Whittier, CA Landscaping Rules: Water Restrictions (2026)
Water restrictions in Whittier, 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
- Local citation
- WMC § 13.43.250
- Prohibited conditions
- Runoff, overspray, low-head drainage onto adjacent areas
- Exceptions
- Permeable adjacent surfacing or fully draining hardscape
- Related design cap
- Overhead spray barred within 24 in. of hardscape (§13.43.110)
- Penalty
- Misdemeanor, set locally under § 13.43.060
Summary
Whittier prohibits landscape irrigation that lets water run off onto streets, sidewalks, or neighboring property. Municipal Code Section 13.43.250 bars runoff from overspray or low-head drainage and lets the city set local penalties for violations.
A.Local agencies shall prevent water waste resulting from inefficient landscape irrigation by prohibiting runoff from leaving the target landscape due to low head drainage, overspray, or other similar conditions where water flows onto adjacent property, non-irrigated areas, walks, roadways, parking lots, or structures. Penalties for violation of these prohibitions shall be established locally.B.Restrictions regarding overspray and runoff may be modified if:1.The landscape area is adjacent to permeable surfacing and no runoff occurs; or2.The adjacent non-permeable surfaces are designed and constructed to drain entirely to landscaping.
Full Breakdown
Section 13.43.250, Water waste prevention, sits within Chapter 13.43, Water Efficient Landscaping. Subsection A requires that 'local agencies shall prevent water waste resulting from inefficient landscape irrigation by prohibiting runoff from leaving the target landscape due to low head drainage, overspray, or other similar conditions where water flows onto adjacent property, non-irrigated areas, walks, roadways, parking lots, or structures,' and adds that 'penalties for violation of these prohibitions shall be established locally.' Subsection B allows the runoff and overspray restriction to be modified where the landscape area sits next to permeable surfacing that absorbs the runoff, or where the adjacent non-permeable surfaces are built to drain entirely back into landscaping.
The prevention duty complements the irrigation-system design rules in Section 13.43.110(A)(1)(u) and (v), which cap overhead spray within 24 inches of any non-permeable surface and limit irrigation application rates on slopes over 25 percent to no more than 0.75 inch per hour, both aimed at the same runoff problem. This section reaches projects covered by Chapter 13.43, meaning new landscapes of 500 square feet or more and rehabilitated landscapes of 2,500 square feet or more requiring a building or landscape permit, plan check, or design review under Section 13.43.020(A), plus existing landscapes under the limited scope carried over in Section 13.43.020(A)(3).
Violations & Fines
Section 13.43.250(A) directs that penalties for runoff and overspray violations 'shall be established locally,' and Section 13.43.060 supplies that penalty for the chapter generally: any violation by a project applicant is a misdemeanor prosecutable under Chapters 1.08 and 1.09 of the code, or the city may instead bring a civil action to enjoin or abate the violation and require correction of the irrigation system.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can my sprinklers spray onto the sidewalk in Whittier?
Are there exceptions to the runoff rule?
What happens if I violate the water waste rule?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Whittier
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Water Restrictions in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Los Angeles County handle water restrictions.