Upland, CA Landscaping Rules: Water Restrictions (2026)

Chapter 13.16 (Water Conservation) opens with a declared policy that Upland's water resources must be put to maximum beneficial use and waste prevented (§ 13.16.010). The Year-Round Stage in § 13.16.030 applies to all persons, customers, and property using city water, and bans several practices at all times, not just during a declared shortage: hosing down sidewalks, driveways, and hard surfaces when runoff reaches a gutter or storm drain; excessive or unreasonable irrigation runoff or spray; and outdoor sprinkler irrigation between 10:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m.

The section also restricts vehicle washing to a hand-held bucket or a hose with a positive shutoff nozzle, except at a commercial carwash, and bars restaurants and similar establishments from serving drinking water unless a customer requests it. If the city council later declares a Moderate Shortage Stage under § 13.16.040, the rules tighten further: sprinkler irrigation is restricted to even-numbered street addresses on even calendar days and odd addresses on odd days (with a street-address-free rule keyed to which side of San Antonio Avenue a parcel sits on), and the no-irrigation window expands.

High and Severe Shortage stages (§§ 13.16.050, 13.16.060) narrow watering to two days or one day per week. A review board of the water utility director, city engineer, fire chief, planning director, and city attorney can grant variances for economic hardship under § 13.16.070.