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Lake County, FL Landscaping Rules: Water Restrictions (2026)

Some Restrictions

Compiled from the official code textEditor Martyn O'NeillLast verified September 2026

Water restrictions in Lake County, 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

Odd addresses (DST): Wednesday and Saturday only
Even addresses (DST): Thursday and Sunday only
Non-residential (DST): Tuesday and Friday only
Blackout window: 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., every day
Volume cap: 3/4 inch per zone, 1 hour max
First violation: Written warning
Repeat fines: $50 doubling to $1,000 max

Summary

Unincorporated Lake County limits landscape irrigation to specific days under Lake County Code § 21-33, tied to your address's last digit and to whether Daylight Saving or Eastern Standard Time is in effect. Odd-numbered addresses water Wednesday and Saturday during Daylight Saving Time; even-numbered addresses water Thursday and Sunday. Sprinklers may never run between 10:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m., and each zone is capped at three-quarter inch of water per watering day.

These county ordinances apply to unincorporated areas of Lake County. Incorporated cities within the county may have their own rules that take precedence over county-level regulations.

(a)When Daylight Savings Time is in effect, landscape irrigation shall occur only in accordance with the following irrigation schedule:(1)Residential landscape irrigation at odd numbered addresses or no address may occur only on Wednesday and Saturday and shall not occur between 10:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m.; and(2)Residential landscape irrigation at even numbered addresses may occur only on Thursday and Sunday and shall not occur between 10:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m.; and(3)Non-residential landscape irrigation may occur only on Tuesday and Friday and shall not occur between 10:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m.; and(4)No more than three-quarter (¾) inch of water may be applied per irrigation zone on each day that irrigation occurs, and in no event shall irrigation occur for more than one (1) hour per irrigation zone on each day that irrigation occurs.

View official code

Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 150).

Full Breakdown

During Daylight Saving Time, Lake County Code § 21-33(a) sets a two-day watering schedule: residential addresses ending in an odd number, or with no address, may irrigate only Wednesday and Saturday; even-numbered addresses only Thursday and Sunday; non-residential landscape (commercial, industrial, public rights-of-way) only Tuesday and Friday. , and no more than three-quarter inch of water per irrigation zone, or more than one hour of run time per zone, is allowed on a watering day. blackout and volume caps. Micro-irrigation, drip and bubbler systems, hand-held hoses with an automatic shutoff, new-landscape establishment during its first 60 days, watering-in of pesticides or fertilizer, system testing up to 20 minutes per zone, and reclaimed or recycled water are all exempted under § 21-34.

Anyone who installed an automatic sprinkler system after May 1, 1991 must fit a rain sensor that overrides the cycle after adequate rainfall (§ 21-35). An owner can request a variance from the assigned watering day if the schedule causes real economic or health hardship (§ 21-36). The rules bind everyone in the unincorporated county within the St. Johns River Water Management District's boundaries (§ 21-37) and are enforced by the Lake County Code Enforcement Division under Chapter 8 (§ 21-38).

Violations & Fines

A first watering-day violation draws a written warning from the Lake County Code Enforcement Division. A second violation carries a minimum $50.00 fine, and the fine doubles with every later violation within the same 365-day period, up to $1,000.00 per offense (§ 21-39). Each day a sprinkler runs on the wrong day, or during the 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. blackout, counts as a separate offense, and the special master can raise or lower fines based on the facts of the case.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I water my lawn every day in unincorporated Lake County?

No. Lake County Code § 21-33 limits irrigation to specific days tied to your address number, two days a week during Daylight Saving Time and just one day during Eastern Standard Time. Watering outside your assigned day, or between 10:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. on any day, violates the ordinance and can draw a code enforcement fine starting at $50.00 after a first written warning.

Does the watering schedule apply if I use reclaimed water?

No. Section 21-34(7) exempts irrigation using a reclaimed water system from the day-and-time schedule entirely, letting it run any day, any time. The same exception covers recycled water drawn from wet detention ponds under § 21-34(8), as long as the pond is not topped off from groundwater, surface water, or the public supply.

What if the watering schedule creates a real hardship for my property?

You can request a variance under § 21-36 by showing the assigned day would cause substantial economic, health, or other hardship. The county can split a single property into separate zones with different approved days, but even with a variance no single zone may be irrigated more than twice a week during Daylight Saving Time or once a week during Eastern Standard Time.

Sources & Official References

[1]Lake County Code of Ordinances - Municode

Other rules in Lake County

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All Lake County rules

How Lake County compares: Cities with the Strictest Water Restrictions·Florida rules heatmap·Compare Lake County to another location·View the Florida landscaping rules overview

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