Water restrictions in Visalia, CA — also called the watering schedule, outdoor irrigation rules, or drought ordinance — set which days and hours you can run sprinklers or irrigation.
Visalia operates under a permanent Stage 2 Water Alert: sprinkler irrigation is allowed only twice a week (Wednesday/Sunday for even-numbered addresses, Tuesday/Saturday for odd) between March 1 and November 30, only before 8 a.m. or after 6 p.m., and is banned entirely Mondays/Thursdays/Fridays. All sprinkler watering is prohibited city-wide from December 1 through the end of February each year.
The City of Visalia enforces a citywide watering schedule administered by the Water Conservation Division (220 N. Santa Fe St., Visalia, CA 93292; hotline 559-713-4531). From March 1 to November 30, sprinkler irrigation is permitted only on two assigned days based on the last digit of the street address: even addresses (0, 2, 4, 6, 8) water Wednesdays and Sundays; odd addresses (1, 3, 5, 7, 9) water Tuesdays and Saturdays. Watering on the assigned day must occur before 8:00 a.m. or after 6:00 p.m. to limit evaporation losses. From December 1 through the last day of February, the City prohibits sprinkler watering for all addresses, seven days a week. Drip-irrigation systems are exempt from the day-of-week restriction and may run any day, before 8 a.m. or after 6 p.m. Hand-watering of non-turf ornamental plants with a watering can or a hose fitted with a positive shut-off nozzle is allowed any day at any time. The Water Conservation Permit page also imposes year-round rules: no watering of impervious surfaces (sidewalks, streets, driveways, parking lots), and no runoff flowing off the parcel. Newly installed plants (other than annuals or turf) qualify for a one-per-address-per-year New Plant Establishment Permit allowing up to 30 minutes of additional watering daily for 21 days from planting. Visalia is a charter city in Tulare County and adopts these rules independently under Visalia Municipal Code Chapter 13.20 (Water Conservation), in addition to California's Model Water Efficient Landscape Ordinance (23 CCR sections 490-495) which governs new landscape design.
Violations of the watering schedule are enforced by the Visalia Water Conservation Division. The Watering Schedule, Rules, Enforcement and Appeals page describes a progressive penalty system with a first-violation warning and escalating fines for repeat offenses; appeals are filed through the Water Conservation Division. Running water off property, watering impervious surfaces, and watering during prohibited days/hours are each separate violations.
Other ordinances people look up for this city. Green dot = verified primary-source excerpt.
Visalia, CA
Visalia prohibits dogs that bark excessively and disturb neighbors. Animal Control investigates complaints and may cite owners of persistently barking dogs.
Visalia, CA
Visalia regulates noise under Municipal Code Section 8.36. The city establishes exterior and interior noise level standards with stricter limits during night...
Visalia, CA
Visalia limits construction noise in residential areas to daytime hours. Construction activities are generally permitted between 7 AM and 7 PM on weekdays an...
Visalia, CA
Visalia has no blanket citywide overnight parking ban, but Visalia Municipal Code 10.16.190 authorizes the City Manager to post 'all-night parking prohibited...
Visalia, CA
Visalia Municipal Code 10.16.210 prohibits parking commercial vehicles with an unladen weight over 5,000 pounds in residential districts, except briefly for ...
Visalia, CA
Visalia requires vehicles to be parked on improved surfaces. Parking on unimproved areas like grass or dirt in residential zones is prohibited.
Side-by-side rule comparisons with other cities in Tulare County.
See how other cities in Tulare County handle water restrictions.
See how Visalia's water restrictions rules stack up against other locations.
Quick Compare
Help us keep this page accurate. If you notice an error or outdated information, let us know.