Suburban Water Systems watering schedule 2026

Exceptions to the Suburban Water Systems rules

• The day, hour and rain limits do not apply to landscape irrigation zones that use only drip or micro spray irrigation (Rule No. 14.1, Section D.a.v.1).
• They do not apply to watering with a hand-held bucket or similar container, or with a continuously monitored hose fitted with an automatic shut-off nozzle or device (Section D.a.v.2).
• They do not apply to watering for the express purpose of adjusting or repairing an irrigation system, or to landscape irrigated with recycled water (Section D.a.v.2).
• Special landscape areas and commercial nurseries can irrigate as needed if the customer presents Suburban with a plan that achieves equal water use reductions (Section D.a.i.5).
• When a city, county or other local public agency in a Suburban service area adopts different watering days or hours, Suburban may enforce that agency's restrictions (Section D.a.i.6).
• No watering that causes excessive water flow or runoff onto adjacent property, non-irrigated areas, walkways, roadways, parking lots or structures (Section D.b).
• Washing a vehicle needs a hose fitted with a shut-off nozzle or device (Section D.c).
• No washing buildings, driveways, patios, parking lots, tennis courts or other hard surfaces with potable water, except where health and safety are at risk (Section D.d).
• Fountains and decorative water features must use re-circulated water (Section D.e).
• Water lost to a correctable leak, break or malfunction may be cited as water waste once five days have passed in which it could have been fixed (Section D.i).
• No potable water on non-functional turf at commercial, industrial and institutional sites (Section D.a.iv); home lawns are not covered by that ban.
• A customer who seeks a variance, including a health and safety exception, writes to Suburban, which answers in writing; a customer not satisfied can file a formal complaint with the CPUC (Rule No. 14.1, Section K; Advice Letter 369-W public notice).

Suburban Water Systems fines

1. 1First violation: written notice, including an explanation of the penalty for a later violation (Schedule No. 14.1, Section E.1.a; 2025 Water Shortage Contingency Plan, Section 7.1).
2. 2Second violation: a second written notice and a $25 waste of water penalty if Stage 1 is in effect ($50 in Stage 2, $100 in Stage 3, $200 in Stage 4) (Schedule No. 14.1, Section E.1.b).
3. 3Third violation: a third written notice and a further $25 penalty if Stage 1 is in effect (Schedule No. 14.1, Section E.1.c).
4. 4Fourth violation: a fourth written notice, and Suburban may install a flow restrictor on the service line (Schedule No. 14.1, Section E.1.d). Removing a flow restrictor costs $100 during normal business hours and $150 outside them (Section G).
5. 5Continued wasteful use may lead to termination of water service under tariff Rule No. 11 (Rule No. 14.1, Section D).
6. 6Schedule No. 14.1, Section E.1, ties these penalties to an enforcement stage authorized by the CPUC, and Rule No. 14.1, Section F.3, puts no staged schedule in place in Stage 1, so Stage 1 enforcement may stop at written notices. The dollar amounts above are the ones the tariff and the 2025 plan print for Stage 1.

Report water waste

Call Suburban Customer Service at (800) 203-5430, Monday to Friday (Current Restrictions page footer). Variance requests go to Suburban in writing (Rule No. 14.1, Section K).