Water restrictions in Los Angeles, CA — also called the watering schedule, outdoor irrigation rules, or drought ordinance — set which days and hours you can run sprinklers or irrigation.
LADWP Water Conservation Ordinance limits sprinkler watering to 3 days per week based on address, with 8-minute cycles per station. No watering between 9 AM and 4 PM. No hosing driveways or sidewalks. First violations receive a warning; subsequent violations carry fines from $100 to $600. Commercial non-functional turf irrigation with potable water is banned statewide.
The LADWP Emergency Water Conservation Plan Ordinance, effective since 2016, currently operates under Phase 2 restrictions allowing three-day-per-week outdoor watering (as of July 2023). All outdoor watering is prohibited between 9:00 AM and 4:00 PM. No runoff onto streets, driveways, or gutters is permitted, and watering of hard surfaces like sidewalks and parking areas is banned. Under Phase 3 drought conditions, watering is limited to two days per week for 8 minutes per station. Watering days are assigned by street address: odd addresses on Mondays and Fridays, even addresses on Sundays and Thursdays during Phase 3. The Citywide Water Efficiency Standards Ordinance (Ordinance 170,978) also mandates water-efficient landscaping in new construction.
LADWP Water Conservation Response Unit patrols and enforces restrictions. Residents can report water waste at ladwp.com/waterwaste. Escalating enforcement includes warnings, citations, and potential service restrictions.
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Side-by-side rule comparisons with other cities in Los Angeles County.
See how other cities in Los Angeles County handle water restrictions.
See how Los Angeles's water restrictions rules stack up against other locations.
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