WateringTimesWatering plan, $19
Mandatory hours, no set daysVerified Schedule for October 2026

Moulton Niguel (MNWD) watering schedule 2026

Moulton Niguel Water District sets no watering days: water any day, but never 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Today

Rules from: Moulton Niguel Water District (MNWD) (official schedule )

Moulton Niguel (MNWD) watering days by season

Year-round

Any day
  1. MON
  2. TUE
  3. WED
  4. THU
  5. FRI
  6. SAT
  7. SUN

No set daysTodayEarlier this week

No sprinklers between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. on any day.

DaysSprinkler watering with drinking water is restricted from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. every day (Rules 5.N.4(C)).
RulesIn those hours the rule exempts a bucket, a hand-held hose with a self-closing shut-off nozzle, and very short runs to adjust or repair the system.
RulesNo watering during and for 48 hours after a quarter inch of rain (5.N.4(D)).
RulesNo runoff onto sidewalks, driveways or streets, and no hosing down hard surfaces except for safety or sanitary hazards.
RulesMNWD names no water shortage stage in force, and the permanent rules set no watering days.
How the rule works

Moulton Niguel Water District assigns no watering days. Its permanent rules restrict watering a lawn or landscape with drinking water between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. on every day. In those hours only a bucket, a hand-held hose with a self-closing shut-off nozzle, or very short runs to adjust or repair a sprinkler system are allowed. Watering is also prohibited during and for 48 hours after a quarter inch of rain. The rules apply all year and come from Section 5.N.4 of MNWD's Rules and Regulations, as amended by Ordinance No. 26-02 on June 11, 2026. MNWD names no water shortage stage in force: the Board rescinded Stage 2 on April 13, 2023, and no later declaration was found.

An open envelope with a page of watering days, one day circled in red
Change alerts

Rules change. Get the new Moulton Niguel (MNWD) days and hours by email.

  • We watch the published Moulton Niguel (MNWD) rules for you.
  • When they change, one email with the new rule and the date it starts.
  • Nothing else: a confirmation now, then only emails about these rules.

How many minutes to run sprinklers on each water day

One zone at a time, from the state climate table for Dana Point and the month you pick. The plan does every zone for every month.

1 What do you water in this zone?
2 What waters this zone?
3 Which month?
October
3 days a week
4 Nozzle brand or soil

Which sprinkler do you have?

Why rain covers it

October asks this zone for about 34 minutes of sprinkler time a week, from the state climate table for Dana Point. That is less than one run, so the sheet shows none.

Established plantings live on the season's rain. New plantings still want a hand watering in a dry week.

11minper watering day3 days a week in October
Per week
34 min
Zone
Lawn
System
Spray heads, 1.6 in/hr
Every zone, every month, one sheet. The plan prints this for up to four zones, every month, with Moulton Niguel Water District (MNWD)'s hours.Get the plan for $19

Rules and fines in Moulton Niguel (MNWD)

Current stage MNWD names no water shortage stage in force. MNWD's Board rescinded Water Shortage Stage 2 on April 13, 2023 (Resolution 23-09), which had been in effect since June 10, 2022 under Resolution 22-05, and no later stage declaration was found in the Board agendas searched. Under Section 5.N.6(B) a stage starts only by Board resolution after a public hearing. The permanent rules of Section 5.N.4, as amended by Ordinance No. 26-02 on June 11, 2026, apply at all times.

The exceptions include hand watering and fixing or testing sprinklers, each with its own conditions. The full text is below.

MNWD sets no dollar fine for breaking the permanent watering rules.

Full text of the rules

Exceptions to the Moulton Niguel (MNWD) rules

  • During 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. a hand-held bucket or similar container, or a hand-held hose with a fully functioning, positive self-closing shut-off nozzle, may be used (5.N.4(C)).
  • For very short periods, to adjust or repair an irrigation system, the system may run during 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. (5.N.4(C)).
  • No watering of outdoor landscapes with potable water during and up to 48 hours after one quarter inch of rain within a twenty-four hour period (5.N.4(D)).
  • No watering that causes excessive runoff onto a sidewalk, driveway, street, alley, gutter, ditch, parking lot, structure, non-irrigated area or off the property (5.N.4(F)).
  • No washing down hard or paved surfaces such as driveways and patios, except to alleviate safety or sanitary hazards, and then only with a bucket, a hose with a self-closing shut-off device, or a low-volume, high-pressure machine that recycles the water (5.N.4(G)).
  • Leaks, breaks and malfunctions must be fixed, and in no event later than five days after notice from the District (5.N.4(H)).
  • Decorative fountains and water features must use re-circulated water (5.N.4(I)); vehicles may be washed only with a bucket, a hose with a self-closing shut-off nozzle or a low volume power washer with a shut-off nozzle (5.N.4(J)).
  • Potable water may not irrigate nonfunctional turf on the property types and from the dates set by Water Code Section 10608.14 (5.N.4(T)).
  • The hour and rain rules name potable water, while the runoff and leak rules cover potable and recycled water (5.N.4(C), (D), (F) and (H)).

