Richmond, VA Landscaping Rules: Water Restrictions (2026)

Richmond's landscape watering schedule lives in Division 8 of Chapter 28, the Water Conservation division, and only takes effect once the Chief Administrative Officer declares conservation measures under Sec. 28-883 because James River flows have dropped to levels the State water protection permit restricts, or a Governor-declared emergency authorizes the City to enforce mandatory cuts. Under the mandatory schedule in Sec. 28-885(8), established landscape watering is restricted by the last digit of the property's street address: odd addresses may water only Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays; even addresses, and locations with no address number, only Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays; and watering is prohibited on Mondays regardless of address, though watering by bucket remains unrestricted throughout.

Section 28-885(9) gives newly installed landscaping a ten-day exemption from the date of planting before it must fall in line with the same odd/even schedule. The lighter voluntary version at Sec. 28-884(8)-(9) uses the identical odd/even/Monday framework but only requests compliance rather than requiring it, and adds that watering is otherwise unrestricted on the assigned days. ; to vegetable gardens under the same odd/even schedule; and to vehicle washing, limited to one day a week with a positive-shutoff handheld hose. The City publicly announces the start and end of each conservation period in a daily newspaper, and by Sec. 28-882(b), any stricter state or federal emergency order controls over the City's own schedule while it is in effect.