Nevada County, CA Landscaping Rules: Water Restrictions (2026)

There is no Nevada County ordinance imposing a county-wide lawn-watering calendar. Two layers control outdoor water use in unincorporated areas. First, California state law: the State Water Resources Control Board's permanent water-waste prohibitions ban wasteful practices statewide regardless of drought stage - including applying potable water to outdoor landscapes 'during and within 48 hours after measurable rainfall,' allowing runoff onto pavement, and hosing down hardscape with potable water. These apply to all water users and can be enforced with fines (commonly up to $500). AB 1572 (2023) further phases out the use of potable water to irrigate purely ornamental (non-functional) turf at commercial, industrial, and institutional sites. Second, the local water purveyor: most unincorporated parcels are served by the Nevada Irrigation District or a community service district, which adopts its own water-shortage stages with specific watering days and hours. Because the County itself is not the water retailer, residents should check current restrictions with their supplier rather than the County. The County does regulate water-efficient landscaping for new development through its Water Efficient Landscape Ordinance (see water-restrictions' companion topics), but day-to-day watering limits come from the state and the district.