Fremont watering schedule 2026

Any day. ACWD assigns no watering days: Ordinance No. 2008-01 contains no odd/even address rule, no assigned weekdays and no cap on watering days per week. The only day figure ACWD prints sits on its conservation tip pages and is advisory, so nothing on the calendar is enforced right now.

There are no mandatory hours. ACWD's timing guidance is advisory only: 'Water in the early morning before the sun is overhead,' and its conservation FAQ recommends irrigating before 10:00 a.m. to reduce evaporation. ACWD also recommends the cycle and soak method, running sprinklers for shorter intervals 2 to 3 times instead of one long run. It publishes no per-station run time limits and no minute caps by nozzle type, whether spray, rotor, rotating nozzle or drip.

No, it is a tip. ACWD's Outdoor Water Saving Tips page says 'Water landscaping no more than three days per week, if a water shortage emergency ordinance is in effect it may specify less days per week,' and its Water Saving Tips page separately says 'Water your landscaping no more than three days per week in the summer.' Neither sentence is enforceable, and the first one defers a real day limit to a water shortage emergency ordinance that is not currently adopted.

Ordinance No. 2008-01 targets waste, not the day of the week. Irrigation that causes excessive flooding or runoff into gutters, waterways, patios, driveways, walks or streets is prohibited for residential and nonresidential customers, and all customers must repair leaks as soon as practicable. Nonresidential customers also face bans on single pass cooling in new connections, non-recirculating conveyor car wash and commercial laundry systems, and non-recycling decorative fountains. The ordinance words the hose item softly for residents, saying hoses should be equipped with shutoff nozzles, so treat that one as guidance rather than a hard ban.

There are no watering-day exceptions, because ACWD assigns no watering days at present. Drip irrigation, hand watering, new plantings, edible gardens and potted plants are simply unrestricted here; the exemption lists that still circulate for ACWD belong to the 2021 to 2023 Water Shortage Emergency Ordinance, which is no longer in force. For the waste prohibitions, written applications for exceptions are accepted and can be granted by ACWD's Manager of Customer Service or a designee under Section B.1, and a denial can be appealed in writing to the General Manager under Section B.2. The grounds are an unnecessary and undue hardship, including adverse economic impacts such as loss of production or jobs, or a condition affecting the health, sanitation, fire protection or safety of the applicant or the public.

ACWD sets no flat dollar fine. Section C of Ordinance No. 2008-01 escalates instead: first a written warning that identifies the wasteful use, asks the customer to stop it, explains how to apply for an exception and states that failure to correct the problem can result in termination of service. If waste is still observed on a follow-up visit and no exception was granted, ACWD issues a second written warning by on-site notification and charges the $50.00 field service visit charge from Section 3.B of the Schedule of Rates and Fees, with rates effective March 1, 2026. If staff observe excessive water use in violation more than 48 hours after the on-site notification, the General Manager can authorize termination of water service. Reconnection under Section 3.F runs $50.00 weekdays 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., $150.00 after 4:00 p.m. weekdays, weekends and holidays, or $115.00 for replacement of a pulled meter and turn-on, and service is not restored until the wasteful use has stopped and all charges owed under the ordinance are paid.

Only after a public process. ACWD's 2025 Water Shortage Contingency Plan, adopted by the Board on June 11, 2026, places the district at Stage 0: Normal Years, and day-per-week irrigation limits are a Stage 2 tool. Reaching Stage 2 (Mandatory) Moderate Shortage up to 20% takes a Board declaration of a Water Shortage Emergency plus adoption of a Water Shortage Emergency Ordinance, so expect a public announcement before any day rule returns.

Check the supplier named on your water bill. The district name misleads: despite 'Alameda County' in the title, ACWD covers only Fremont, Newark and Union City, about 104.8 square miles. Neighbors on different rules include the City of Hayward Water System to the north, East Bay Municipal Utility District (EBMUD) for the City of Alameda, Oakland, Berkeley, San Leandro, Castro Valley and most of the rest of the county, the City of Milpitas and San Jose Water under Valley Water to the south in Santa Clara County, and Zone 7 Water Agency retailers over the hills in the Tri-Valley, including the City of Pleasanton, the City of Livermore, California Water Service Livermore and Dublin San Ramon Services District.

Call ACWD Customer Service at (510) 668-4200 during business hours, Monday through Friday 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., or submit the online Water Waste Reporting Form at acwd.org. The form asks for the address and city, limited to Fremont, Newark or Union City, a description and up to two photos, and its categories cover washing sidewalks and driveways with excessive runoff, irrigation runoff, a hose without a quick-acting positive shutoff nozzle, non-recycling decorative fountains at non-residential properties, washing vehicles with excessive runoff, unrepaired leaks or plumbing breaks, and other. ACWD's Report page also offers a general concern tracker, and conservation questions go to the Water Use Efficiency team at (510) 668-4218.