Cape Coral, FL Landscaping Rules: Water Restrictions (2026)
Water restrictions in Cape Coral, FL, also called the watering schedule, outdoor irrigation rules, or drought ordinance, set which days and hours you can run sprinklers or irrigation.
Key Facts
- Normal schedule
- Two fixed days per week by address digit
- Stage I
- Cuts each address to one fixed day
- Stage II
- All non-fire irrigation use prohibited
- New landscaping window
- 30 days at up to 6 days/week
- Fine escalation
- $0, $200, $350, $500 within 12 months
- Variance available
- For soil-sensor or smart-controller systems
Summary
Cape Coral assigns every address a fixed two-day watering window based on the last digit of its street number, running year-round under § 19-90, and can tighten that further into a one-day Stage I or a total Stage II shutoff of reclaimed and canal water once the City Manager declares a water shortage under § 19-91.
(a)Limitations on watering of lawns and landscape. It shall be unlawful for any person to use water for irrigation except as described herein... Upon evaluation of the conditions set forth in § 19-91(b), if the city believes that conditions are so severe that it is in the best interest of the city to issue a declaration of a Stage II water shortage condition, it shall be prohibited for any person to use or permit the use of water from the city's reclaimed water, fresh water canal system or private irrigation wells for any purpose, with the exception of fire fighting, until such time as the declaration of water shortage has been rescinded.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 38).
Full Breakdown
block or a mixed Wednesday/Sunday assignment, each on two fixed weekdays. m. , tapering to four days a week for days 31 through 90. A 30-day grace period covers daylight saving time shifts. When the City Manager, after consulting the Utilities Director, determines that demand may outstrip supply, § 19-91 lets the city escalate through an Advisory Stage, then Stage I, which cuts each address to one fixed day a week, then Stage II, which makes it "prohibited for any person to use or permit the use of water from the city's reclaimed water, fresh water canal system or private irrigation wells for any purpose," except fire fighting, until the declaration is rescinded.
Property owners with soil moisture sensors or weather-based smart controllers can apply for an administrative variance from the Utilities Director under § 19-92, subject to inspection and revocation for noncompliance.
Violations & Fines
Violations of the watering schedule or an active Stage I or Stage II order are enforced by Code Enforcement Officers under § 19-93 and penalized under § 19-94's escalating scale within a rolling 12-month period: no fine for a first violation, $200 for a second, $350 for a third, and $500 for a fourth or later violation. A fourth or later violation also exposes the irrigation water customer to disconnection from service, with reconnection left to the discretion of the City Manager or a designee.
Frequently Asked Questions
What days can I water my lawn in Cape Coral?
What is a Stage I or Stage II water shortage in Cape Coral?
Can I get an exception to the watering schedule?
What's the fine for watering on the wrong day?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Cape Coral
How Cape Coral compares: Cities with the Strictest Water Restrictions·Florida rules heatmap·Compare Cape Coral to another location·View the Florida landscaping rules overview
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Water Restrictions in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Lee County handle water restrictions.