Margate, FL Landscaping Rules: Water Restrictions (2026)
Water restrictions in Margate, FL, also called the watering schedule, outdoor irrigation rules, or drought ordinance, set which days and hours you can run sprinklers or irrigation.
Key Facts
- Established landscaping
- Two watering days per week
- Odd-numbered addresses
- Wednesdays and/or Saturdays only
- Even-numbered or no address
- Thursdays and/or Sundays only
- Banned watering hours
- 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
- Water per cycle
- No more than one inch
- New landscaping window
- Ninety days, with extra watering days
- Waiver office
- Environmental and Engineering Services (DEES)
Summary
In the City of Margate, Florida, landscaping that has been in the ground more than 90 days can be irrigated only two days a week: Wednesdays and Saturdays at odd-numbered addresses, Thursdays and Sundays at even-numbered addresses. Watering is banned from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., and each cycle is capped at one inch of water.
8.Irrigation Limitations.a.Irrigation of landscaping which has been planted in the ground for more than ninety (90) days shall be limited to two (2) days per week, as follows:i.Residences and businesses with an odd-numbered street address may water on Wednesdays and/or Saturdays only.ii.Residences and business with an even-numbered street address or other locations without an address may water on Thursdays and/or Sundays only.b.Irrigation systems shall not apply more than one (1) inch of water per cycle.c.Irrigation is not permitted between the hours of 10:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m.d.Irrigation overspray or flooding onto adjacent impervious areas is not permitted. ... i.In the event the South Florida Water Management District, or its successor agency, imposes restrictions on landscape irrigation for new and existing installations which are more restrictive than those imposed by this Code, such as under the declaration of a water shortage or water shortage emergency, the more restrictive regulations shall apply for the applicable duration of the more restrictive regulations.
Full Breakdown
The current schedule sits in the Margate Land Development Code, § 40.704(L)(8). Established landscaping (planted more than ninety days) gets two watering days. A residence or business with an odd-numbered street address waters on Wednesdays and/or Saturdays only. An even-numbered address, or a location with no address, waters on Thursdays and/or Sundays only. Irrigation systems cannot apply more than one inch of water per cycle, nothing runs between 10:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m., and overspray or flooding onto adjacent impervious areas is not permitted. The code also bars wasteful irrigation, including water that flows through a broken or malfunctioning system.
New landscaping gets a ninety-day establishment period under § 40.704(L)(9). It can be watered once on the day it is installed. For the first thirty days it can be watered Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Saturday and/or Sunday, and from day 31 to day 90 on Monday, Wednesday, Thursday and/or Sunday, in both cases outside the 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. window. A whole irrigation zone qualifies only when at least fifty percent of that zone is new landscaping. Exemptions cover agricultural businesses and plant nurseries, systems supplied with reclaimed water or rain barrel water, one person with one hose and a self-cancelling shutoff nozzle, athletic play areas, and system testing.
A user can ask the Department of Environmental and Engineering Services for a waiver from the specific watering days by showing substantial economic, health or other hardship that is not self-imposed. If the South Florida Water Management District adopts tighter limits, such as a water shortage declaration, the tighter rules apply for as long as they last.
Chapter 39 carries an older rule as well. Section 39-56 makes it unlawful for anyone in the city water and sewer service area to irrigate outside the hours of 5:00 p.m. to 9:00 a.m., seven days per week. Section 39-58 requires a rain sensor or automatic override switch on every new automatic sprinkler system, and the building department monitors applications for compliance. Section 39-59 bars restaurants from serving water unless the customer asks for it while Phase I Moderate water shortage restrictions or worse are in effect.
Violations & Fines
Under Code § 39-61, every police officer and code enforcement officer with jurisdiction enforces the water conservation article, and § 39-62 punishes violations as provided in § 1-8. Section 1-8 allows a fine up to $500 and a jail term up to 60 days, treats each day a violation continues as a separate violation, and labels the condition a public nuisance the city can abate. Officers can also issue civil citations, each carrying a $5.00 technology fee on top of the fine.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which days can I water my lawn in the City of Margate?
How often can I water sod or plants I just installed?
Can I get a waiver from the watering days?
What is the penalty for watering on the wrong day in Margate?
Does a new automatic sprinkler system in Margate need a rain sensor?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Margate
How Margate compares: Cities with the Strictest Water Restrictions·Florida rules heatmap·Compare Margate to another location·View the Florida landscaping rules overview
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How other cities in Broward County handle water restrictions.