Tustin, CA Landscaping Rules: Water Restrictions (2026)
Water restrictions in Tustin, 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
- Summer watering days
- 4/week: Sun, Tue, Thu, Sat
- Winter watering days
- 3/week: Tue, Thu, Sat
- No-watering window
- 8 a.m.–4 p.m. daily
- Drip/high-efficiency limit
- 15 min per station
- Other irrigation limit
- 5 min per station
- Enforcement
- administrative citation, § 4952
Summary
In the City of Tustin, permanent watering-day limits under Tustin City Code § 4953 cap lawn and landscape irrigation at four days a week from April through October and three days a week from November through March, and ban daytime watering between 8:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m.
A.Between April 1 and October 31, lawn watering and landscape irrigation will be limited to four (4) days a week. Watering may only occur on Sunday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday. Between November 1 and March 31, lawn watering and landscape irrigation will be further limited to three (3) days a week. Watering may only occur on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday. ... B.Watering or irrigating of lawn, landscape or other vegetated area with potable water is prohibited between the hours of 8:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m., except by use of a hand-held bucket or similar container, a hand-held hose equipped with a positive self-closing water shut-off nozzle or device, or for very short periods of time for the express purpose of adjusting, maintaining, or repairing an irrigation system.
Full Breakdown
Section 4953 was adopted under the City's Water Conservation Program in Section 4950 and applies to every customer, residential or commercial, served by Tustin's water utility under Section 4951. Between April 1 and October 31, lawn watering and landscape irrigation is limited to four days a week, Sunday, Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday only. Between November 1 and March 31, it drops to three days a week: Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday. Watering with potable water is separately prohibited between 8:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. every day, except by hand-held bucket, a hand-held hose with a positive self-closing shut-off nozzle, or brief adjustments while repairing an irrigation system.
High-efficiency or drip irrigation stations are capped at 15 minutes per station; every other irrigation station is capped at five minutes. Watering is also barred during and for 48 hours after a quarter-inch or more of rain falls in the City, and runoff onto a sidewalk, driveway, street or gutter is a separate violation under Section 4953(D). These are "permanent" restrictions, meaning they apply at all times, not just during a declared drought; Section 4954 layers on tighter six-level drought restrictions when the City declares a shortage. The City Manager's designated Enforcement Officers, defined in Article 1, Chapter 1, Part 6, enforce the chapter through administrative citation proceedings under Section 4952.
Violations & Fines
A violation of the Section 4953 watering-day, time-of-day, station-minute or runoff restrictions is enforced through administrative citation proceedings issued by an Enforcement Officer under Section 4952, referencing the citation procedures in Article 1, Chapter 1, Part 6 of the Tustin City Code. Customers can apply for a turf-use exemption from the four-day limit under Section 4953(L), but the exemption is revoked if the customer fails to follow the approved water management plan.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many days a week can I water my lawn in Tustin?
What time of day is sprinkler watering banned in Tustin?
Can I water right after it rains in Tustin?
Is there an exemption for turf used for public recreation?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Tustin
How Tustin compares: Cities with the Strictest Water Restrictions·California rules heatmap·Compare Tustin to another location·View the California landscaping rules overview
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Water Restrictions in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Orange County handle water restrictions.