Marion County, FL Landscaping Rules: Water Restrictions (2026)
Water restrictions in Marion County, 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
- Authority
- St. Johns River Water Management District
- No watering hours
- 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
- Amount per zone
- Max 3/4 inch and 1 hour per zone
- County code
- LDC Div. 9, Sec. 6.9 (irrigation)
- Exceptions
- Dunnellon & The Villages (SWFWMD)
Summary
Most of unincorporated Marion County is governed by the St. Johns River Water Management District's year-round landscape irrigation schedule, which limits watering days by address, prohibits watering between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m., and caps application at three-quarters inch and one hour per zone per allowed day.
St. Johns River Water Management District (Marion County): Odd-numbered or no address: Saturday. Even-numbered address: Sunday. Nonresidential: Tuesday. Hours: not between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. Amount: Maximum of three-quarters inch per zone and no more than one hour per zone. [During Daylight Saving Time the allowable days expand to two days per week per the same schedule.] Low-volume systems such as micro-spray, micro-jet, drip, or bubbler irrigation and hand-held hose watering with an automatic shut-off nozzle are exempt and may be used any day.
Full Breakdown
Marion County lies almost entirely within the St. Johns River Water Management District (SJRWMD); only Dunnellon and The Villages fall under the Southwest Florida Water Management District (SWFWMD). Under the SJRWMD year-round schedule, during Daylight Saving Time odd-numbered/no addresses water Wednesday and Saturday and even-numbered addresses Thursday and Sunday (nonresidential Tuesday and Friday); during Eastern Standard Time each group is limited to one day per week. Irrigation is prohibited between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m., with no more than three-quarters inch of water and no more than one hour per zone on an allowed day. The County's own Land Development Code Division 9 reinforces this, providing that no more than 0.75 inches of water may be applied per irrigation zone on each irrigation day and irrigation shall not occur for more than one hour per zone per day, and requiring rain-sensor shutoff devices. Micro-spray, micro-jet, drip, and hand-held hose watering are generally exempt.
Violations & Fines
Violating water-management-district watering restrictions can result in warnings and code enforcement citations; the district and local code enforcement may impose fines for repeated violations.
Frequently Asked Questions
What days can I water my lawn in unincorporated Marion County?
What hours is lawn watering prohibited?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Marion County
How Marion County compares: Cities with the Strictest Water Restrictions·Florida rules heatmap·Compare Marion County to another location·View the Florida landscaping rules overview
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