Tacoma Water relies on the Green River and South Tacoma wells. During declared shortages it requests voluntary reductions of 10 to 20 percent, escalating to mandatory limits if drought worsens.
Tacoma Water serves about 320,000 people and is governed by Tacoma Public Utilities, a publicly owned utility. The Water Shortage Response Plan defines four stages: Advisory, Voluntary, Mandatory, and Emergency. Voluntary actions ask customers to limit lawn watering to two or three days per week, water before 10 a.m. or after 7 p.m., and fix leaks promptly. Mandatory stages set specific watering days by address, prohibit ornamental fountains, and may add surcharges. Tacoma rarely reaches mandatory stages thanks to ample Cascade snowpack, but climate change is shifting that calculus.
During mandatory stages, watering on the wrong day or in midday hours can draw warnings and surcharges added to the utility bill.
Other ordinances people look up for this city. Green dot = verified primary-source excerpt.
Tacoma, WA
Tacoma allows residential lawn ornaments and yard art without permits provided they do not exceed the 15-foot accessory-structure height limit in TMC 13.06 a...
Tacoma, WA
Tacoma does not regulate residential inflatable holiday decorations by size or type. The Noise Code (TMC 8.122) applies to continuously running blower motors...
Tacoma, WA
Tacoma has no ordinance restricting when residents may put up or take down holiday lights. The general Noise Ordinance at TMC 8.122 applies to any amplified ...
Tacoma, WA
Built-in outdoor kitchens in Tacoma require building permits from Planning and Development Services (PDS) when they include new electrical, plumbing, gas pip...
Tacoma, WA
Backyard wood and pellet smokers in Tacoma single-family yards are permitted but subject to Puget Sound Clean Air Agency (PSCAA) Regulation I, Section 9.11, ...
Tacoma, WA
Tacoma adopts the International Fire Code through TMC Title 3 (Fire Prevention) as Tacoma Fire Code. IFC Section 308.1.4 prohibits open-flame cooking devices...
See how Tacoma's lawn watering restrictions rules stack up against other locations.
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