Stanislaus County, CA Landscaping Rules: Water Restrictions (2026)
Water restrictions in Stanislaus County, 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
- Daily ban
- No outdoor watering 9 a.m.–7 p.m.
- Watering days (odd)
- Wednesday & Sunday only
- Watering days (even)
- Tuesday & Saturday only
- Zero-water days
- Monday, Thursday, Friday
- Escalating fees
- $100/$200/$400, 2nd–4th+ offense
- Enforcing agency
- Dept. of Environmental Resources
Summary
Stanislaus County's standing water conservation ordinance bans outdoor watering between 9 a.m. and 7 p.m. daily and limits it to two days a week by address parity, odd addresses on Wednesday and Sunday, even addresses on Tuesday and Saturday, under Code § 14.12.020. No outdoor watering is allowed at all on Mondays, Thursdays or Fridays.
No outdoor water use between 9:00 a.m. and 7:00 p.m. on any day. ... Dwellings or establishments with odd number street addresses shall water only on Wednesdays and Sundays. ... Dwellings or establishments with even number street addresses shall water only on Tuesdays and Saturdays. ... No outdoor water use on Mondays, Thursdays and Fridays, and no outdoor irrigation during and within 48 hours following measurable rainfall.
Full Breakdown
12 of the Stanislaus County Code, adopted in 1990 and last amended in 2015, sets a standing water conservation program for the unincorporated county, framed by the board of supervisors as a response to drought and the need for an adequate local water supply. on any day; dwellings and establishments with odd-numbered street addresses may water outdoors only on Wednesdays and Sundays; those with even-numbered addresses may water only on Tuesdays and Saturdays; and no outdoor water use at all is permitted on Mondays, Thursdays or Fridays, or during and within 48 hours after measurable rainfall.
The section also bans hosing down concrete or paved areas, buildings, sidewalks and paved parking lots, requires a positive shutoff nozzle for car washing performed within the other limits, and bars restaurants from serving water to a customer unless the customer asks for it. Water must be kept on-site and not allowed to run off into roads or streets, and new landscaping must follow the State Water Resources Control Board's 2015 model water-efficient landscape guidance (Resolution No. 2015-0032). 030 exempts agricultural, commercial and industrial water use, water controlled or scheduled by an irrigation authority, and use by schools. 020.
Violations & Fines
A first violation of the watering schedule, the daytime ban, the paved-surface hosing ban, or the restaurant water-service rule draws a warning from the Department of Environmental Resources; further violations bring an administrative citation with fees of $100 for the second offense, $200 for the third, and $400 for the fourth and any later offense, in addition to the standard infraction penalty under § 1.36.020.
Frequently Asked Questions
What days can I water my lawn in unincorporated Stanislaus County?
Is there a daily time window for watering too?
What happens the first time I'm caught violating the schedule?
Does this apply to farms or restaurants?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Stanislaus County
How Stanislaus County compares: Cities with the Strictest Water Restrictions·California rules heatmap·Compare Stanislaus County to another location·View the California landscaping rules overview
See something wrong?
Help us keep this page accurate. If you notice an error or outdated information, let us know.