St. Petersburg, FL Landscaping Rules: Water Restrictions (2026)

City Code § 27-46 governs irrigation of established lawns and landscaping using potable water, private wells, or private surface-water connections anywhere in St. Petersburg. , daytime irrigation outside those windows is not allowed. On top of the hourly window, § 27-46(4) layers a two-day-a-week schedule keyed to the property's address: addresses ending in an even number or the letters A through M may irrigate Tuesdays and Saturdays only, while addresses ending in an odd number, the letters N through Z, or properties with no address may irrigate Wednesdays and Sundays only.

Hand-watering with an automatic shut-off nozzle and micro-irrigation (drip/low-volume) systems are exempt from the day-of-week limit under § 27-46(3), so those methods can be used any day. , and if new plantings cover less than half the total plant area, only the newly planted portion may be watered on the extra days. Section 27-46(6) makes clear that if the Southwest Florida Water Management District (SWFWMD) imposes stricter water-shortage restrictions, the District's tighter rule controls over the City's schedule. Property owners who need relief from the schedule, for example, because of an irrigation system limitation or a documented hardship, can apply to the Public Works Administration (POD) for a variance under § 27-47, and a denied variance can be appealed to City Council within 15 days.