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

Santa Margarita (SMWD) watering schedule 2026

Santa Margarita Water District sets no watering days: water any day, but never 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Today

Rules from: Santa Margarita Water District (SMWD) (official schedule )

Santa Margarita (SMWD) 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 8 a.m. and 6 p.m. on any day.

DaysWater only between 6 p.m. and 8 a.m. Sprinkler irrigation with drinking water is banned from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. (Ordinance 2021-05-05, Section 8.A.a).
RulesExempt from the hours: a bucket or a hand-held hose with a shut-off nozzle, drip, short runs to adjust or repair the system, and a new landscape while it establishes.
RulesNo watering during rain or within 48 hours after at least a quarter inch of measurable rain (Section 8.A.d).
RulesNo runoff onto sidewalks, driveways or streets, and no hosing down hard surfaces.
RulesNo shortage stage is in force, so no day limits apply.
How the rule works

Santa Margarita Water District does not assign watering days. Its permanent rules in Ordinance 2021-05-05, Section 8, ban irrigating lawns and landscapes with drinking water between 8 a.m. and 6 p.m., so water between 6 p.m. and 8 a.m. on any day. The ban runs all year. Hand watering with a bucket or a shutoff-nozzle hose, drip, short repair runs and a new landscape while it establishes are exempt. No watering during or within 48 hours after measurable rain of at least a quarter inch. SMWD has no shortage stage in force; its status page shows the year-round rules only, and a stage would need a Board resolution.

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

Rules change. Get the new Santa Margarita (SMWD) days and hours by email.

  • We watch the published Santa Margarita (SMWD) 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 Mission Viejo 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 36 minutes of sprinkler time a week, from the state climate table for Mission Viejo. 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.

12minper watering day3 days a week in October
Per week
36 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 Santa Margarita Water District (SMWD)'s hours.Get the plan for $19

Rules and fines in Santa Margarita (SMWD)

Current stage No water shortage stage is declared. The Board ended its last Stage 2 declaration with Resolution No. 2023-04-04 on April 21, 2023, and SMWD's Water Conservation and Shortage Stages page shows the current status as the year-round permanent Best Management Practices of Ordinance 2021-05-05, Section 8, which apply at all times. Under Section 10 the Board can put a shortage stage (1 to 6) into force or end it by resolution; no later declaration was found.

The exceptions include drip irrigation, hand watering, new plantings and fixing or testing sprinklers, each with its own conditions. A written exception can also be requested. The full text is below.

First: a citation. Then $100, $250 and $500, for repeated, willful violations.

Full text of the rules

Exceptions to the Santa Margarita (SMWD) rules

  • The 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. ban does not apply to watering with a hand-held bucket or a hand-held hose with a positive self-closing shut-off nozzle, very short runs to adjust or repair an irrigation system, drip irrigation, or the establishment period of a new landscape (Ordinance 2021-05-05, Section 8.A.a).
  • Rain: no watering of turf and ornamental landscape during and within 48 hours after measurable rainfall of at least one quarter inch, as measured by a local National Weather Service or CIMIS station (Section 8.A.d).
  • No watering that lets more than incidental runoff flow onto an adjoining property, non-irrigated area, sidewalk, driveway, street or parking lot (Section 8.A.b).
  • No potable water on turf in public street medians (Section 8.A.c).
  • No washing down sidewalks, driveways, patios or other hard surfaces, except to fix a safety or sanitary hazard, and then only with a bucket, a low-volume high-pressure cleaning machine that recycles the water, or a low-volume high-pressure water broom (Section 8.B).
  • Fix leaks, breaks and malfunctions, and in no event later than seven days after notice from the District (Section 8.C).
  • Fountains and other decorative water features must use recirculated water; wash vehicles only with a bucket or a hand-held hose with a self-closing shut-off nozzle (Section 8.D and 8.E).
  • The General Manager can issue an exemption permit for a type of use when the restriction would cause undue hardship, an emergency affecting health or safety, or a breach of a state or federal permit (Section 11).

