Alhambra, CA Landscaping Rules: Water Restrictions (2026)
Water restrictions in Alhambra, CA, also called the watering schedule, outdoor irrigation rules, or drought ordinance, set which days and hours you can run sprinklers or irrigation.
Key Facts
- Plan II watering days
- No more than once every 3 days
- Plan II hours ban
- 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. banned
- Plan III schedule
- Tue/Thu/Sat only, 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.
- Enforcer
- Water Division, Dept. of Public Works
- 2nd violation penalty
- 15% bill surcharge plus $1 per unit
- 4th violation penalty
- Flow restrictor 48+ hrs, $25 fee
Summary
When the City Council activates Water Shortage Plan II, Alhambra bars landscape irrigation more than once every three days and forbids watering between 10 a.m. and 5 p.m. citywide, with an even tighter two-day, Tuesday/Thursday/Saturday, 8 a.m.-to-6 p.m. schedule once Plan III takes effect.
(G) No customer of the Water Division shall use or allow the use of water from the City Water Division for landscape watering more often than every three days.
(H) No customer of the Water Division shall use or allow the use of water for landscape watering between the hours of 10:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: 2026 S-25: Supplement contains: Local legislation current through Ord. 4851, passed 10-27-25).
Full Breakdown
070). 080(A)(5)-(6)). 090(J), (K), (L)). Plan III (Ord. 105). 075).
Violations & Fines
The Water Division issues a written notice for a first violation of any conservation phase. A second violation within the same shortage period carries a surcharge of 15% of the water bill plus $1 for each billing unit used above the customer's allowed percentage; a third draws a 50% surcharge plus $2 per excess unit. A fourth or later violation triggers installation of a one-gallon-per-minute flow-restricting device on the service line for at least 48 hours, plus a $25 restoration charge before normal service resumes (§ 15.25.110).
Frequently Asked Questions
How many days a week can I water my lawn in Alhambra?
What hours are off-limits for sprinklers?
What happens if I violate the watering schedule?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Alhambra
How Alhambra compares: Cities with the Strictest Water Restrictions·California rules heatmap·Compare Alhambra to another location·View the California landscaping rules overview
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Water Restrictions in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Los Angeles County handle water restrictions.