Fines in Moulton Niguel (MNWD)

  1. 1MNWD sets no dollar fine for breaking the permanent watering rules. A willful violation of Section 5.N is a misdemeanor under California Water Code Section 377 (5.N.9(A)), which a court can punish with a fine of up to $1,000, up to 30 days in county jail, or both (Water Code Section 377(a)).
  2. 2The District may also seek injunctive relief in Superior Court or take enforcement action, including discontinuing or limiting water service (5.N.9(B)).
  3. 3Volumetric conservation penalties on the water bill apply only after the Board declares Stage 2 or higher (5.N.7 and 5.N.10); no stage declaration was found. An appeal goes to the Conservation Department on an Appeal Request form (5.N.11).

Report water waste

No water waste form was found on the MNWD pages that could be read. Call MNWD at (949) 831-2500 or email customerservice@mnwd.com, or visit the District office at 26161 Gordon Road, Laguna Hills.

Moulton Niguel (MNWD) watering questions

Which days can I water in Laguna Niguel and the rest of MNWD's area?

MNWD sets no watering days. Section 5.N.4 of its Rules and Regulations has no day schedule and no even or odd address split. What the rules limit is the time of day: sprinkler watering with drinking water is restricted between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. on every day, and banned during and for 48 hours after a quarter inch of rain.

Can I run my sprinklers in the middle of the day in Moulton Niguel's area?

No. Section 5.N.4(C), as amended by Ordinance No. 26-02, restricts watering any lawn, landscape or other vegetated area with potable water between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. on any day. A bucket or a hand-held hose with a positive self-closing shut-off nozzle can be used in those hours, and a system can run for very short periods only to adjust or repair it.

How quickly must a leak or broken sprinkler be fixed in MNWD's area?

Section 5.N.4(H) bans letting water escape from leaks, breaks or malfunctions once they should reasonably have been found and fixed, and in no event more than five days after a notice from the District. For violations of Section 5.N the District can also seek an injunction or limit or discontinue water service (Section 5.N.9(B)).

How long after rain do MNWD customers have to wait to water?

Section 5.N.4(D) prohibits watering outdoor landscapes with potable water during rain and for up to 48 hours after one quarter inch of rain falls within a twenty-four hour period. The rule covers drinking water used outdoors, so turn the controller off or let a rain sensor skip those days.

Is there a fine for watering at the wrong time in MNWD?

MNWD publishes no dollar fine for the permanent rules. Section 5.N.9 makes a willful violation a misdemeanor under California Water Code Section 377, which a court can punish with a fine of up to $1,000, up to 30 days in jail, or both, and lets the District seek an injunction or limit or discontinue water service. Extra charges on the bill, called volumetric conservation penalties, start only when the Board declares Stage 2 or higher, and no stage is in force.

Is Moulton Niguel in a drought stage right now?

MNWD's current documents name no stage. The Board rescinded Water Shortage Stage 2 on April 13, 2023, by Resolution 23-09, after it had been in effect since June 10, 2022, and no later stage declaration was found in the Board agendas searched. Under Section 5.N.6(B) a new stage needs a Board resolution after a public hearing. Ordinance No. 26-02, adopted June 11, 2026, updated the plan but declared no stage.

Does my home get its water from MNWD or another district?

MNWD's 2025 Urban Water Management Plan says its service area covers the City of Laguna Niguel and portions of Aliso Viejo, Laguna Hills, Mission Viejo, San Juan Capistrano and Dana Point. Much of Mission Viejo and parts of the other cities are served by agencies such as Santa Margarita Water District, El Toro Water District or South Coast Water District, which set their own rules. Check the name on the water bill.

How do I report water waste or a broken sprinkler to MNWD?

No water waste form was found on the MNWD pages that could be read. Call the District at (949) 831-2500 or email customerservice@mnwd.com, the contact line MNWD prints in its customer notices, or visit the office at 26161 Gordon Road in Laguna Hills.

Sources and verification

Rules checked October 2026. The schedule is watched for changes and updated when the supplier changes it.

Water supplier: Moulton Niguel Water District (MNWD) (official schedule )

All 7 sources

Nearby water suppliers

Santa Margarita (SMWD)Santa Margarita Water District (SMWD)Any day, only 6 p.m. to 8 a.m.; no assigned daysWater district
IrvineIrvine Ranch Water District (IRWD)No assigned days or hours; year-round waste rules onlyWater district
Santa AnaCity of Santa Ana Water ResourcesAny day, only 6 p.m. to 8 a.m.; 15 minutes per valveCity water
Huntington BeachCity of Huntington Beach UtilitiesAny day, only 5 p.m. to 9 a.m.; 10 minutes per stationCity water
AnaheimAnaheim Public Utilities (APU)No assigned days; voluntary Level 1, old 3-day rule repealedCity water
CoronaCity of Corona Utilities DepartmentMandatory: 3 days/week by address, year-round; no watering on FridaysCity water

The name on the water bill decides which rules apply.