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 47 states and 746 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 | 169 | 72 | 97 | - | Some Restrictions |
| Florida | 75 | 36 | 39 | - | Some Restrictions |
| Texas | 73 | 35 | 38 | - | Some Restrictions |
| New York | 33 | 1 | 15 | 17 | Few Restrictions |
| New Jersey | 30 | 2 | 23 | 5 | Some Restrictions |
| Illinois | 25 | - | 16 | 9 | Some Restrictions |
| Georgia | 24 | 2 | 22 | - | Some Restrictions |
| Massachusetts | 23 | - | 21 | 2 | Some Restrictions |
| Colorado | 22 | 5 | 17 | - | Some Restrictions |
| Arizona | 20 | 6 | 14 | - | Some Restrictions |
| Washington | 18 | 1 | 11 | 6 | Some Restrictions |
| Ohio | 15 | - | - | 15 | Few Restrictions |
| Michigan | 15 | 1 | 3 | 11 | Few Restrictions |
| North Carolina | 15 | 7 | 7 | 1 | Heavy Restrictions |
| Pennsylvania | 15 | - | 6 | 9 | Few Restrictions |
| Utah | 13 | 7 | 6 | - | Heavy Restrictions |
| Virginia | 12 | - | 11 | 1 | Some Restrictions |
| Hawaii | 12 | - | 12 | - | Some Restrictions |
| Oregon | 11 | - | 6 | 5 | Some Restrictions |
| Tennessee | 9 | - | 3 | 6 | Few Restrictions |
| Nevada | 8 | 7 | 1 | - | Heavy Restrictions |
| Maryland | 8 | - | 8 | - | Some Restrictions |
| Oklahoma | 8 | - | 7 | 1 | Some Restrictions |
| Alabama | 8 | - | 2 | 6 | Few Restrictions |
| Kansas | 7 | 1 | 4 | 2 | Some Restrictions |
| Indiana | 6 | - | 3 | 3 | Some Restrictions |
| Connecticut | 6 | - | 1 | 5 | Few Restrictions |
| Missouri | 5 | - | 4 | 1 | Some Restrictions |
| Minnesota | 5 | - | 5 | - | Some Restrictions |
| South Carolina | 5 | 1 | 3 | 1 | Some Restrictions |
| Mississippi | 5 | - | 1 | 4 | Few Restrictions |
| Rhode Island | 5 | - | 1 | 4 | Few Restrictions |
| Iowa | 4 | - | 1 | 3 | Few Restrictions |
| Louisiana | 4 | - | 1 | 3 | Few Restrictions |
| Wisconsin | 4 | - | 1 | 3 | Few Restrictions |
| Kentucky | 4 | - | - | 4 | Few Restrictions |
| New Mexico | 4 | 2 | 2 | - | Heavy Restrictions |
| Arkansas | 3 | - | 3 | - | Some Restrictions |
| Nebraska | 3 | - | 3 | - | Some Restrictions |
| North Dakota | 3 | - | - | 3 | Few 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 |
| Idaho | 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
- 1Cedar 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.
- 2Allen, 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.
- 3Reno, 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.
- 4Bakersfield, 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.
- 5Berkeley, 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.
- 6Keller, 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.
- 7Bexar 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.
- 8Brentwood, CA
Brentwood residents are served by the city's water utility and the East Contra Costa Irrigation District for agricultural users. Permanent statewide water waste rules from the State Water Resources Control Board prohibit runoff, hosing hard surfaces, and watering within 48 hours of rain. Assigned outdoor watering days typically limit irrigation to two or three days per week.
- 9Plano, 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.
- 10Tucson, 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.
Fewest Restrictions
- 1Dutchess 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.
- 2Sioux 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.
- 3St. 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.
- 4Toledo, 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.
- 5Dearborn, 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.
- 6Lakewood, 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.
- 7Rensselaer 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.
- 8Cincinnati, 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.
- 9Flint, MINone mandated locally
The City of Flint does not impose day-to-day outdoor watering schedules or even/odd address restrictions. Flint's water utility - operated through the Department of Public Works and the Flint Water Service Center - draws from Lake Huron via the Great Lakes Water Authority (GLWA) since the 2017 transition off the Flint River, and EPA lifted the 2016 Safe Drinking Water Act emergency order on May 19, 2025 after 97% of legacy lead service lines were replaced. Michigan does not have a statewide drought-emergency watering statute analogous to states like California; EGLE coordinates voluntary conservation guidance.
- 10Federal Way, WA
Lakehaven Water and Sewer District serves Federal Way and promotes voluntary conservation year-round. No standing odd/even watering days. Mandatory restrictions apply only during declared drought emergencies.
All 746 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.