | 14 | 1 | - | Some Restrictions |
| Michigan | 14 | - | 1 | 11 | 2 | - | Some Restrictions |
| South Carolina | 12 | - | 4 | 7 | 1 | - | Some Restrictions |
| Minnesota | 11 | - | - | 11 | - | - | Some Restrictions |
| New York | 11 | - | 1 | 9 | 1 | - | Some Restrictions |
| Pennsylvania | 11 | - | - | 10 | - | 1 | Some Restrictions |
| Massachusetts | 10 | - | 2 | 7 | 1 | - | Some Restrictions |
| Oregon | 10 | - | - | 8 | 2 | - | Some Restrictions |
| Alabama | 8 | - | 1 | 5 | 1 | 1 | Some Restrictions |
| Connecticut | 8 | - | 2 | 4 | 2 | - | Some Restrictions |
| Nevada | 7 | - | - | 7 | - | - | Some Restrictions |
| Indiana | 6 | - | 1 | 5 | - | - | Some Restrictions |
| Kansas | 6 | - | 1 | 5 | - | - | Some Restrictions |
| Kentucky | 6 | - | - | 6 | - | - | Some Restrictions |
| Maryland | 6 | - | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 | Some Restrictions |
| Missouri | 6 | - | 4 | 1 | 1 | - | Significant Restrictions |
| Ohio | 6 | - | 1 | 1 | 3 | 1 | Light Restrictions |
| Wisconsin | 6 | - | 2 | 4 | - | - | Some Restrictions |
| New Mexico | 5 | 2 | - | 3 | - | - | Some Restrictions |
| Tennessee | 5 | - | 3 | 1 | - | 1 | Some Restrictions |
| Idaho | 4 | - | 1 | 3 | - | - | Some Restrictions |
| Iowa | 4 | - | - | 4 | - | - | Some Restrictions |
| Oklahoma | 4 | - | 2 | 2 | - | - | Significant Restrictions |
| Hawaii | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | - | - | Significant Restrictions |
| Louisiana | 3 | - | - | 2 | 1 | - | Some Restrictions |
| Montana | 2 | - | 1 | 1 | - | - | Significant Restrictions |
| Nebraska | 2 | - | 1 | 1 | - | - | Significant Restrictions |
| North Dakota | 2 | - | - | 2 | - | - | Some Restrictions |
| South Dakota | 2 | - | - | 2 | - | - | Some Restrictions |
| Wyoming | 2 | - | 1 | 1 | - | - | Significant Restrictions |
| Arkansas | 1 | - | - | 1 | - | - | Some Restrictions |
| Delaware | 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
- 1Long Beach, CA
Long Beach follows the MWELO (Smartscape) ordinance for new landscaping. Projects 500-2,500 sq ft have streamlined permits; over 2,500 sq ft require a landscape professional. High-water turf is prohibited in parkways and medians.
- 2Albuquerque, NM7:00 p.m. to 11:00 a.m.
Albuquerque enforces mandatory time-of-day watering restrictions. Under the Water Conservation Landscaping and Water Waste Ordinance (ROA 1994, Sec. 6-1-1-5), all spray irrigation from April 1 through October 31 must occur between 7:00 p.m. and 11:00 a.m. Drip irrigation, low-precipitation bubblers, and hand watering are exempt.
- 3New Port Richey, FL6 PM to 8 AM
New Port Richey follows SWFWMD water restrictions enforced through Pasco County Ordinance Ch. 62, Art. II, Div. 3. Currently under a Modified Phase I Water Shortage Order, lawn irrigation is limited to one day per week based on address number. Watering is only permitted between midnight and 8 AM (reclaimed) or 6 PM to 8 AM (potable/well).
- 4Hernando County, FLOne day per week
Hernando County sits in the Southwest Florida Water Management District (Swiftmud) and enforces a strict one-day-per-week irrigation schedule year-round, assigned by address. Florida Statute 373.62 requires a working rain sensor on every automatic sprinkler.
- 5Safety Harbor, FL$193 citation
Safety Harbor follows SWFWMD watering rules: even addresses irrigate Thursday/Sunday, odd addresses Wednesday/Saturday, with no watering 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Modified Phase III restrictions are currently in effect through July 2026.
- 6Pomona, CA
Pomona is served by multiple water providers following MWELO requirements. New landscapes over 500 sq ft must meet Maximum Applied Water Allowance calculations. CA Gov Code Section 65595 prohibits banning drought-tolerant landscaping.
- 7Pinellas County, FLBefore 4 a.m. or after 8 p.m.
Pinellas County enforces twice-weekly to once-weekly irrigation rules tied to Southwest Florida Water Management District phases, with $193 first-violation citations doubling per repeat offense.
- 8Dade City, FL6 PM to 8 AM
Dade City follows SWFWMD water restrictions. Lawn irrigation is limited to one day per week under the current Modified Phase I Water Shortage Order. Watering hours are restricted to 6 PM–8 AM for potable water and midnight–8 AM for reclaimed water. Note: wastewater capacity is currently fully allocated in Dade City.
- 9Visalia, CAWednesday, Sunday
Visalia operates under a permanent Stage 2 Water Alert: sprinkler irrigation is allowed only twice a week (Wednesday/Sunday for even-numbered addresses, Tuesday/Saturday for odd) between March 1 and November 30, only before 8 a.m. or after 6 p.m., and is banned entirely Mondays/Thursdays/Fridays. All sprinkler watering is prohibited city-wide from December 1 through the end of February each year.
- 10Pinellas Park, FL10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Pinellas Park follows Southwest Florida Water Management District (SWFWMD) and Pinellas County watering rules, which currently limit landscape irrigation to once per week with hours based on address.
Fewest Restrictions
- 1Lakewood, 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.
- 2Rutherford County, TNNone (voluntary)
Rutherford County and its water providers have not imposed mandatory watering restrictions; conservation is voluntary. Tennessee sets no statewide homeowner watering ban. During drought, the county and utilities such as the Consolidated Utility District ask residents to cut non-essential water use.
- 3Okaloosa County, FL
Florida law bars any Okaloosa County ordinance, deed restriction or homeowners' association covenant from prohibiting a property owner from installing Florida-friendly, water-conserving landscaping. Fla. Stat. § 373.185(3)(b)-(c) overrides local watering and turf restrictions that would otherwise stand in the way of a drought-tolerant yard.
- 4Birmingham, ALNo watering 8 a.m.-8 p.m.; none Wed/Sat/Sun
Birmingham has no permanent municipal lawn-watering ordinance. Outdoor watering limits are set by the Birmingham Water Works Board through voluntary drought-stage advisories tied to reservoir conditions.
- 5Bay County, FLNo mandatory schedule
Bay County lies in the Northwest Florida Water Management District, the only Florida district with no mandatory two-day-per-week watering schedule. Watering is largely unrestricted outside declared shortages. State law protects your right to install Florida-Friendly Landscaping.
- 6Williamson County, TX
Williamson County does not run water utilities. Outdoor watering limits come from your retail provider, such as Georgetown, Round Rock, Brushy Creek MUD, Jonah Water, or Chisholm Trail SUD, whose drought contingency plans set stage watering schedules under state law.
- 7Pittsburgh, PA
Pittsburgh has no standing outdoor watering ban. PA Code Chapter 119 authorizes restrictions only during declared drought emergencies. Pgh2O may impose temporary limits during supply shortages.
All 441 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.