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

Yolo County Code Sec. 6-8.1102 (Level 1 drought response - Permanent water use restrictions) establishes the baseline rules that apply at all times in CSAs the County operates. The text states that no potable water shall be applied to outdoor landscapes in a manner that causes more than incidental runoff (such as minimal overspray from sprinklers escaping the area of intended use), and prohibits landscape watering between 9:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m. except with a hand-held container, a hose equipped with a shut-off nozzle, or for very short periods while adjusting sprinklers - the daytime ban does not apply to low-volume systems like drip or micro-irrigation. The same ordinance requires property owners to repair leaks, breaks, or malfunctions in water-using fixtures connected to County water within 72 hours of discovery or notice. Higher-stage triggers escalate through Levels 2 through 5; Sec. 6-8.1106 (Level 5) targets a 50% reduction below normal demand and incorporates all lower-level restrictions. Statewide, the California State Water Resources Control Board's emergency water-conservation regulations (23 CCR Sec. 996 et seq.) impose parallel prohibitions on hosing down hardscapes, washing vehicles without a shut-off nozzle, and irrigating ornamental turf at non-functional sites. Most parcel-level water service in unincorporated Yolo County is delivered by individual water purveyors (e.g., the Wild Wings CSA, individual wells, or local water districts) rather than directly by the County.