Gilbert, AZ Landscaping Rules: Water Restrictions (2026)

Gilbert's lawn-watering rules aren't a standing calendar restriction -- they only take effect once the town declares a shortage stage under § 66-381. The town manager may declare stage one when Gilbert's renewable water supply drops or projected demand outpaces forecasted renewable supply; the council may declare stage two once projected demand exceeds 110 percent of forecasted renewable supply, stage three once summer peak daily demand reaches 92 percent of physical production capacity for the coming year, and stage four once that demand hits 99 percent of capacity or a catastrophic supply failure occurs.

Section 66-383 lists what each stage can trigger: stage two bars wasting water; stage three adds a ban on lawn overseeding, fountain operation, and -- if restrictions on lawn watering are imposed -- a prohibition on watering lawns according to published time-of-day, address or other restrictions, plus a construction-water surcharge and a halt on new water features including pools; stage four makes the lawn-watering ban mandatory along with continued bans on overseeding and fountains, a stop on construction-water sales except for health, safety or essential operations, water-budget rationing enforced with flow restrictors or shutoffs, and a rate surcharge.

Notice of any declared stage must run as a display ad in a local newspaper and be posted on the town's website per § 66-382 before restrictions become enforceable. Section 66-384 puts the code compliance manager in charge of enforcement: a violator gets written notice to stop, and a complaint is filed in municipal court if the violation continues; a first-time offender's civil fine can be waived if they complete a town water-efficiency program.