San Diego watering schedule 2026
City of San Diego sets no watering days: water any day, but never 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Rules from: City of San Diego Public Utilities Department (official schedule )
San Diego watering days by season
Year-round
Any day- MON
- TUE
- WED
- THU
- FRI
- SAT
- SUN
No set daysTodayEarlier this week
No sprinklers between 10 a.m. and 6 p.m. on any day.
How the rule works
San Diego has no assigned watering days. The City of San Diego Public Utilities Department enforces permanent year-round rules: no irrigating landscapes, potted plants, or vegetable gardens between 10 a.m. and 6 p.m., so water before 10 a.m. or after 6 p.m. on any day. Watering is also prohibited during rain and for 48 hours after measurable rainfall, defined as 1/8 inch or more at the nearest reporting weather station. The former 3-days-per-week drought schedule was repealed effective July 15, 2026.
Rules change. Get the new San Diego days and hours by email.
- We watch the published San Diego 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 San Diego and the month you pick. The plan does every zone for every month.
- Per week
- 36 min
- Zone
- Lawn
- System
- Spray heads, 1.6 in/hr
Rules and fines in San Diego
Current stage No Water Shortage Level declared. Permanent year-round Water Waste Prohibitions (SDMC sec. 67.3803) apply. The 2026 code rewrite (O-22105, effective 7/15/2026) repealed the former Drought Response Levels 1-4 and replaced them with Water Shortage Levels 1-6 declared via the Water Shortage Contingency Plan; none is in effect per the city's current pages.
The exceptions include recycled water and fixing or testing sprinklers, each with its own conditions. A written exception can also be requested. The full text is below.
First: a warning. Then a notice of violation with no fine, then $100, $250, $500, $750 and $1,000.
Full text of the rules
Exceptions to the San Diego rules
- May irrigate at ANY time (SDMC sec. 67.3803(l)(1)-(6)): as required by a landscape permit
- for erosion control
- for establishment, repair, or renovation of public use fields for schools and parks
- for landscape establishment following a disaster (permitted up to two months, then a hardship variance under sec. 67.3806 is required)
- for renovation or repair of an irrigation system with an operator present
- for nursery and commercial growers using a hand-held hose with a positive shut-off nozzle, a hand-held container, or a drip or micro-irrigation system; irrigation of nursery propagation beds is permitted at any time
- Division does not apply to private wells, reclaimed water, or gray water systems (sec. 67.3804(e))
- Division does not apply to water under special agricultural supply programs (Metropolitan Interim Agricultural Water Program, Water Authority Special Agricultural Rate Programs) (sec. 67.3804(f))
- Division does not apply to areas serviced by the Parks and Recreation Department, including public right-of-way and street trees (sec. 67.3804(i))
- Non-functional turf irrigation ban for commercial/industrial/institutional properties (sec. 67.3803(a), per CWC 10608.14 / AB 1572) does not apply to turf irrigated with recycled water or to functional turf
- 48-hour rainfall ban and runoff ban apply to potable water; general water-waste prohibitions allow actions necessary for immediate health and safety or a state/federal permit condition
- Resident hand watering with a shutoff nozzle is not listed as an any-time exception in the current code; the 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. window still governs.
Fines in San Diego
- 1Step 1: Warning notification (used when a violation cannot be verified or evidence does not link the waste to the customer)
- 2Step 2: Notice of Violation - no monetary penalty; issued during declared droughts to inform the owner of the violation and potential penalties
- 3Step 3: Administrative Citations, escalating per the city's enforcement page: $100, $250, $500, $750 and $1,000 (prose on same page: fines of $100, $250, $500 and up to $1,000); assessed per property, escalating with repeat violations
- 4Step 4: Referral to the City Attorney's Office for civil or criminal prosecution
- 5Step 5: Shutting off water service (SDMC sec. 67.3807 also authorizes flow-restricting devices for willful violations); used only when other measures prove ineffective
Report water waste
Get It Done app or website (photo/video encouraged); email waterwaste@sandiego.gov; phone 619-533-5271 (enforcement page). The restrictions page also lists Public Utilities customer care 619-515-3500 / customercare@sandiego.gov.
