Oak Lawn, IL Landscaping Rules: Water Restrictions (2026)
Water restrictions in Oak Lawn, IL, also called the watering schedule, outdoor irrigation rules, or drought ordinance, set which days and hours you can run sprinklers or irrigation.
Key Facts
- Season
- May 15 through September 15
- Manual watering
- 7-11 a.m. or 7-11 p.m., odd/even
- Automatic sprinklers
- Midnight to 5:00 a.m. only
- Emergency Tier II
- Total watering ban possible
- Fine range
- $50 to $750 per offense
Summary
From May 15 through September 15, Oak Lawn limits lawn and garden watering to set morning/evening hours on an odd/even address schedule, with automatic sprinklers confined to a narrow overnight window.
commencing from May 15 through September 15 of each year, it shall be unlawful for any person: a) to use water for the sprinkling or irrigation of lawns or gardens, except between the hours of seven o'clock (7:00) A.M. and eleven o'clock (11:00) A.M. or seven o'clock (7:00) P.M. and eleven o'clock (11:00) P.M. on an odd/even basis (on odd calendar days if the last digit in the street address is odd or on the even calendar days if the last digit in the street address is even); or
b) to use an automatic lawn sprinkler or irrigation system for the purpose of watering lawns or gardens, except between the hours of twelve o'clock (12:00) midnight and five o'clock (5:00) A.M. on an odd/even basis. Under emergency conditions, as determined by the President or the President and Board of Trustees based on the recommendation of the Village's Director of Public Works relative to the operational capacity of the Village's water distribution system, the demands placed on the system by the users and the risk of damage to or failure of the system, it shall be unlawful for any person to use water for: a) the sprinkling or irrigation of lawns or gardens, or b) an automatic lawn sprinkler or irrigation system to water lawns or gardens, except during the permitted days and hours set forth below:
a. Tier I (conservation emergency): Sprinkling or irrigation of lawns or gardens shall be permitted only on an odd/even basis between the hours
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: 2026 S-15: Code current through: Ord. 26-09-22, passed April 28, 2026).
Full Breakdown
Village Code § 9-4C-10(E) implements Illinois Department of Transportation Lake Michigan allocation rules. Manual sprinkling or irrigation is allowed only 7:00-11:00 a.m. or 7:00-11:00 p.m., on odd calendar days if the street address ends in an odd digit or even days if it ends in an even digit. Automatic sprinkler or irrigation systems may run only between midnight and 5:00 a.m., on the same odd/even schedule. The Village President can impose a Tier I emergency (sprinkling limited to the 7-11 a.m. window only) or a Tier II emergency (total ban on all lawn and garden watering) when water system capacity is at risk.
Violations & Fines
Fine of not less than $50 nor more than $750 per offense; each day a violation occurs or continues is a separate offense (§ 9-4C-10(F)).
Frequently Asked Questions
How does the odd/even schedule work in Oak Lawn?
Can I run an automatic sprinkler in the afternoon?
Does the restriction apply year-round?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Oak Lawn
How Oak Lawn compares: Cities with the Strictest Water Restrictions·Compare Oak Lawn to another location·View the Illinois landscaping rules overview
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Water Restrictions in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Cook County handle water restrictions.