Apple Valley, CA Landscaping Rules: Water Restrictions (2026)
Water restrictions in Apple Valley, 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
- Watering ban hours
- 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.
- Restricted months
- April through September
- Exempt methods
- Hand-held hose, drip irrigation
- Vehicle washing
- Bucket or shut-off nozzle only
- Parks/golf courses
- Same restricted hours apply
- Violation class
- Infraction, § 6.40.050
- Conservation goal
- 10% town-wide reduction
Summary
Apple Valley's Water Conservation Plan bans sprinkler and aerial irrigation of lawns, shrubs, gardens and other landscaping between 9:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m. every day from April through September. The Chapter 6.40 rule targets daytime evaporation waste and does not apply to hand-held hoses, drip irrigation, or watering needed to establish new landscaping. Violators face a Town citation.
Water, sprinkling, aerial watering or irrigating of any landscaped or vegetated areas, including lawns, trees, shrubs, grass, ground cover, plants, vines, gardens, vegetables, flowers, or other landscaping shall not occur between the hours of 9:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m. during the months of April through September provided, however, that these restrictions shall not apply to hand-held hose or drip irrigation systems or to establishment of new lawns, landscaping, or gardens.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 19 Update 1).
Full Breakdown
010). from April through September, though hand-held hoses, drip lines and new-landscape establishment are exempt. The same daytime window applies to parks, schools, golf courses and cemeteries. Water may not be used to flood or run off onto streets, sidewalks and driveways may not be hosed down except for flammable-substance cleanup with Town notification, and non-commercial vehicle washing is limited to a bucket or a hose with an automatic shut-off nozzle. Decorative fountains must run on recycled water, leaking water lines must be repaired promptly, and new residential, commercial and industrial construction must include low-flush toilets and low-flow fixtures.
New pools and hot tubs need evaporation-resistant covers meeting ASTM standards, and hotels and motels must post a Town-approved water-conservation notice for guests. 040 lets the Town Manager or a designee excuse a water user from these restrictions where the use is essential to avoid undue hardship, involves special circumstances, or is needed for government, utility, or public-health-and-safety purposes.
Violations & Fines
Violating any measure in Chapter 6.40, including watering during the restricted hours, hosing down a driveway, or letting sprinklers run onto the street, is an infraction under Section 6.40.050, punished under the Town's general infraction schedule in Sections 1.01.200 through 1.01.230 of Title 1. The Town Manager or a designee investigates complaints and can approve a written hardship exception under Section 6.40.040 before a citation issues.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I run a sprinkler on my lawn in the afternoon in July?
Does the watering-hour rule apply to hand watering?
Can I wash my car with a running garden hose?
Can the Town excuse a property from the watering restrictions?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Apple Valley
How Apple Valley compares: Cities with the Strictest Water Restrictions·California rules heatmap·Compare Apple Valley to another location·View the California landscaping rules overview
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Water Restrictions in Nearby Cities
How other cities in San Bernardino County handle water restrictions.