Antioch, CA Landscaping Rules: Water Restrictions (2026)
Water restrictions in Antioch, 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
- Code chapter
- Antioch MC Chapter 6-10 (Drought Management & Water Conservation)
- No daytime watering
- 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. prohibited
- Max watering days
- Three days per week
- First-offense fine
- Up to $100 per day
- Max fine
- Up to $500 per day (third offense)
- Hose nozzle
- Automatic shutoff required
Summary
Antioch Municipal Code Chapter 6-10 (Drought Management Regulations and Water Conservation) makes a list of nonessential water uses permanently prohibited, including watering between 9:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m., watering more than three days per week, watering that causes runoff, and washing paved surfaces with potable water. Fines escalate from $100 per day for a first offense to $500 per day for repeat violations.
Watering of outdoor landscapes during the daylight hours of 9:00 am to 5:00 pm; watering of outdoor landscapes more than three days per week; watering of outdoor landscapes in a manner that causes excessive runoff; washing paved or other hard-surfaced areas; using a hose without an automatic shutoff nozzle; and failing to repair a controllable leak of water.
Full Breakdown
05 (Excessive Use of Water). , may not water more than three days per week, may not water within 48 hours after measurable rainfall, and may not allow excessive runoff onto sidewalks, driveways, or gutters. Washing paved or other hard-surfaced areas with potable water, using a hose without an automatic shutoff nozzle, operating non-recirculating decorative fountains, and failing to repair a controllable water leak are likewise prohibited. The rules were adopted in response to Governor Brown's drought Executive Order B-29-15 and the State Water Resources Control Board's emergency conservation regulations, and they remain in force on a permanent basis as Antioch's water-shortage baseline.
The City of Antioch is a retail water provider drawing from the San Joaquin River and the Contra Costa Canal, and its Water Shortage Contingency Plan (2020) layers additional reductions on top of these baseline rules when the City Council declares a higher drought stage.
Violations & Fines
First offense: written notice and up to $100 per day. Second offense: up to $200 per day. Third and subsequent offenses: up to $500 per day. Enforcement is handled by the City's Code Enforcement Division and the Public Works Department; chronic violators may have flow restrictors installed under section 6-10.05.
Frequently Asked Questions
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Sources & Official References
Other rules in Antioch
How Antioch compares: Cities with the Strictest Water Restrictions·California rules heatmap·Compare Antioch to another location·View the California landscaping rules overview
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Water Restrictions in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Contra Costa County handle water restrictions.