Here a penalty starts at $100, after a warning and a notice of violation with no fine. The personal watering plan prints the minutes for every zone, every month, with the hours, for $19 once. See the plan
San Diego watering questions
What days can I water in San Diego?
Any day of the week. The current city code has no assigned days, no odd/even address rule, and no days-per-week limit. The former 3-days-per-week drought rules were repealed effective July 15, 2026 by ordinance O-22105.
What hours can sprinklers run?
Irrigation is prohibited from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., year-round. The city phrases it as watering before 10 a.m. or after 6 p.m. This applies to residential and commercial landscapes, including golf courses, parks, school grounds and recreation fields, as well as potted plants, non-commercial vegetable gardens and fruit trees.
Can I hand-water my plants in the afternoon?
The current code does not list resident hand watering with a shutoff nozzle as an any-time exception, so the 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. window still governs. The any-time allowance for a hand-held hose with a positive shut-off nozzle applies to nursery and commercial growers.
What watering is exempt from the time restrictions?
Watering at any time is permitted as required by a landscape permit, for erosion control, for establishment or repair of public use fields at schools and parks, for landscape establishment after a disaster (up to two months), and for irrigation system repair or renovation with an operator present. Nursery and commercial growers are also permitted to water at any time with a hand-held hose with a positive shut-off nozzle, a hand-held container, or drip or micro-irrigation, and nursery propagation beds can be irrigated at any time. The rules do not apply to private wells, reclaimed water, or gray water systems.
What happens when it rains?
No irrigation during rainfall and for 48 hours after measurable rainfall. The city defines measurable rainfall as 1/8 inch or more at the nearest reporting weather station.
What is the fine for wasting water in San Diego?
Enforcement escalates per property. It starts with a warning notification, then a Notice of Violation with no monetary penalty, then administrative citations of $100, $250, $500, $750 and $1,000 for repeat violations. Beyond that, the city can refer the case to the City Attorney's Office and ultimately shut off water service; the code also authorizes flow-restricting devices for willful violations.
I read that San Diego waters 3 days a week on assigned days. Is that still true?
No. Ordinance O-22105, effective July 15, 2026, repealed the former Drought Response Levels that carried the 3-days-per-week limits, assigned weekdays, and per-station minute limits. Many blogs and older pages still show those rules, but the binding rules today are the permanent water waste prohibitions with no set days.
My address says San Diego but my bill names a different water company. Which rules apply?
Follow the supplier named on your bill; these rules cover City of San Diego Public Utilities customers. Nearby retailers with their own rules include California American Water (Coronado, Imperial Beach), Sweetwater Authority (National City, Bonita, west Chula Vista), Otay Water District, Helix Water District (La Mesa, El Cajon, Lemon Grove), Padre Dam MWD (Santee), City of Poway, Olivenhain MWD (4S Ranch), Santa Fe Irrigation District, San Dieguito Water District (Encinitas), and City of Del Mar.
How do I report water waste in San Diego?
Use the Get It Done app or website, and include photo or video if you can. You can also email waterwaste@sandiego.gov or call 619-533-5271; Public Utilities customer care is at 619-515-3500 or customercare@sandiego.gov.
Sources and verification
Rules checked October 2026. The schedule is watched for changes and updated when the supplier changes it.
Water supplier: City of San Diego Public Utilities Department (official schedule )
All 5 sources
- San Diego Municipal Code Ch. 6 Art. 7 Div. 38 Emergency Water Regulations, 7-2026 printRead August 25, 2026 on docs.sandiego.gov/municode/municodechapter06/ch06art07division38.pdf
- City's current Water Use Restrictions pageRead August 25, 2026 on www.sandiego.gov/public-utilities/sustainability/water-conservation/water-use-restrictions
- City's Enforcement and Penalties pageRead August 25, 2026 on www.sandiego.gov/public-utilities/sustainability/water-conservation/enforcement
- Water conservation landing pageRead August 25, 2026 on www.sandiego.gov/public-utilities/sustainability/water-conservation
- Public Utilities Department pageRead August 25, 2026 on www.sandiego.gov/public-utilities
Nearby water suppliers
The name on the water bill decides which rules apply.