Indio, CA Landscaping Rules: Water Restrictions (2026)
Water restrictions in Indio, 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
- Stage III watering days
- Mon/Wed/Fri spray irrigation only
- Drip/subterranean irrigation
- allowed daily, non-daylight hours
- Governing law
- Indio Municipal Code §§ 54.050-54.063
- Enforcement
- Indio Water Authority General Manager
- Full outdoor ban
- Stage VI, over 50% shortage
Summary
Once the City Council declares a Stage III water shortage, Indio limits spray-irrigation of outdoor landscapes to three days a week, Monday, Wednesday and Friday, while allowing drip or subterranean irrigation seven days a week at night.
Outdoor water use shall be allowed three days a week for spray irrigation (Monday, Wednesday, Friday).
(B) Drip or subterranean irrigation shall be allowed seven days per week during non-daylight hours.
(C) Commercial nurseries shall use water only on alternate days during non-daylight hours for outside operations.
(D) Decorative ponds, non-irrigation system golf course water hazards, fountains, and other waterscape features shall not to be filled or replenished.
(E) Swimming pools or landscaping ponds shall not be filled, unless necessary for health and safety or leak repair.
(F) City shall encourage counties, cities, Homeowner Associations (HOAs) and other enforcement agencies to suspend code enforcement and fines for brown turf areas and to otherwise comply with new state laws regarding limitations on such enforcement.
(G) Commercial car washes shall use recycled water or recirculating water systems.
(H) Spray irrigation of medians and parkways shall be prohibited.
(I) City shall strengthen customer billing messages with use comparisons.
(J) City shall implement water use audits targeted to key customers to ensure compliance with directives.
(K) City shall expand rebate programs.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: rev 4796010; v13 updated 2026-02-04; through 02-04-2026).
Full Breakdown
Indio's Water Shortage Contingency Plan (Municipal Code §§ 54.050-54.063) sets six escalating stages the City Manager can declare and the City Council must ratify by resolution. Stage III caps spray irrigation at three days weekly, Monday, Wednesday, Friday, under § 54.057(A), while drip/subterranean systems may run daily during non-daylight hours. Stage IV bans watering turfgrass outright except by subterranean or non-potable systems (§ 54.058(A)); Stage V prohibits watering turfgrass entirely (§ 54.059(A)); Stage VI bans all outdoor watering (§ 54.060(C)). Restrictions take effect only after a noticed public hearing and City Council resolution, and lapse when the Council repeals them.
Violations & Fines
First violation draws a written warning; second and third bring 25% and 50% water-bill surcharges; a fourth installs a flow-restricting device and may be charged as a misdemeanor (§ 54.061).
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Indio currently under watering-day restrictions?
What happens if I water on a non-permitted day during Stage III?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Indio
How Indio compares: Cities with the Strictest Water Restrictions·California rules heatmap·Compare Indio to another location·View the California landscaping rules overview
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Water Restrictions in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Riverside County handle water restrictions.