Pima County, AZ Landscaping Rules: Water Restrictions (2026)
Water restrictions in Pima County, AZ, also called the watering schedule, outdoor irrigation rules, or drought ordinance, set which days and hours you can run sprinklers or irrigation.
Key Facts
- Governing rule
- Pima County Code § 8.70.040(B)
- Stage 2 irrigation hours
- 7:00 p.m. to 7:00 a.m. only
- Stage declared by
- Board of Supervisors
- Trigger index
- Arizona Drought Monitoring Report
- Minimum penalty
- $250-$600 by stage, per day
- Rainwater exemption
- Harvested-rainwater irrigation exempt
Summary
When the Board of Supervisors declares a drought stage for unincorporated Pima County, Code Section 8.70.040 kicks in escalating watering-day and outdoor water-use limits: Stage 2 restricts landscape irrigation to the hours of 7 p.m. to 7 a.m. and bans misters, fountains and overseeding turf.
8.70.040 Drought Stages-Required drought conservation measures. Following the declaration of a drought stage, no person may make, cause, use, or permit the use of water...in a manner contrary to any provision of this section. The water use restrictions in each less restrictive stage apply to all more restrictive stages unless the higher stage has a more stringent requirement on the same subject. B. Stage 2, Water Warning. During a water warning, the following additional conservation measures will be implemented: 1. Persons may only irrigate landscaping between the hours of 7:00 p.m. and 7:00 a.m. 2. Persons working in or operating restaurant-type uses may provide water only upon request. 3. No person may operate outdoor misters; 4. No person may operate or use public fountains or water features; 5. No natural person may wash a car except with use of a bucket and a shut-off nozzle; 6. No charity car washes may occur except at commercial car washes that recycle water; and 7. No person may overseed turf areas. Areas to be irrigated exclusively by a rainwater harvesting system are exempt from this measure.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: 2026 S-64: Contains Supplement, with local legislation through Ordinance 2026-9, passed 7-28-2026, current through 7-28-2026).
Full Breakdown
050, and each stage's restrictions stack on top of the lower stages unless a higher stage sets a stricter rule on the same subject. Stage 1, Water Alert, is voluntary: the department issues public notifications and asks residents, restaurants and hotels to cut back. Stage 2, Water Warning, becomes mandatory. , restaurants may serve water only on request, outdoor misters and public fountains or water features may not be operated, hand car washing is limited to a bucket and a shut-off nozzle, charity car washes are barred except at recycling commercial car washes, and turf overseeding is prohibited, though areas irrigated exclusively by a rainwater harvesting system are exempt from the overseeding ban.
Stage 3, Water Emergency, adds a freeze on filling newly constructed residential pools (existing permits stay active for three months after downgrade to Stage 2), requires car washes to use a water recirculation system, and limits pool refilling to topping off. Stage 4, Water Crisis, is the most severe: landscape irrigation is restricted to trees and shrubs only, with turf or ground cover allowed water solely from harvested rainwater, new pool filling is again frozen, car washing must use rainwater-harvested water, washing a parking lot or street is barred, and potable water cannot be used for dust control or construction. 050.
Violations & Fines
Any violation is a civil infraction under Section 8.70.080(B), carrying a minimum civil penalty of $250 during Stage 2, $400 during Stage 3, and $600 during Stage 4, with each day of continued violation a separate offense; the county may also pursue injunctive relief and can involve the property's water provider to disconnect service after written notice under Section 8.70.080(A). The director may grant a variance under Section 8.70.060 for documented health, safety or economic-hardship cases on a form provided by the director.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the watering hours during a Pima County Stage 2 drought warning?
Can I still overseed my lawn during a water warning?
Who declares a drought stage in Pima County and how is it decided?
Is there a hardship exception to the drought watering limits?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Pima County
How Pima County compares: Cities with the Strictest Water Restrictions·Compare Pima County to another location·View the Arizona landscaping rules overview
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