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

Water in unincorporated Monterey County is supplied by multiple agencies, so watering days and drought stages are not set by a single county ordinance. The Monterey Peninsula Water Management District (MPWMD) regulates much of the Peninsula and enforces some of California's tightest water rules because of long-standing supply constraints on the Carmel River. What applies everywhere are California's statewide water-waste prohibitions enforced by the State Water Resources Control Board: it is prohibited to apply potable water so that it causes runoff onto pavement or adjacent property, to wash a vehicle with a hose lacking a shut-off nozzle, to hose down sidewalks and driveways, to operate decorative fountains that do not recirculate water, and to irrigate ornamental turf within 48 hours of measurable rainfall. Separately, Monterey County Code Chapter 18.44 (Residential and Commercial Water Conservation Measures) applies in the California American Water service area and requires low-water plumbing fixtures: new construction must use ultra-low-flow toilets and low-flow showerheads, and existing structures must retrofit at change of ownership or use (commercial), with residential buyers given 120 days to retrofit toilets and showerheads to low-flow standards. For exact watering days, hours, and any drought-stage limits, unincorporated residents must check with their specific water provider (for example, Cal-Am or MPWMD on the Peninsula).