Water restrictions in San Mateo County, CA — also called the watering schedule, outdoor irrigation rules, or drought ordinance — set which days and hours you can run sprinklers or irrigation.
Unincorporated San Mateo County enforces a Water Efficient Landscape Ordinance (WELO) implementing California's Model WELO. It applies to new landscapes of 500 sq ft or more and rehabilitated landscapes of 2,500 sq ft or more, capping turf, requiring low-water (WUCOLS 0.3) plants, 3 inches of mulch, and compost in the soil.
San Mateo County adopted the State's 2015 Model Water Efficient Landscape Ordinance (MWELO) for the unincorporated area. WELO applies to new landscape projects equal to or greater than 500 square feet (effective December 1, 2015) and to rehabilitated landscape projects equal to or greater than 2,500 square feet. Key County WELO requirements: turf is limited to a maximum of 25% of the landscape area (turf is prohibited entirely for non-residential projects), is not allowed on slopes over 25%, and is not permitted in parkways narrower than 10 feet. For residential projects, at least 75% of the planted area must use climate-adapted plants with an average WUCOLS plant factor of 0.3 (low summer water); non-residential projects must meet 0.3 across 100% of planted area. At least four cubic yards of compost per 1,000 square feet must be incorporated into the soil, and at least three inches of mulch applied to all exposed soil in planting areas. Dedicated landscape water meters are required for non-residential irrigated landscapes of 1,000-5,000 sq ft and residential irrigated landscapes of 5,000 sq ft or more. WELO compliance is verified through a landscape documentation package and checklist submitted with the building/planning application. WELO governs water budgets and irrigation efficiency; it does not by itself mandate or ban artificial turf. Statewide drought emergency rules from the State Water Resources Control Board can add temporary restrictions on top of WELO.
Projects subject to WELO that fail to submit a compliant landscape documentation package, exceed the water budget, or miss the turf/mulch/compost standards can be denied final approval or certificate of occupancy until corrected. State drought rules carry separate SWRCB penalties.
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