San Bernardino, CA Landscaping Rules: Water Restrictions (2026)

Water use in San Bernardino is regulated by the San Bernardino Municipal Water Department under its water conservation ordinance and by California state-level mandates including the Model Water Efficient Landscape Ordinance (MWELO) and Assembly Bill 1572. Year-round prohibited practices include hosing down driveways, sidewalks, and patios except for health or safety reasons; running fountains that do not recirculate water; allowing runoff from landscape irrigation into gutters or streets; washing a vehicle with a hose that does not have a shut-off nozzle; and irrigating turf during or within 48 hours after measurable rainfall. Landscape irrigation is typically limited to assigned days per week based on address and to morning and evening hours to minimize evaporation, with specific schedules adjusting during declared drought stages. Under AB 1572, signed in 2023, irrigation of non-functional turf with potable water at commercial, industrial, and institutional properties is being phased out statewide; compliance deadlines for HOA common areas and commercial sites fall between 2027 and 2031. New and substantially renovated landscapes are subject to MWELO, which requires a hydrozone plan, a dedicated irrigation meter or submeter for landscapes over 500 square feet, drip or low-volume irrigation for non-turf areas, and smart controllers with rain sensors. Violations of the city conservation ordinance typically produce a warning, then escalating administrative fines that can be attached to the water bill.