Water restrictions in Phoenix, AZ — also called the watering schedule, outdoor irrigation rules, or drought ordinance — set which days and hours you can run sprinklers or irrigation.
Phoenix has no fixed day-of-week outdoor watering schedule; instead, Phoenix City Code Chapter 37 (sections 37-126 through 37-130, the Drought Management Plan) authorizes the Water Services Director to declare progressive drought stages, and watering restrictions become mandatory only at Stage 2 (Water Warning) or higher. Turf in the public right-of-way is banned under Arizona state law.
Phoenix adopted its Drought Management Plan in 1990 under City Code Chapter 37, Sections 121 through 130.2, and re-codified the stages in 2020 (Ord. No. G-6741). A Stage 1 Water Alert relies on voluntary conservation and intensified public education; restrictions only become mandatory and enforceable at a Stage 2 Water Warning, when the Director may impose watering-day limits, water-feature bans, and surcharges. As of mid-2025 Phoenix has operated under elevated drought response tied to the Colorado River Tier shortage. Separately, the City's landscape standards prohibit turf in the public right-of-way (a state-law requirement) and limit turf and high-water-use plants to 50% of the landscaped area (see landscape-requirements). Single-family homeowners generally face no enforced calendar watering schedule outside a declared mandatory drought stage.
Voluntary at Stage 1; at Stage 2 (Water Warning) or higher the Director may make restrictions mandatory and enforce them, including water-service surcharges authorized by Chapter 37. Water-waste violations are enforced under existing City codes.
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