Buckeye Water Restrictions 2026
Maricopa County · Arizona
Published:
Restrictions Active - Stage 2 Mandatory Conservation - SRP + Colorado River Tier 2
2
Days/Week
Before 10:00 AM
Allowed Hours
$200 first · $400 second
Max Fine
Find Your Watering Day
Enter the last digit of your street address:
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| Address Ending | Watering Day |
|---|---|
| Odd | Monday & Thursday |
| Even | Tuesday & Friday |
Allowed Watering Hours
No outdoor irrigation between 10:00 AM and 6:00 PM. Stage 2 limits residential irrigation to 2 days per week (down from the 3-day permanent baseline). No irrigation Wednesday, Saturday, or Sunday under Stage 2. Some Buckeye-area master-planned communities are served by private water companies (e.g., EPCOR Water) that operate under separate but comparable schedules, verify your provider on your bill.
Still Allowed
💧 Hand Watering
Allowed with shut-off nozzle. Hours: Any day with a hand-held hose fitted with an automatic shut-off nozzle, before 10:00 AM or after 6:00 PM.
🌿 Drip Irrigation
Exempt from day-of-week limits. Must follow allowed hours.
Fines & Enforcement
$200 first · $400 second
Buckeye Water Resources issues civil citations of $200 for first offences and $400 for second; commercial properties face up to $2,500. Customers served by EPCOR or other private providers within the Buckeye city limits should verify enforcement rules directly with their utility. Report violations to Buckeye Water Resources at 623-349-6100.
Citations begin September 2025🏠 HOA Rules During Restrictions
Arizona Revised Statute §33-1902 prohibits HOAs from fining residents for brown or dormant lawns during a declared water shortage. ARS §33-1808 protects xeriscape rights. Verrado, Tartesso, and other Buckeye master-planned communities are subject to these state laws, HOA rules cannot override the state-level protections.
If your homeowners association sends a violation notice for a dormant or brown lawn during the current restriction period, respond in writing citing the applicable law and include a copy of the City of Buckeye Water Resources's current restriction order. Most HOAs will rescind the notice once they are made aware of the legal protections in place. If the issue persists, contact your county’s code enforcement division for assistance.
Why These Restrictions Exist
Buckeye is the fastest-growing city in the West Valley and one of the fastest-growing cities in the United States, its population has more than tripled since 2010 to roughly 110,000 residents and is projected to exceed 300,000 within the next decade. Buckeye's water supply mix is more groundwater-heavy than the inner-Phoenix metro because the city sits on the western edge of the Phoenix Active Management Area where SRP and CAP coverage thins. With SRP storage at 52% and the Colorado River Tier 2 Shortage cutting CAP allocations 21%, Buckeye joined the regional Stage 2 framework in coordination with the Maricopa Association of Governments. Several Buckeye master-planned communities (Verrado, Tartesso) are served by private water companies (e.g., EPCOR Water) rather than the city utility, verify your provider on your monthly bill, because the schedule and fines can differ.
This deficit has accumulated over the current water year and represents a significant departure from historical averages for the Buckeye area. Water supply reservoirs and aquifer levels are well below seasonal targets, necessitating mandatory conservation measures.
How to Keep Your Lawn Alive During Buckeye Water Restrictions
11 tips tailored for Buckeye homeowners during Stage 2 Mandatory Conservation - SRP + Colorado River Tier 2 restrictions.
Buckeye residents on EPCOR or other private water providers should verify their schedule on the utility bill, city rules may not match private-provider rules exactly.
Bermuda is the only practical summer turf in Buckeye; accept golden winter dormancy rather than overseed with ryegrass.
Apply 3 inches of decomposed granite over ornamental beds, wood chip mulch dries within weeks under Buckeye's low humidity.
Replace front-yard turf using the regional Water, Use It Wisely rebate framework; Buckeye participates in the metro xeriscape conversion program.
Install subsurface drip on shrubs and trees, topical drip cracks under direct Arizona UV within 2 seasons.
Use a smart controller with the SRP/Arizona ET preset; WaterSense-labeled units earn Buckeye rebates.
Cycle-and-soak on Buckeye's hardpan and caliche soils: 2 minutes on, 30-minute pause, 2 minutes on.
Mow Bermuda at 1–1.5 inches in summer to shade the crown; raise to 1.5 inches under heat stress.
Fix leaks within 24 hours, Buckeye's summer evaporation can waste 400+ gallons per night from a stuck valve.
Harvest AC condensate for potted plants, a 3-ton AC produces 5–20 gallons per day in Buckeye summers and is exempt.
Track usage at buckeyeaz.gov via your utility account, Stage 2 targets a 10% reduction versus your prior-year baseline.
Buckeye Water Restriction FAQs
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