Bend, OR Landscaping Rules: Water Restrictions (2026)
Water restrictions in Bend, OR, also called the watering schedule, outdoor irrigation rules, or drought ordinance, set which days and hours you can run sprinklers or irrigation.
Key Facts
- Daily irrigation ban
- 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., all year
- Even addresses
- water only even calendar days
- Odd addresses
- water only odd calendar days
- 31st of the month
- all addresses may water
- Attended hand-held hose
- exempt from schedule
- New turf exemption
- up to 21 days
- Penalty
- Class B civil infraction, BC 14.20.070
Summary
In the City of Bend, irrigation is banned every day, year-round, between 9:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m., and outdoor watering is split by street address: even-numbered addresses may water only on even calendar days and odd addresses only on odd days under Bend Code § 14.20.050. Wasting water, including letting it run onto pavement, is separately banned under BC 14.20.020.
14.20.020 Water Waste Prohibited. ... Water shall be used only for beneficial uses. Water waste is prohibited. ... 14.20.050 Irrigation Hours. A. Irrigation hours apply all year. B. Irrigation is not allowed between the hours of 9:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. C. Even address numbers may water only on even-numbered days of the month. D. Odd address numbers may water only on odd-numbered days of the month. E. Watering is allowed for all addresses on the thirty-first day of the month.
Full Breakdown
010). 050(E) lets every address water on the thirty-first day of any month that has one. 050(F), (G)). 060 carves out further exceptions: up to 21 days of watering to establish new turf from seed or sod, watering new plants on their planting day, watering to preserve turf under heavy public use, and attended irrigation-system installation, repair or adjustment work; Water utility staff may also grant a written temporary variance for other special circumstances, including new irrigation technology. 030 prohibit water waste at any time, defined to include over-applying water beyond what a healthy landscape needs, spraying or running water onto streets, sidewalks, driveways or a neighbor's property, letting water pool in gutters or storm drains, and failing to fix a leaking or misadjusted irrigation component within 10 business days of notice. 023.
Violations & Fines
Any violation of Chapter 14.20, whether watering on the wrong day, watering during banned hours, or wasting water, is a Class B civil infraction under BC 14.20.070, and each day a violation continues counts as a separate infraction (BC 14.20.040(D) applies that same standard to curtailment violations). Bend Utilities and Water utility staff administer and enforce these rules, and a temporary variance under BC 14.20.060(B) is the only way to get individual relief from the schedule.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I run my sprinklers in the middle of the day in Bend?
How do I know my watering day in Bend?
Is hand-watering with a hose exempt from Bend's schedule?
What happens if I violate Bend's irrigation rules?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Bend
How Bend compares: Cities with the Strictest Water Restrictions·Compare Bend to another location·View the Oregon landscaping rules overview
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