Water restrictions in Redding, CA — also called the watering schedule, outdoor irrigation rules, or drought ordinance — set which days and hours you can run sprinklers or irrigation.
The Redding Water Utility currently operates at Stage 1 - Year-Round Conservation, which is voluntary, with an odd/even outdoor watering schedule and prohibitions on hosing hardscapes or irrigating within 48 hours of rainfall. Higher-stage mandatory restrictions are codified in the Water Shortage Contingency Plan (RMC Chapter 14.09) referenced through RMC Chapter 14.08 (Water). California Water Code §365 et seq. and statewide State Water Resources Control Board emergency drought regulations layer additional restrictions during declared drought.
Outdoor watering in Redding is structured by the City Water Utility's Water Shortage Contingency Plan, codified in the Redding Municipal Code Chapter 14.09 and tied to the broader water-utility framework in RMC Chapter 14.08. The current default is Stage 1 - Year-Round Conservation, which is voluntary and recommends: irrigate three days per week between midnight and 7:00 a.m. and/or 9:00 p.m. and midnight; odd-numbered addresses water Wednesday, Friday, and Sunday; even-numbered addresses water Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday; no hosing of sidewalks, driveways, and hardscapes (sweep instead); and no irrigation within 48 hours of measurable rainfall. Higher stages (Stage 2-5) of the Water Shortage Contingency Plan introduce progressively mandatory restrictions on watering days, hours, vehicle washing, fountains, and pool refilling. Statewide layers include California Water Code §365 et seq. (Urban Water Management Planning Act) and emergency drought regulations adopted periodically by the State Water Resources Control Board (most recent prohibitions include no watering ornamental turf at commercial/industrial/institutional sites and no irrigation causing runoff). The City of Redding draws water primarily from the Sacramento River through the Foothill Water Treatment Plant and from groundwater. Redding aligned its local Water Efficient Landscape Ordinance with the 2025 state Model Water Efficient Landscape Ordinance (MWELO, 23 CCR §490 et seq.) on October 23, 2024, updating the ETo reference from 48.8 to 52.9 inches/year.
Stage 1 measures are voluntary and primarily enforced through outreach. Once the City declares Stage 2 or higher under RMC Chapter 14.09, violations are enforceable through the Water Utility with administrative citations and, for repeated violations, flow restrictors or service termination per the Water Shortage Contingency Plan tariff. State Water Resources Control Board emergency drought regulations (23 CCR §§863-866) impose civil penalties up to $500 per day per violation directly on water users statewide during declared drought emergencies.
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