San Jose watering schedule 2026

Exceptions to the San Jose rules

• Ordinance 23-02 sec. 3.2: "The use of potable water is not prohibited to the extent necessary to ensure the health of trees and other perennial non-Turf plantings or to the extent necessary to address immediate health and safety, sanitation, or fire protection needs as determined by the fire marshal." Such watering must be done in a manner that prevents runoff unless the fire marshal permits otherwise.
• The Valley Water 9 AM-6 PM ban applies only to watering "through overhead irrigation", so drip irrigation and hand watering are outside it. Inside San José, the City's 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. ban does not apply to watering with a bucket, a hand-carried container, a hose with an automatic positive self-closing valve, or a drip irrigation system (15.10.290 A).
• The non-functional turf ban applies only to commercial, industrial and institutional (CII) sites incl. HOA/common-interest common areas; Valley Water states it "does not apply to residential lawns, school fields, sports fields, or areas regularly used for civic or community events."
• Trees and shrubs within non-functional turf areas may be watered directly under the canopy.
• Car washing allowed by hand-washing without a hose, with a hand-held hose equipped with an automatic shut-off nozzle, or at a commercial car wash using recycled/recirculating water.
• Washing building exteriors/mobile homes allowed with a hose equipped with an automatic shut-off nozzle.
• Washing sidewalks/driveways/patios/parking lots/hard surfaces allowed "in cases where health and safety are at risk"; power washing for health and safety reasons is not a violation.
• Runoff rule tolerates "Incidental Runoff" (unintended, minimal overspray).
• Leaking-fixture prohibition applies only after Valley Water or the retailer has notified the customer in writing to make the repair.
• Inside San José, the City's hour and minute limits do not apply during plant establishment periods (the first year after planting, or the first two years if irrigation will end after establishment) or during a landscape water management audit (15.10.290 C and 15.11.390), and weather-based controllers are exempt from the 15-minute cap (15.10.290 B). Valley Water's ordinance prints no exceptions for new plantings, edibles, pots, hot days, or smart controllers.

Fines in San Jose

1. 1CURRENT (Aug 2026): Valley Water Water Waste Enforcement page: "There is currently no call for mandatory water use reduction; therefore, Valley Water will not be issuing fines for water waste violations." Enforcement is educational (notice of complaint + program info; after the second repeat complaint, subsequent complaints are forwarded to the water retailer). "Water retailers and/or local municipalities may issue fines or take other enforcement actions, such as installing a flow restrictor."
2. 2Inside San José city limits: the City's Administrative Citation Schedule of Fines (Resolution RES2025-403) sets $250 for a first violation of Municipal Code Section 15.10.290 (landscape irrigation restrictions) and $500 for a second or later violation within 12 months of the previous one. These City citations are separate from Valley Water's enforcement.
3. 3IF a mandatory water-use reduction is called (Ordinance 23-02 secs. 5.2-5.3): Notice of Report of Violation (warning, no fine) -> Notice of Second Report of Violation (after 14+ days, within 12 months) -> Notice of Third Report of Violation (after 14+ more days) -> site visit, then Notice of Violation with administrative fine of up to $100 per violation found.
4. 4Extraordinary circumstances (actual notice + intentional conduct + substantial water): fine of up to $10,000.
5. 5Repeat violation continuing 31+ days after a Notice of Violation: additional fine of up to $10,000, then up to $500 for each additional day the violation continues.
6. 6Appeal: written hearing request to the Clerk of the Board within 30 calendar days of a Notice of Violation; CEO or designee's decision is final.
7. 7SJWC: no current drought surcharges or allocations (ended April 11, 2023); no SJWC-specific fine schedule is currently published.

Report water waste

Valley Water: Access Valley Water portal (access.valleywater.org), phone 408-630-2000, or valleywater.org/saving-water/outdoor-conservation/report-water-waste (anonymous OK; include photos, cross-streets, and landmarks). SJWC customers can also use SJWC's Report Water Waste form at sjwater.com/our-company/contact-us/report-leaks-or-water-waste/ (emergencies: 408-279-7900).