Madison Water Utility, a public utility under city control, may impose odd-even or time-of-day lawn-watering restrictions during peak demand or drought to protect aquifer levels and maintain firefighting reserves across the isthmus service area.
The Madison Water Utility Board can declare watering advisories, restrictions, or emergencies under its administrative rules and Wis. Stat. ch. 196 utility authority. Typical restrictions limit irrigation to early-morning or evening hours and may impose odd-even house-number watering during heat waves. Customers connected to municipal water are bound; private wells outside the service area are not. The utility also runs leak-detection programs to reduce nonrevenue water. Enforcement uses warning letters first, then surcharges added to the water bill. The Public Service Commission of Wisconsin oversees rate and service-rule changes that govern restrictions.
Repeat irrigation during a declared restriction can lead to surcharges of $25-$100 per occurrence on the water bill, and chronic offenders may face flow restrictors or temporary irrigation-meter disconnection.
Madison, WI
Property owners served by Madison Water Utility must promptly repair leaks on their side of the curb stop and report main-line leaks to the utility, which pr...
Madison, WI
Madison Water Utility enforces year-round odd-even sprinkling rules under MGO 13.18. Watering is prohibited between noon and 6 PM. Drought advisories can tri...
See how Madison's lawn watering restrictions rules stack up against other locations.
Help us keep this page accurate. If you notice an error or outdated information, let us know.