Sandy, UT Landscaping Rules: Water Restrictions (2026)
Water restrictions in Sandy, UT, also called the watering schedule, outdoor irrigation rules, or drought ordinance, set which days and hours you can run sprinklers or irrigation.
Key Facts
- Watering ban hours
- 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m., daily
- New lawn exception
- 90 days from planting
- Enforcing agency
- Sandy City Public Works Department
- Standard violation penalty
- Infraction after written notice
- Curtailment violation penalty
- Class B misdemeanor
- Governing section
- City Code § 8-3-2
Summary
Sandy City bans sprinkler irrigation of any public or private landscape between 10:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m. under City Code Section 8-3-2, aiming to cut evaporation loss from the municipal water system. New lawns get a 90-day establishment exception, and short test cycles are allowed. Repeat violators risk an infraction citation after written notice from the Public Works Department.
Sprinkler irrigation of public and private landscapes is prohibited between the hours of 10:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m. The provisions of this section shall apply to all landscapes within the City with the following exceptions: New lawns that require frequent irrigation for establishment purposes within 90 days of planting. Short cycles required for testing, inspecting and maintaining irrigation systems. Where pressure problems exist in the water infrastructure requiring an alternate watering time as approved by the Department. Any person who continues to violate this schedule after written notice may be subject to an infraction.
Full Breakdown
every day of the year, city-wide. The daytime ban targets the hours when evaporation losses from Sandy's culinary water system run highest. Three narrow exceptions apply: newly planted lawns may run supplemental cycles for 90 days after planting to establish root growth; short cycles for testing, inspecting, or maintaining sprinkler equipment are allowed; and property with low water pressure may get an alternate schedule approved in advance by the City's Public Works Department (referred to in the code as 'the Department'). A related provision, Section 8-3-1, separately makes it unlawful to waste water from any hydrant, faucet, or fixture, or to use water for any purpose other than the one it was paid for, though it exempts firefighting and hydrant testing.
If the City's water system cannot adequately serve an area, Section 8-3-3 lets the Mayor declare an emergency curtailment by press release and website posting; once that notice is up, watering in violation of the curtailment schedule is a Class B misdemeanor. The timing restriction itself is enforced administratively: continuing to irrigate during the banned hours after the Department has issued written notice exposes the property owner to an infraction citation rather than criminal charges. Sandy's ordinance traces to Revised Ordinances 1978, Section 14-3-2.
Violations & Fines
A first watering-hours violation typically draws a written warning from the Public Works Department; continuing to irrigate between 10 a.m. and 6 p.m. after that notice is an infraction under Section 8-3-2. Separately, wasting water in violation of Section 8-3-1, or watering during a Mayor-declared curtailment under Section 8-3-3, is a Class B misdemeanor punishable under the City's general penalty provisions.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I water my lawn during the day in Sandy?
What happens if I keep watering during banned hours?
Does the watering ban apply to new sod or seed?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Sandy
How Sandy compares: Cities with the Strictest Water Restrictions·Compare Sandy to another location·View the Utah landscaping rules overview
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Water Restrictions in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Salt Lake County handle water restrictions.