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SITE NAVIGATION

Water Conservation

Watering Schedule

Water Conservation

Watering Schedule

open_in_full

Residents and businesses in the city of Sacramento are required to follow a seasonal schedule when watering landscapes using sprinklers.

Wasting water is not allowed, such as letting water run off properties and onto sidewalks or gutters, or ponding of water.

City code

View the full watering ordinance

Spring and summer

From March 1 to October 31:

Customers with even-numbered addresses can water on Wednesday and Sunday.

Customers with odd-numbered addresses can water on Tuesday and Saturday. Watering must be done before 10 a.m. and/or after 7 p.m.

Watering is not allowed 48 hours after one-eighths inch of rain.

Fall and winter

From November 1 to February 28:

Watering is allowed one day per week, on Saturday or Sunday, at any time of day.

No weekday watering is permitted.

Exemptions

There are several exemptions to the City's watering schedule:

Drip irrigation or soaker hoses
Watering with a hose and spray nozzle
Smart controllers that have been validated by City staff
Potted plants
Edible gardens
New landscaping, up to 30 days after installation
When there are two or more consecutive days above 100 degrees

People can email waterconservation@cityofsacramento.org or call 916-808-5605 to request a variance from landscape watering requirements.

Report water misuse

If you see water being misused, watering on the wrong day or time, or over-watering, please report it by calling 311 or 916-264-5011, emailing your report to 311@cityofsacramento.org, going online to our 311 website, or by using the City’s free 311 app on your smartphone.

When reporting information to the City, please be sure to include:

Days and times the watering is occurring
Address of where the water misuse is taking place
Any pattern to the watering, like the frequency it is being watered or for how long the watering is taking place.

Violations and fines

Fines for failing to comply with the City’s watering schedule ordinance are listed below.

Violation	Fine
First notice of violation	Written notice of violation, no fine is issued
Second notice of violation (within 365 days)	$25 fine, which can be waived by participating in a Water Conservation program
Third notice of violation (within 365 days)	$100 fine
Fourth notice violation, and each subsequent notice of violation (within 365 days)	$500 fine

Frequently asked questions

How often can I water to establish new landscaping?

You may water up to 30 consecutive days when new sod is installed.

However, if you are irrigating with drip, or are watering plants in containers, they are exempt from the City's watering schedule.

Runoff from your irrigation is not permitted at any time.

When can I wash my car?

Car washing can be done only on your allowed two days per week but must be done with a hose equipped with an automatic shut-off nozzle or a bucket.

Hoses may not be left running.

Remember, many local car washes recycle their water on-site and use it many times before draining it back into the sewer systems.

These procedures help conserve water and protect local waterways by limiting the amount of soap and oil that flow untreated down storm drains into creeks and rivers.

What if I see a city park or facility over-watering or watering on the wrong day?

Because our city parks are primarily used on weekends, they are allowed to water during the week.

Other city facilities, however, should follow the watering schedules.

What can I do if I see a neighbor or business watering on the wrong day?

Please report over-watering or watering on the wrong days to the City by calling 311, emailing your detailed report to 311@cityofsacramento.org , or by using the Sacramento 311 app on your mobile phone.

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