Elk Grove, CA Landscaping Rules: Water Restrictions (2026)
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.
Key Facts
- Controller run window
- 7:00 p.m. to 10:00 a.m.
- Overhead spray setback
- 24 inches from hardscape
- Narrow-strip irrigation
- Subsurface required under 10 ft width
- WELO trigger, new landscape
- 500 sq ft or more
- Dedicated meter required
- Landscape areas over 5,000 sq ft
Summary
New and rehabilitated Elk Grove landscapes must irrigate efficiently under Municipal Code Section 14.10.060: narrow planting strips need subsurface drip, overhead spray is banned within 24 inches of pavement, and citywide automatic controllers must run only between 7:00 p.m. and 10:00 a.m. under Section 23.54.060(B) to cut evaporation loss.
A. Irrigation Design. Irrigation of all landscaped areas of any size shall comply with the following irrigation requirements and be conducted in a manner conforming to the rules and requirements of the State WELO and this chapter and shall be subject to penalties and incentives for water conservation and waste prevention, as determined and implemented by the City: 1. Areas less than ten (10) feet in width in any direction shall be irrigated with subsurface irrigation or other means that produces no water waste, runoff, or overspray. 2. Overhead irrigation shall not be permitted within twenty-four (24") inches of any nonpervious surface. ... [§ 23.54.060(B)] Automatic controllers shall be set to water between 7:00 p.m. and 10:00 a.m. to reduce evaporation.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: rev 4937385; v2 updated 2026-05-13; through 05-13-2026).
Full Breakdown
020. 060(A) sets the irrigation design floor: strips under 10 feet wide in any direction must use subsurface irrigation or another method that produces no runoff or overspray, and overhead spray cannot land within 24 inches of any nonpervious surface unless the adjacent surface is built to drain entirely into the landscape. 85 inches per hour or less on slopes over 15 percent, drip or bubbler irrigation for trees, matched-precipitation heads on each valve circuit, and mandatory rain shut-off devices, and any landscape over 5,000 square feet needs its own dedicated water meter.
070 makes the property owner responsible for keeping the whole irrigation and landscape system maintained, backed by a City notice-and-lien process after 30 days of neglect. 040(F).
Violations & Fines
A project that ignores the Section 14.10.060 design standards cannot get the certificate of completion needed to close out its permits under Section 14.10.040(D). Running a controller outside the 7:00 p.m. to 10:00 a.m. window in Section 23.54.060(B) is enforced the same way as any unmaintained landscape: a City notice, a 30-day cure period, then City-performed correction billed to the owner as a lien under Section 23.54.070(B).
Frequently Asked Questions
What time can I run my sprinklers in Elk Grove?
Can I use a regular sprinkler on a narrow strip of grass?
Do these irrigation rules apply to my existing yard?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Elk Grove
How Elk Grove compares: Cities with the Strictest Water Restrictions·California rules heatmap·Compare Elk Grove to another location·View the California landscaping rules overview
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How other cities in Sacramento County handle water restrictions.