Water restrictions in Bellevue, WA — also called the watering schedule, outdoor irrigation rules, or drought ordinance — set which days and hours you can run sprinklers or irrigation.
Bellevue water comes from Cascade Water Alliance and Seattle Public Utilities; no permanent watering day restrictions but voluntary conservation during summer drought advisories.
Bellevue Utilities provides water through membership in Cascade Water Alliance which purchases wholesale water from Seattle Public Utilities (Cedar River and Tolt River watersheds). Unlike California or Arizona, Bellevue does not have permanent drought-based watering day restrictions. However, during regional drought conditions Seattle Public Utilities and Cascade Water Alliance may issue voluntary or mandatory conservation advisories. Typical advisories recommend watering only during early morning or evening hours (before 10 AM or after 7 PM) to reduce evaporation, skipping irrigation during rainfall, limiting outdoor watering to 1 inch per week, and fixing leaks promptly. Bellevue Utilities offers free water conservation kits, toilet rebates, and irrigation audits for residential customers. Irrigation system backflow prevention devices are required and must be tested annually under state Department of Health rules. Washing cars in driveways with free-flowing hoses is discouraged - commercial car washes recycle water more efficiently. Bellevue does not meter stormwater runoff but does charge surface water utility fees based on impervious surface area.
Contact your local code enforcement office for specific penalty information.
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Side-by-side rule comparisons with other cities in King County.
See how other cities in King County handle water restrictions.
See how Bellevue's water restrictions rules stack up against other locations.
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