Palm Springs, CA Landscaping Rules: Water Restrictions (2026)
Water restrictions in Palm Springs, CA, also called the watering schedule, outdoor irrigation rules, or drought ordinance, set which days and hours you can run sprinklers or irrigation.
Key Facts
- No-watering hours
- 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. daily
- Spray irrigation limit
- 15 minutes per station
- Exempt
- Drip irrigation, hand-held bucket or quick-release hose
- Rain rule
- No irrigation during rainfall
- Adopted
- Ordinance 1858, 2014
Summary
Palm Springs bans irrigating lawns and landscaping between 7:00 a.m. and 7:00 p.m., and caps above-ground spray irrigation at 15 minutes per station. Drip irrigation, hand-held buckets, and quick-release hose nozzles are exempt, but runoff onto sidewalks or streets and watering during rainfall are both separately banned as water waste.
Watering hours and duration. No lawn or landscaped area shall be irrigated or watered by any means between the hours of 7:00 a.m. and 7:00 p.m. on any day. Above-ground spray irrigation or watering shall not exceed 15 minutes per irrigation station or area. ... Over-watering. No lawn or landscaped area shall be irrigated or watered to the point where excess water ponds, sprays or runs off the lawn or landscaped area onto any walkways, sidewalks, driveways, streets, alleys, storm drains, adjacent property or non-irrigated property. ... Irrigation during rainfall. No lawn or landscaped area shall be irrigated or watered during rainfall.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: rev 4923139; v14 updated 2026-06-24).
Full Breakdown
on any day, and above-ground spray irrigation or watering may not run more than 15 minutes per irrigation station or area. Six exceptions apply: drip irrigation systems; hand-held buckets or similar containers; hand-held hoses fitted with a positive action quick-release shutoff valve or nozzle; irrigation necessary to establish newly planted low-water-usage plants; brief irrigation-system maintenance or leak repair; and irrigation to establish annual reseeding of seasonal grass or newly planted seasonal color, for up to 14 days after planting. Subsection (b) separately bans over-watering to the point that excess water ponds, sprays, or runs off onto walkways, sidewalks, driveways, streets, alleys, storm drains, or adjacent property, and subsection (c) bans irrigating during rainfall outright.
Subsection (d) requires landscape irrigation systems to be maintained for water efficiency, inspected and repaired to eliminate leaks and remove obstructions, and requires resetting the landscape clock monthly. 06, adopted by Ordinance 1858 in 2014 to address periodic water shortages affecting the Coachella Valley and the city's water supply.
Violations & Fines
Violating the watering-hours, over-watering, or rainfall-irrigation restrictions is water waste under Section 11.06.050 and a public nuisance under Section 11.06.080, punishable as a misdemeanor for each day the violation continues and enforceable through the administrative citation process in Chapter 1.06, in addition to any other civil or criminal remedy the City may pursue.
Frequently Asked Questions
What time can I run my sprinklers in Palm Springs?
Can I hand-water my plants during the day?
Is it illegal to water my lawn right after it rains?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Palm Springs
How Palm Springs compares: Cities with the Strictest Water Restrictions·California rules heatmap·Compare Palm Springs to another location·View the California landscaping rules overview
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Water Restrictions in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Riverside County handle water restrictions.