Water restrictions in Walnut Creek, CA — also called the watering schedule, outdoor irrigation rules, or drought ordinance — set which days and hours you can run sprinklers or irrigation.
Walnut Creek is served by East Bay Municipal Utility District (EBMUD) and Contra Costa Water District (CCWD), both of which enforce permanent statewide water waste prohibitions plus district-specific watering schedules. Outdoor irrigation runoff, hosing hard surfaces, and watering within 48 hours of rain are always prohibited.
The State Water Resources Control Board adopted permanent prohibitions on wasteful water use that apply in Walnut Creek year-round: no runoff from irrigation onto sidewalks or streets; no hosing down driveways, sidewalks, or patios (except for health/safety); no washing vehicles without a shut-off nozzle; no watering within 48 hours of measurable rainfall; and no irrigating non-functional turf at commercial, industrial, and institutional sites. EBMUD customers (most of Walnut Creek) follow additional watering schedules announced seasonally — typically odd-even address schedules during drought and limits on watering during daylight heat hours (generally no irrigation between 9 AM and 6 PM). CCWD customers follow similar district rules. During declared drought emergencies, EBMUD and the state can impose mandatory conservation targets (e.g., 15–25% reductions) with excessive-use penalties. First-violation warnings are common; repeat offenses can result in fines of $50–$500 and flow-restrictor installation for chronic offenders. EBMUD offers WaterSmart rebates for lawn replacement, smart controllers, and high-efficiency irrigation. New landscaping over 500 sq ft must comply with California's Model Water Efficient Landscape Ordinance (MWELO) including water budget calculations, smart controllers, and drip irrigation for non-turf areas.
Contact your local code enforcement office for specific penalty information.
Walnut Creek, CA
Walnut Creek restricts RV, boat, and trailer parking in residential zones. These vehicles cannot be stored in front yards or on public streets for extended p...
Walnut Creek, CA
Walnut Creek enforces the California Vehicle Code 22651(k) statewide 72-hour street parking limit. Downtown has metered parking and timed zones. Residential ...
Walnut Creek, CA
Walnut Creek restricts overnight parking of commercial vehicles in residential zones. Vehicles with commercial plates exceeding specified weight or length li...
Walnut Creek, CA
Properties in Walnut Creek's Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zone and State Responsibility Area — including the city's eastern hills near Mount Diablo and alo...
Walnut Creek, CA
Walnut Creek requires a building permit for above-ground swimming pools unless the prefabricated pool's walls are 24 inches or less and capacity is 5,000 gal...
Walnut Creek, CA
Walnut Creek does not list short-term rental as a permitted residential use and does not issue STR permits, so the city imposes no STR-specific insurance, su...
Side-by-side rule comparisons with other cities in Contra Costa County.
See how other cities in Contra Costa County handle water restrictions.
See how Walnut Creek's water restrictions rules stack up against other locations.
Help us keep this page accurate. If you notice an error or outdated information, let us know.