Water restrictions in Winter Haven, FL — also called the watering schedule, outdoor irrigation rules, or drought ordinance — set which days and hours you can run sprinklers or irrigation.
Winter Haven is in the Southwest Florida Water Management District. As of April 2026, Modified Phase III Extreme Water Shortage restrictions are in effect through July 1, 2026 - even addresses water Tuesdays, odd addresses water Thursdays, before 4 a.m. or after 8 p.m. only, once per week.
Winter Haven Water Conservation rules implement Southwest Florida Water Management District (SWFWMD) restrictions via city code and SWFWMD orders. Under the Modified Phase III restrictions in effect April 3 - July 1, 2026: properties under 1 acre may water on their assigned day before 4 a.m. OR after 8 p.m. (choose one window); properties over 1 acre may water before 4 a.m. AND after 8 p.m. on the assigned day. Schedule: even addresses Tuesdays only; odd addresses Thursdays only - limited to once per week. Hand-watering and micro-irrigation for non-lawn plants (shrubs, flower beds) is allowed any day before 8 a.m. or after 6 p.m. Restrictions apply to all sources including private wells and reclaimed water. Outside extreme drought, normal SWFWMD year-round restrictions allow 2 days per week (Tues/Sat for even, Wed/Sun for odd).
Citations are issued by city code and law enforcement officers under the local water restriction ordinance. Watering outside the allowed window on a scheduled day, or on a non-scheduled day, may result in a citation under Ch. 1 (Sec. 1-13) and the SWFWMD enforcement framework - typically a warning first, then a $50-$250 fine for repeat offenses.
Other ordinances people look up for this city. Green dot = verified primary-source excerpt.
Winter Haven, FL
Most residential wood or chain-link fences in Winter Haven do not require a building permit if they stay within Sec. 21-103 height limits (typically 4 ft fro...
Winter Haven, FL
Winter Haven Minimum Property Maintenance Standards Sec. 704.2 (Ord. O-10-15) requires every dwelling unit to have a listed, approved smoke alarm installed a...
Winter Haven, FL
Backyard recreational fire pits in Winter Haven are governed by the Florida Fire Prevention Code (adopted via Code Chapter 6) and NFPA 1, which require fire ...
Winter Haven, FL
Outdoor burning of yard waste in Winter Haven is regulated by Code Chapter 6 (Fire Prevention and Protection), the Florida Fire Prevention Code, and Florida ...
Winter Haven, FL
Winter Haven Code Chapter 6 (Fire Prevention and Protection) adopts the Florida Fire Prevention Code, which incorporates Florida Statute Chapter 791 regulati...
Winter Haven, FL
Winter Haven does not currently operate a city-wide rental registration program for traditional long-term rentals. All rentals must meet the Minimum Property...
Side-by-side rule comparisons with other cities in Polk County.
See how other cities in Polk County handle water restrictions.
See how Winter Haven'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.