Fines in Santa Margarita (SMWD)

  1. 1For repeated, willful violations the District may impose these steps. First violation: a citation (Ordinance 2021-05-05, Section 12.A).
  2. 2Second violation: a $100 penalty placed on the water bill (Section 12.A).
  3. 3Third violation: a $250 penalty on the water bill (Section 12.A).
  4. 4Fourth violation: a $500 penalty on the water bill and, after a 15 day written notice, a flow restriction at the customer's cost (Section 12.A).
  5. 5Violations can also be prosecuted as a misdemeanor, punishable by up to 30 days in county jail, a fine of up to $1,000, or both, and service can be shut off after a 15 day written notice for willful violations (Section 12.B and 12.C).
  6. 6A fine can be appealed in writing to the General Manager within ten calendar days of the notice, and the decision can be taken to the Board of Directors (Section 12.F and 12.G).

Report water waste

SMWD's online Report an Issue form (smwd.com/260/Report-an-Issue), choosing Water Service Issues and then Water Leak / Break / Runoff, or SMWD Customer Care at (949) 459-6420 or CustomerCare@smwd.com. For help with a sprinkler schedule, the Efficiency team answers at 949-459-6593 or efficiency@smwd.com.

Here a penalty starts at $100, after a citation, for repeated, willful violations. The personal watering plan prints the minutes for every zone, every month, with the hours, for $19 once. See the plan

Santa Margarita (SMWD) watering questions

Does Santa Margarita Water District assign watering days?

No. SMWD's permanent rules in Ordinance 2021-05-05, Section 8, set no watering days and no even or odd address split. They limit the clock instead: no irrigation with drinking water between 8 a.m. and 6 p.m., on any day of the year.

Can I water my SMWD yard during the day?

Only in the cases Section 8.A.a lists: a hand-held bucket or a hand-held hose with a positive self-closing shut-off nozzle, very short runs to adjust or repair the irrigation system, drip irrigation, and a new landscape during its establishment period. Other sprinkler watering runs between 6 p.m. and 8 a.m.

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

Ordinance 2021-05-05, Section 8.A.d, bans watering turf and ornamental landscape during and within 48 hours after measurable rainfall of at least one quarter inch, as measured by a local National Weather Service or CIMIS weather station. SMWD's web summary states it as no irrigation during or after rainfall for 48 hours.

What are the SMWD fines for breaking the watering rules?

Section 12.A of Ordinance 2021-05-05 sets the ladder for repeated, willful violations: a citation first, then a $100 penalty on the water bill, then $250, then $500 plus a flow restrictor after 15 days of written notice. A violation can also be charged as a misdemeanor with a fine of up to $1,000. A fine can be appealed in writing to the General Manager within ten calendar days.

Is Santa Margarita Water District in a drought stage right now?

No stage is in force. The Board ended its last Stage 2 declaration with Resolution No. 2023-04-04 on April 21, 2023, and SMWD's Water Conservation and Shortage Stages page shows the current status as the year-round conservation rules. Under Section 10 of the ordinance the Board would have to declare a stage by resolution. Stage 2 would ask for voluntary day limits, and Stages 3 to 5 would make day limits mandatory.

Do SMWD rules apply in San Juan Capistrano?

SMWD took over the City of San Juan Capistrano's water and wastewater systems in November 2021, according to its 2026 Water Shortage Contingency Plan. Section 5 of Ordinance 2021-05-05 applies the rules to all customers and properties served by the District, so San Juan Capistrano water customers follow the same hour and rain rules.

Is my home served by Santa Margarita Water District?

SMWD serves Mission Viejo, Rancho Santa Margarita and San Juan Capistrano and the communities of Coto de Caza, Las Flores, Ladera Ranch, Rancho Mission Viejo and Talega in San Clemente. Neighboring suppliers include Moulton Niguel, El Toro, Irvine Ranch and Trabuco Canyon water districts and the City of San Clemente. Check the name on your bill or type your address into SMWD's service area lookup.

How do I report water waste or a runoff problem to SMWD?

Use SMWD's online Report an Issue form, pick Water Service Issues and then Water Leak / Break / Runoff, and give the address. You can also reach Customer Care at (949) 459-6420 or CustomerCare@smwd.com. For help setting a sprinkler timer, the Efficiency team answers at 949-459-6593.

Sources and verification

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

Water supplier: Santa Margarita Water District (SMWD) (official schedule )

All 9 sources

Nearby water suppliers

Moulton Niguel (MNWD)Moulton Niguel Water District (MNWD)No assigned days; no sprinkler watering from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.Water 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
CoronaCity of Corona Utilities DepartmentMandatory: 3 days/week by address, year-round; no watering on FridaysCity water
AnaheimAnaheim Public Utilities (APU)No assigned days; voluntary Level 1, old 3-day rule repealedCity water

The name on the water bill decides which rules apply.