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.
The city-run Indio Water Authority enforces permanent water-waste rules: no runoff onto pavement or adjacent property, no spray irrigation during or within 48 hours of 0.10" rain, no non-recirculating fountains, and shut-off nozzles required for hose washing. Stricter levels can be triggered in droughts.
Indio is served by the Indio Water Authority (IWA), a city-owned utility, so water-use rules are set and enforced locally rather than by Riverside County. IWA maintains permanent water-waste prohibitions that apply at all times: applying water to outdoor landscapes so that runoff flows onto adjacent property, non-irrigated areas, walkways, roadways, parking lots, or structures is prohibited; spray irrigation during and within 48 hours after rainfall of 0.10 inches is prohibited; using water in fountains or decorative features is prohibited unless the water recirculates; applying water to driveways, sidewalks, concrete, or asphalt is prohibited except for immediate health and safety needs; and using a hose to wash a vehicle, windows, or solar panels is prohibited unless an automatic shut-off nozzle or pressure washer is used. Broken sprinklers must be repaired within five business days of notification, and leaks repaired as soon as practical. During declared droughts the city imposes tiered restrictions; the City Council previously moved to Level 2 and then rescinded Level 2 in May 2023 after the state eased the drought emergency, returning to baseline Level 1 prohibitions. These IWA rules align with State Water Resources Control Board (SWRCB) statewide prohibitions on water waste but are administered by the city. Residents can report waste to IWA's water-waste hotline.
Water-waste violations are enforced by the Indio Water Authority and the city, typically beginning with notice and escalating to penalties for repeat or willful violations. Failing to repair a broken sprinkler within five business days of notification is itself a violation. Residents report waste to IWA's hotline at (760) 391-4129.
Other ordinances people look up for this city. Green dot = verified primary-source excerpt.
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Under Indio Municipal Code Section 96.11 (Chapter 96, City Parks and Facilities), no person may remain, stay, or loiter in any city park between 10:00 p.m. a...
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Under Section 3.02.11 of Indio's Unified Development Code, outdoor lighting must be fully shielded and directed downward so it does not spill onto neighborin...
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Indio's outdoor-lighting standards are in Section 3.02.11 of the Unified Development Code. All outdoor lighting must be directed downward, fully shielded, an...
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Indio requires a garage sale permit, obtained from the city (Community Services, 760-391-4175). Temporary garage-sale signs are governed by the sign rules in...
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Indio repealed its old sign chapter (150) and now regulates signs in Chapter 3.05 of the Unified Development Code, with permits under Section 3.05.09. Under ...
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Indio has no separate tiny-home ordinance. A permanent tiny house on a foundation is regulated as a single-family dwelling or as an ADU under Chapter 4.02, w...
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