Water restrictions in Elk Grove, CA — also called the watering schedule, outdoor irrigation rules, or drought ordinance — set which days and hours you can run sprinklers or irrigation.
Most Elk Grove homes are served by California Water Service (Cal Water) Livingston/Elk Grove district, with some ranchos served by the Sacramento County Water Agency. Permanent statewide prohibitions ban runoff, hosing hardscapes, and watering within 48 hours of rain. Cal Water enforces day-of-week and time-of-day irrigation limits.
The State Water Resources Control Board has adopted permanent water-conservation prohibitions under Cal. Code Regs. Title 23 §§995-997 that apply in Elk Grove regardless of drought stage: no potable-water runoff from landscapes, no hosing down driveways or sidewalks, no watering within 48 hours after measurable rainfall, no hoses without shutoff nozzles, and decorative fountains must recirculate. Cal Water's Livingston/Elk Grove district typically limits landscape irrigation to assigned days based on address and prohibits watering between 10 a.m. and 6 p.m. from spring through fall. Sacramento County Water Agency customers in the rural fringe follow similar schedules. During declared shortage stages Cal Water can tighten limits further, reduce allowable days, or add surcharges on excess usage. The city of Elk Grove supports enforcement by reporting visible runoff and irrigation violations to the water purveyor.
Cal Water may issue written warnings followed by surcharges ($50-$500+) and flow-restricting devices for repeat runoff or off-day irrigation. State Water Board penalties can reach $500 per day for prohibited practices.
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Side-by-side rule comparisons with other cities in Sacramento County.
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