West Palm Beach, FL Landscaping Rules: Water Restrictions (2026)
Water restrictions in West Palm Beach, FL, 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
- City Code § 90-95
- First-offense fine
- $250
- Repeat-offense fine
- $500 each
- Variance decision deadline
- 90 days from request
- Appeal body
- Special magistrate
- Exempt water source
- Reclaimed water only
Summary
West Palm Beach requires all landscape irrigation to comply with South Florida Water Management District conservation rules under City Code § 90-95, enforced by the public utilities director. The measures cover every water source except reclaimed water, and any stricter water-shortage order from the district, city commission or mayor overrides the baseline rules. First-offense fines run $250, repeat offenses $500.
(a)Compliance with district. At all times, the irrigation conservation measures to be established by the city commission from time to time shall comply with, or be more restrictive than those measures established by the South Florida Water Management District for Palm Beach county.(b)The irrigation conservation measures shall be established by resolution of the city commission, which may be amended from time to time.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 76).
Full Breakdown
Under Code § 90-94, the conservation division applies to every landscape irrigation user in the city, including residents, businesses, and government entities that draw water directly or indirectly from public or private utility systems, a South Florida Water Management District consumptive use permit, or an individual well or pump. It covers all water sources except reclaimed water, and any water-shortage restriction the district, the city commission, or the mayor declares that is more restrictive than the code's standing measures supersedes those measures for the duration of the shortage.
Section 90-95 requires the specific irrigation conservation measures (watering days and hours) to be set by city commission resolution, and that resolution must at all times match or exceed the district's restrictions for Palm Beach County. 62(7). The city has 30 days to request additional information, another 30 days to review it, and must grant or deny within 90 days of the original request; a denial can be appealed to a special magistrate, and any granted variance requires a posted notice on the parcel.
Violations & Fines
Section 90-97 sets a $250 civil fine for a first violation and $500 for the second and every later violation within a year, with a separate offense possible for each hour a violation continues. A cited party can pay the fine or request a hearing before a special magistrate within ten days under Chapter 26; failing to act waives the right to a hearing and is treated as an admission. Unpaid fines become a recorded lien enforceable like a court judgment and foreclosable after three months, and the city can also suspend a commercial or institutional irrigation applicator's certificate of use or seek an injunction.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does West Palm Beach's code list specific watering days?
Who enforces West Palm Beach's irrigation rules?
Can I get a variance from West Palm Beach's irrigation restrictions?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in West Palm Beach
How West Palm Beach compares: Cities with the Strictest Water Restrictions·Florida rules heatmap·Compare West Palm Beach to another location·View the Florida landscaping rules overview
See something wrong?
Help us keep this page accurate. If you notice an error or outdated information, let us know.
Water Restrictions in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Palm Beach County handle water restrictions.