Alpine County, CA Landscaping Rules: Water Restrictions (2026)

Alpine County's municipal code does not set landscape-watering schedules or day-of-week restrictions; the county regulates groundwater quality through its Wells chapter (Code Ch. 8.36, Ord. 364, 1976) but not outdoor water use for landscaping. Water restrictions therefore flow from California state law. Under the 'Making Conservation a California Way of Life' framework (SB 606 and AB 1668, 2018), the State Water Resources Control Board adopted permanent water-waste prohibitions that took effect January 1, 2025 and apply regardless of drought. These prohibit: using potable water to hose down sidewalks, driveways, patios, and other hard surfaces (except for health and safety); applying irrigation water so it runs off onto streets, sidewalks, or adjacent property; irrigating turf or ornamental landscape during or within 48 hours after at least one-quarter inch of measurable rainfall; operating decorative fountains or filling ornamental ponds without a recirculating pump; and washing a vehicle with a hose that lacks a shutoff nozzle. Most Alpine County residents are on individual wells or small water systems rather than a large urban supplier, so any additional conservation measures would come from the specific water purveyor or from emergency drought regulations the State Water Board may adopt, not from a county landscaping ordinance.