Rapid City, SD Landscaping Rules: Water Restrictions (2026)
Water restrictions in Rapid City, SD, also called the watering schedule, outdoor irrigation rules, or drought ordinance, set which days and hours you can run sprinklers or irrigation.
Key Facts
- Governing section
- RCMC § 13.08.410
- Watering hours
- 6:00 p.m. to 9:00 a.m. only
- Schedule
- Odd addresses water odd dates, even addresses even dates
- Restricted months (normal)
- June, July, August
- 31st of the month
- No outside watering at all
- Exempt
- Hand watering with hose, bucket or watering can
- Waivers
- Available for new sod/seed from Public Works Director
Summary
Rapid City limits outdoor lawn, tree and garden watering every June, July and August to the hours of 6 p.m. to 9 a.m., on an odd/even schedule tied to street address, under Rapid City Municipal Code § 13.08.410. No watering is allowed on the 31st of any month, and the restrictions can expand to more months or run year-round if Pactola Reservoir drops.
A. For the purposes of conserving water and protecting limited supplies and facilitating the economical production of municipal water the following measures are established and shall be enforced: 1. No person shall perform outside watering, including lawn, tree and garden irrigation, during the months hereinafter specified. Outside watering shall be allowed between the hours of 6:00 p.m. and 9:00 a.m. according to the following schedule: Outside watering shall be allowed during the designated hours at addresses bearing an even number on days of the month bearing an even numbered date and shall be allowed at addresses bearing an odd number on days of the month bearing an odd number. No outside watering shall be allowed on the thirty-first day of any month. a. Normal status. The aforesaid measures shall apply during the months of June, July and August of each year. ... ... 3. Nothing herein shall prohibit manual watering with a handheld hose or with a bucket, sprinkling can or other similar container.
Full Breakdown
, and it splits the city by street address: even-numbered addresses may water on even-numbered calendar dates and odd-numbered addresses on odd-numbered dates, with no outside watering allowed at all on the 31st of any month. Under "normal status," that odd/even schedule runs every June, July and August. The ordinance layers drought escalations on top of that summer default: the Public Works Director can extend the same odd/even hours further into spring and fall in a "concern status," apply them year-round in an "alert status," or ban all outside watering regardless of day or hour in a "critical status," based on the level and inflow of Pactola Reservoir; the Director reports the reservoir's status to the Common Council every March and issues public notice whenever the status changes. 410(A)(4). 410(B), though no waiver issues once the reservoir reaches critical status, and a denied waiver can be appealed to the Common Council. 410(C).
Violations & Fines
Watering outside the permitted hours or on the wrong side of the odd/even calendar, or during a critical-status ban, is unlawful under § 13.08.410, and § 13.08.140 separately bars willfully and wantonly wasting city water. Because Chapter 13.08 sets no separate fine, a violation falls under Rapid City's general penalty at § 1.12.010: $1 to $500, up to 30 days in jail, or both, per day of the violation.
Frequently Asked Questions
What days can I water my lawn in Rapid City?
Which months does the watering schedule apply?
Can I still hand-water my garden anytime?
Can I get an exception for a new lawn?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Rapid City
How Rapid City compares: Cities with the Strictest Water Restrictions·Compare Rapid City to another location·View the South Dakota landscaping rules overview
See something wrong?
Help us keep this page accurate. If you notice an error or outdated information, let us know.