Upland, CA Landscaping Rules: Water Restrictions (2026)
Water restrictions in Upland, 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 section
- UMC § 13.16.030(A)(4)
- No-sprinkler window
- 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.
- Always allowed
- Hand-held hose, drip, bucket irrigation
- First fine
- $25 to $100 (§ 13.16.020)
- Third offense
- Misdemeanor, $500 to $1,000 fine
- Shortage stages
- Moderate, High, Severe (§§ 13.16.040-.060)
Summary
Upland Municipal Code § 13.16.030(A)(4) bars outdoor sprinkler irrigation between 10:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m. year-round citywide. Hand-held hoses, drip irrigation, hand-held buckets, and water-recycling cleaning machines are allowed anytime, but no irrigation runoff may enter adjacent property, streets, alleys, or storm drains. Escalating shortage stages under §§ 13.16.040-13.16.060 add odd/even watering-day schedules if the city council declares a supply shortfall.
4. Outdoor irrigation of landscape by sprinklers during the hours of 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. Citizens are encouraged to avoid the use of sprinklers on windy days. Irrigation by handheld hose, drip irrigation, handheld bucket, or similar container or by use of a cleaning machine equipped to recycle any water used are permitted anytime. In no event shall any water so used be permitted to run off into adjacent property, streets, alleys or storm drains;
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: rev 4480959; v4 updated 2025-09-22).
Full Breakdown
010). 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. 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. 060) narrow watering to two days or one day per week. 070.
Violations & Fines
Section 13.16.020 sets graduated fines: a first infraction in a calendar year or shortage stage carries a fine of $25 to $100, a second infraction $50 to $200, and a third violation is charged as a misdemeanor punishable by a fine of $500 to $1,000. The city may also, at the water utility director's discretion, install a flow-restricting device, lock or remove the water meter, or shut off the service line valve, and a court may order reimbursement of the city's investigation and abatement costs.
Frequently Asked Questions
What hours can I run my sprinklers in Upland?
Are there watering-day restrictions in Upland?
What is the fine for violating Upland's water conservation rules?
Can I wash my car at home in Upland?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Upland
How Upland compares: Cities with the Strictest Water Restrictions·California rules heatmap·Compare Upland to another location·View the California landscaping rules overview
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Water Restrictions in Nearby Cities
How other cities in San Bernardino County handle water restrictions.