SNWA Water Smart Contractor

Fall Watering Restrictions

Mandatory watering restrictions limit landscape irrigation to three assigned days per week from Sept. 1 through Oct. 31.

Watering restrictions also apply to drip irrigation. Sunday is not an optional watering day.

Check your last water bill or type in your address in our "find your watering group" tool to verify your watering group.

Other restrictions

• Sprinkler watering is prohibited from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. until Oct. 1
• Mist systems at commercial businesses may not be used (September through May)
• Fountains are restricted at commercial and multi-family properties
• New grass is prohibited at commercial properties and new residential front yards
• Car washing requires the use of a positive shut-off nozzle to reduce water flow

Water Waste

Watering on days other than assigned watering days and watering during restricted hours are considered water waste and may result in a fee. Learn more about water waste.

Some parks may water outside an assigned watering day. These parks have customized watering schedules to allow them to water at times so the community can use the park. The parks must follow the time-of-day watering restrictions.

Use cycle-and-soak method of watering

The Water Authority recommends you run sprinklers in three short, 4-minute cycles, about an hour apart. This "cycle and soak" method allows soil to absorb water slowly and reduces the risk of runoff, which is water waste. The best time to water is after sunset and before sunrise to reduce evaporation and to avoid late-day winds.

Water-saving tips

If you notice brown spots in your lawn, check your sprinklers to see if any of the heads are broken or twisted. Also check to see that your sprinklers are popping up 4 inches above the grass. You may water by hand with a hose. To break down surface tension and allow for better water absorption, add a tablespoon of liquid soap to a gallon of water and drench the brown spots with the mixture. Use these tips to help save outdoors:

• Water before sunrise through October.
• Inspect for broken or misaligned sprinklers after every mowing.
• Hand-water dry spots with a hose.
• Aim for "head-to-head" coverage. The spray of one sprinkler should reach the head of the sprinkler closest to it.
• Drip emitters around trees and shrubs should be evenly spaced. Move emitters as plants grow.
• Choose a warm-season grass such as bermuda, zoysia or St. Augustine if you plan to re-seed or sod. Warm-season grasses require less water than fescue.
• Adjust your mowing height down. Fescue grass can be cut to 1.5 inches in cooler months.
• Add mulch, which helps prevent erosion, reduce water lost to evaporation and provide insulation.

Drip irrigation

During fall, run your drip irrigation system in a single cycle of 30 to 90 minutes, two days a week. The length of each watering should be determined by the emitter flow rate, soil type and weather conditions. See our drip watering tips for details.

Daylight-saving time ends

Don't forget to reset your irrigation clock when daylight-saving time ends on the first Sunday in November at 2 a.m. When you're changing your indoor clocks, make sure you also change the time on your irrigation clock.