Sonoma, CA Landscaping Rules: Water Restrictions (2026)
Water restrictions in Sonoma, CA, 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 chapter
- SMC Ch. 13.10, Water Shortage and Conservation Plan
- Stage 2 irrigation limit
- 3 days/week, 8pm-6am
- Stage 4 irrigation limit
- 1 day/week, 9pm-6am
- Stage 5
- All potable irrigation prohibited
- First-offense fine (default)
- $100, rising to $300 by 3rd
- Exception process
- Written application to city manager, SMC 13.10.080
Summary
The City of Sonoma limits irrigation days and hours once the city council declares a water shortage stage under SMC 13.10.070, with restrictions tightening from voluntary guidance to a full irrigation ban as the shortage worsens. Stage 2 alone cuts landscape watering to three days a week between 8:00 p.m. and 6:00 a.m.
13.10.070 Water shortage stages. ... The council may declare any of the water shortage stages set forth in subsections (A) through (F) of this section by resolution ... B. Stage 2. ... Moderate Shortage – Up to 20 Percent (Mandatory). ... ... 3. Irrigation limited to three days per week, and irrigation is limited to the hours between 8:00 p.m. and 6:00 a.m. ... D. Stage 4. ... Severe Shortage – 30 Percent to 40 Percent (Mandatory). ... ... 6. Irrigation limited to one day per week, and irrigation is limited to the hours between 9:00 p.m. and 6:00 a.m. ... E. Stage 5. ... Critical Shortage – 40 Percent to 50 Percent (Mandatory). ... ... 2. Use of potable water for irrigation is prohibited for all customers.
Official source re-checked September 8, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: current through Ordinance 13-2025, passed December 3, 2025).
Full Breakdown
10 of the Sonoma Municipal Code lets the city council declare one of six water shortage stages by resolution, triggered by drought, extreme weather, reduced deliveries from the Sonoma County Water Agency, or other shortage conditions. Each stage sets a system-wide reduction target and specific customer rules. Stage 1 (up to 10 percent, voluntary) merely discourages excessive-runoff irrigation and hosing of hard surfaces. , while also requiring recycled water for construction dust control and banning hose washing without a shutoff nozzle. Stage 3 (20 to 30 percent) cuts irrigation to two days per week in the same overnight window and requires pool covers when not in use.
and bars filling or topping off pools and decorative water features. Stage 5 (40 to 50 percent) prohibits potable irrigation outright and requires a 45 percent use cut from prior usage. Stage 6 (over 50 percent) bans installing any new water-using landscaping and requires a 55 percent cut. 060, which separately bar irrigation causing excessive runoff or overspray regardless of any declared stage. 24 SMC. Note this schedule governs inside city limits only; nearby unincorporated Sonoma Valley communities such as Boyes Hot Springs or El Verano are served separately and fall under Sonoma County or their own water district's rules, not this chapter.
Violations & Fines
Knowingly using city water in excess of or contrary to a declared stage's requirements is a violation of SMC 13.10.090, enforced through administrative fines set by council resolution or, absent one, a default schedule of $100 for a first offense, $200 for a second, and $300 for a third or subsequent offense within a year. The city manager may also order a flow-restricting device installed or terminate service for good cause, including recurring violations, following the notice and hearing procedure in SMC 13.10.110 through 13.10.120, and a chapter violation is separately declared a public nuisance abatable under Chapter 1.12 SMC.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many days a week can I water my lawn in the City of Sonoma?
What happens if I violate Sonoma's water restrictions?
Can I get an exception to Sonoma's watering restrictions?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Sonoma
How Sonoma compares: Cities with the Strictest Water Restrictions·California rules heatmap·Compare Sonoma to another location·View the California landscaping rules overview
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Water Restrictions in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Sonoma County handle water restrictions.